The western border of Santa Monica, California, is the 3-mile (4.8 km) stretch of Santa Monica Bay. On its other sides, the city is bordered by various districts of Los Angeles: the northwestern border is Pacific Palisades, the eastern border is Brentwood north of Wilshire Boulevard and West Los Angeles south of Wilshire, the northeastern border is generally San Vicente Boulevard up to the Riviera Country Club, the southwestern border is Venice Beach and the southern border is with West Los Angeles and Mar Vista.
Santa Monica Canyon
Part of the Santa Monica Post Office code 90402 but outside the municipal boundaries, Santa Monica Canyon is an adjacent neighborhood is named for the historic land grant Rancho Boca de Santa Monica. The boundary between Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades in this area is Adelaide Drive.
La Mesa Drive / North of San Vicente
San Vicente Boulevard is the northernmost major street in Santa Monica. The streets north of San Vicente are generally considered a subsection of the North of Montana neighborhood, but distinguished because of La Mesa Drive. North of San Vicente the streets are La Mesa Drive, La Mesa Way, Gale Place (developed by one of the area's prolific post-depression contractors, Cecil Gale), Woodacres Road, Esparta Way, Ermont Place, Foxtail Drive, Larkin Place, Winnett Place and Adelaide Place. This is part of the "North of Montana" 90402 zip code.
North of Montana Avenue
South of San Vicente and north of Montana Avenue consist of larger family homes of varying styles and age on larger lots. It is one of the most expensive areas in the Westside of Los Angeles. The streets in this portion of Santa Monica are San Vicente Boulevard, Georgina Avenue, Marguerita Avenue, Alta Avenue, Carlyle Avenue, Brentwood Terrace, Ocean Avenue, and the "numbered streets" 4th Street, 7th Street, Lincoln Boulevard (where 8th Street would have been), 9th Street, 10th Street, 11th Street, 12th Street, Euclid Street (which is where 13th Street would have been), 14th Street, 15th Street (the dividing line for Franklin versus Roosevelt Elementary schools), 16th Street, 17th Street (which is where Gillette's Regent Square tract begins) 18th Street, 19th Street, 20th Street, 21st Street, 21st Place (this is Gillette's cleaver extra street created by eliminating five alleys and narrowing streets, where the Gillette Regent Square tract ends and where 21st and a Half Street would have been), 22nd Street, 23rd Street, 24th Street, 25th Street and 26th Street. Most of the lot sizes are on 50' X 150' lots. The South of San Vicente, North of Montana streets provide an understated conventional walkable play-in-street feel. Among the streets south of San Vicente, the streets west of 7th Street are coveted for their proximity to Palisades Park on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and wide streets with stately homes on deep 100' foot wide lots. The Gillette's Regent Square tract, developed by King Gillette - the razor blade manufacturer, are 9,000 square feet on 60' x 150' lots. The Gillette Regent Square section is coveted by potential home buyers for the larger homes allowed under the very restrictive zoning laws, wider lots and mature street trees.
San Vicente Boulevard is the northernmost major street in Santa Monica. The streets North of San Vicente are generally considered a subsection of the North of Montana neighborhood, but distinguished because of La Mesa Drive. Homes on La Mesa Drive are among the most expensive in Los Angeles County and often contain views of the Riviera Country Club with peeks of the Pacific Ocean or picturesque Santa Monica Canyon. La Mesa Drive is one of the least known in the city. It's planted with a dense canopy of rare Moreton Bay fig trees, making the street a picturesque walking location. Twenty blocks closer to the ocean, the Santa Monica Steps at 4th Street are a popular set of 189 very steep steps that lead down into the canyon. Rather than being used as a convenient direct route from Canyon Charter School to Adelaide Drive, they are more often utilized for intense workouts and are an excellent place for spotting sweating celebrities. Streets north of San Vicente are usually short and contain gated estates. North of San Vicente the streets are La Mesa Drive, La Mesa Way, Gale Place (developed by one of the area's prolific post-Depression contractors, Cecil Gale), Woodacres Road, Esparta Way, Ermont Place, Foxtail Drive, Larkin Place, Winnett Place and Adelaide Drive. This is part of the "North of Montana" 90402 zip code.