Hands-On Education Programs & Hotel Packages

K-12 parents and students will find educational incentives and activities in the air, over the ocean, in room and online throughout Santa Monica

SANTA MONICA, Calif., (November 19, 2020) – As parents struggle to find a balance for work-at-home, remote learning and online teaching, a variety of Santa Monica attractions and businesses are delivering fresh and innovative new ways to teach and learn in the air, online, in room and over the ocean during this new school year.

“At Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, we listened to what families need during this time and we are happy to provide them with a safe place to work and learn remotely, complete with all the amenities and resources they need while they also get to enjoy our beachfront property,” said Younes Atallah, General Manager at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. “Our hotel prides itself on welcoming our guests like family and in times like these, we continue to make it our priority to provide guests with the added comfort of knowing that they will be well taken care of and can rely on us as a home away from home or their new office and classroom.”

Hands-On Hotel Education Package

• Loews Santa Monica Beach, Work, Learn, and Lounge – Families can upgrade their reality and remote in from their own beachside oasis with the Loews Work, Learn and Lounge package, complete with all the resources individuals, students and families need to stay on track. Guests can book two rooms, with the second at 50 percent off and make a space for grownup work with an adjoining room for the children to learn in. Families can end their day by the pool or dine at one of the signature oceanfront fire pits and enjoy a Southern California sunset. The Work, Learn and Lounge includes a guaranteed connecting room at 50 percent off, daily $75 food and beverage credit at Blue Streak, waived resort fee, premium Wi-Fi, late check-out, and a welcome amenity with supplies for the kids, such as notebooks, markers, pencils and erasers. The Loews Work, Learn and Lounge package ends December 31, 2020.

Hands-On Attractions and Businesses Education Programs

If you’re in the knead to know about pizza dough, want to draw the artist out of your children, seek to submerge yourself in all things aquatic, wade into history 40 feet over the ocean, or fly high for academics, then these line-up of Santa Monica activities fit the scholastic bill:

• Cayton Children’s Museum, Cayton Creators Outdoor Arts Experience – Young artists and their families have the opportunity to create their own masterpieces with live facilitation from Museum teaching artists and ambassadors. Each family or group will have their own table, which will be organized into quadrants to encourage social distancing and limit exposure. While all ages are welcome, programming has been created for young artists ages 3-8 and their families. Click here to register online. For additional information, email info@caytonmuseum.org.
• SantaMonica.com, Santa Monica Family Friendly Activities to Help Kids Learn from a Distance – As families find themselves staying at home in an effort to help flatten the curve, there’s a new need for engaging and educational activities to keep children and parents learning and interested in the world around them. To help fill this void, Santa Monica businesses are stepping up with creative, family-friendly activities to help keep children engaged and learning from home. Click here to view all programming.
• FIG at Fairmont, Home School Lunch Delivery – Because this year’s school closures doubly impact economically disadvantaged families who rely on the school system for meal assistance, Fig at Fairmont will donate one lunch for every meal purchased through the Home School Lunch Delivery program to the Santa Monica Boys & Girls Club to support families in need this school year. Click here for menu information and to order online.
• Heal the Bay Aquarium, Knowledge Drops – Heal the Bay has created a new interactive science education webinar series where their team of scientists, experts, and advocates explore the water world and offer fun lessons about the marine environment. Each online session is about 1 hour and includes a live presentation, Q&A, polls, and videos. The new webinar series is presented in English and Español and is generally geared for 3 to 8 grade students, but all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. Click here to view all Knowledge Drops webinar classes and course materials.
• Local Kitchen + Wine Bar, Mama Mia It’s A Pizza 101 – this local Santa Monica favorite is providing outdoor pizza lessons for small groups of kids that are perfect for extracurricular activities including birthday parties and everyday hands-on cooking experiences. For classes, call 310-396-9007 or email info@localkitchenandwinebar.com.
• Outdoors In Santa Monica, Get Outdoors and Enjoy Fresh Air and Sea Breezes – Now is the time to access the great outdoors with 3.5 miles of glistening coastline and 280 days of sunshine to match, Santa Monica offers an abundance of wide-open outdoor spaces that create the perfect backdrop for a day of fresh air and sea breezes. Better yet, there’s no need for a car to get around the beachside city. A walkable 8.3 square-miles, Santa Monica also has more than 120 miles of bike lanes, making it easy to explore the compact urban landscape on foot or by bike. Click here for a list of favorite ways to enjoy Santa Monica’s outdoor spaces.
• Santa Monica In Perspective, City Fun Facts You Might Not Know – Santa Monica is a city so rich in history, culture, and activity that there are tons of quirky facts about it that even many locals and kids might not know. Click here to learn about some of the more eccentric and less recognized information about beautiful, sunny Santa Monica.
• Santa Monica Pier, Secret Story Tour App – Learning about the historic Santa Monica Pier has never been so fun for children as with the new Secret Story Tour app. The digital and interactive experience allows kids to solve location-based puzzles to unlock secrets and untold stories of the Pier. They will use hidden clues on their quest to discover new ways to preserve the Pier based on its 111-year history. It’s fun learning for children while they also capture one-of-a-kind photos along the way. The Secret Story Tour is suitable for all ages, can be played alone or in a group and is approximately 45-60 minutes, which can be paused and resumed as desired. The Secret Story Tour app is available in the Apple App store and Google Play store for $19.99. Click here for more information.
• Trapeze School New York in Los Angeles, Youth Circus Experience – Flying trapeze, trampoline, aerial arts, and juggling are a great way to get kids up and moving, and to foster their creative side. Designed for children 7 to 17, the Trapeze School New York’s children’s programs build foundations for developing a healthy, fun, and balanced relationship with exercise throughout one’s life. They begin with basics such as warming up before exercise, practicing proper form, and training both strength and flexibility. Children have the opportunity to challenge themselves mentally and physically, and are invited to step outside their comfort zone in a supportive environment. Participants develop fundamental skills such as trust, teamwork, and confidence as they experiment with creating individual sequences and group routines. Children walk away from the classes feeling empowered and ready to tackle anything. Click here to register online. For additional information, email lainfo@trapezeschool.com.

“We applaud the ingenuity of these businesses to create programming that supports the academic efforts and challenges of families in our community while maintaining county guidelines for safety,”said Misti Kerns, President/CEO of Santa Monica Travel & Tourism. “These are difficult times and we are committed to making sure the resources are available for everyone to succeed in business and education.”

SMTT invites visitors to travel responsibly to and around Santa Monica while enjoying its sun-drenched beach, outdoor dining and unique shopping. Seize the day and stay the night as many Santa Monica hotels are offering packages with experiences for families. To help visitors explore the beachside city during this unique moment in time, new resources are available on how to travel responsibly, hotel safety measures, discounts at local businesses, a personalized vacation planning tool, a KCRW playlist and more at SantaMonicaShines.com.

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About Santa Monica Travel & Tourism

Santa Monica Travel & Tourism (SMTT) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Santa Monica as a travel destination. For more information  visit santamonica.com, email info@santamonica.com, or follow SMTT on Instagram (@SeeSantaMonica), Twitter (@GoSantaMonica) or Facebook (@VisitSantaMonica).

Contact: Kim Sidoriak
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism
310-319-6263
ksidoriak@santamonica.com