A visit to 3rd St Promenade is essential when visiting LA for a big shopper. Bigger stores, better stock. Not to mention the outdoor shopping experience is so peaceful and alongside beautiful weather, can really make you see the pure beauty of Los Angeles. After a quick shop and lunch, we made our way down to Santa Monica Pier and beach to relax... but to also see what the fuss was about. 

It was a quiet afternoon, few people apart from a group of tourists - also from Australia - and two other families. The rides are definitely child-friendly and not for you if you're seeking adrenaline, but a nice place to stroll down after a day. We then made our way down to Venice beach - a place I wasn't so happy to be in, surrounded by 'marijuana doctors' and secondhand smoking - but the walk down was worth it. A long 45 minutes, but lovely to sense the chilled vibes of those strolling, jogging or riding their bikes down the lane.