Santa Monica was discovered by the Spanish explorer Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo back in 1542 and remained under Spanish rule until Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1828. Today, Santa Monica apartments for rent are home to a diverse amount of people who enjoy the best of both worlds thanks to the gorgeous beach fronts and accessibility to surrounding cities such as Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.

Santa Monica apartments for rent are part of the 8.3 square miles that make up the city. Residents and visitors enjoy the fact that the city offers a walkable, pedestrian friendly environment, which makes it easy to get around shops, restaurants and the great outdoors. Downtown Santa Monica features an array of outdoor dining options featuring local and international cuisines. The Border Grill features an upscale Mexican menu while Enterprise Fish Co. serves locally caught seafood plates.

There are plenty of places to shop thanks to the diverse number of boutiques, handmade shops and designer stores. Residents enjoy the evolving accessory options such as one-of-a-kind jewelry and handbags available at Arm Candy Handbag Boutique. Local artists' work is displayed and available for purchase at Mindfulness, and for those who want to come up with their own creations, Beadahs offers the opportunity to create one of a kind jewelry keepsakes.

Santa Monica apartments offer residents the chance to practically live on the beach. The city is home to an active community - daily activities include swimming, surfing, fishing, beach volleyball and biking among many other outdoor activities.

The Santa Monica community is invested in creating a sustainable city, which is why many residents choose alternative modes of transportation rather than driving. The Big Blue Bus is the city's award winning bus line, which offers fixed routes throughout the city on the Mini Blue line, while the Expo Line helps residents commute to and from downtown Los Angeles. The city has created a number of bike paths residents can use to get around downtown Santa Monica as well.

Santa Monica apartments for rent are preserved by the Santa Monica Housing Division. The Housing Division program offers affordable housing for residents with low- to moderate-incomes, including families, individuals and those with disabilities. The city's housing division focuses on offering renovated and newly constructed residences as well as rental and financial assistance programs.

The cost of living for those residing in Santa Monica apartments is 23.6 percent greater than the California state average and 62.2 percent higher than the national average. Residents pay an estimated $3.81 for a gallon of gas, $6.04 for a cup of coffee and $8.00 for pizza.

Santa Monica apartments are a great place to live and go to school. The city is home to Santa Monica College, a two year school that offers more than 80 fields of study to choose from. After students complete their two years, many continue to live in Santa Monica and make the commute to local universities such as the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Southern California.

Two of the major industries in Santa Monica are tourism and the service industry, as Santa Monica is a popular vacation and business destination. Some of the cities top employers include Santa Monica College, the City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica-UCLA Hospital and Saint John's Hospital Medical Center.