Expo Line to Santa Monica Pier | Mayor Hawthorne
"0/10 experience.", "Terrible.", "Awful. Just awful.", "Worst s###t EVER."
No these aren't Yelp reviews of your local Applebee's. These are just a couple of sentiments you might hear from some poor soul describing their run in with a bout of traffic that Los Angeles has become infamously known for. For a native Angelean, hours wasted away on the highway is just a part of everyday life. You either suck it up and deal with it or you can become wise to the Metro Rail system and kick back & relax during your travels to whatever event the city in the summer has called out to you.
Just a couple of months ago the newest extension of the Expo Line from 7th St/Metro Center Station to Santa Monica beach finally became a reality and opened to the public, and we couldn't be happier. No more days in spent in sweltering heat on the parking lot known as the 405 South.
Kicking back & relaxing on our ride was taken to new highs thanks to our trusted G Pen Elite. We literally never leave home / the office without it.
For $7 ($8 if you don't already have a TAP card) you can purchase a day pass granting access to all Metro Rail lines AND Metro bus lines which can basically get you anywhere you need to go in the massive greater Los Angeles area for 24 hours. "The Man" was on patrol checking for fares, so we made sure to cop a pass for our ride (not that we wouldn't have normally, of course :-)).
2026 may seem like light years away, but important expansions of the Metro Rail system are really just right around the corner. By then, the entire whole of Los Angeles will be conveniently connected, welcoming in stops at Century City & LAX to the family.
To take in the beauty of our beloved city from the seat of a train is a one of a kind experience. The privilege to let go of the stress of stop-and-go traffic, put your favorite tunes in your headphones, and revel in those majestic urban views uniquely offered by this west coast oasis is truly something to experience.
In just 30 quick minutes we made it down to Culver City.
Riding above the streets of L.A. is a refreshing perspective.
The future is now.
No more than an hour after boarding our train in the city, we were already out taking a casual stroll down the Santa Monica Pier.
It couldn't have been a more perfect night to debut this year's KCRW Summer Nights free concert series. Alina Bayaz opened up just as the sun began to set.
Between 10,000 - 15,000 people turned up to share in the festivities of the evening.
Mayer Hawthorne preparing to bless the mic like he does so well.
We here at G Pen love to bless our tastebuds. If your taste buds have yet to experience Dippin' Dots, it's about time they do.
Be sure to take full advantage of the Expo Line , KCRW Summer Nights and plenty of other happenings around the beach this summer.
