Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens
From $4,995/mo
Starting price
Assisted Living, Independent Living
Care types
Studio, Private, Shared
Room options
No
Wheelchair access
About Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens
Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens offers assisted and independent living one block from the Pacific Ocean in one of California's most walkable coastal neighborhoods. Residents enjoy resort-style amenities, a vibrant activity calendar, and personalized care plans designed around their individual needs. The community is part of the Brookdale Senior Living network, bringing the resources of a large national operator to an intimate Santa Monica setting.
Our Care Approach
Care at Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens is built around personal choice — residents work with staff to create an individualized care plan before move-in, selecting only the services they need. With 24-hour staff availability and support for daily living activities including bathing, dressing, medication management, and coordination with outside healthcare providers, families can feel confident that attentive help is always close at hand.
Family Experience
Families considering this community often note the visible engagement between staff and residents as a reassuring sign during the decision-making process. The transition support, personalized care planning, and open communication from leadership help ease the path forward for both residents and their loved ones.
Care & Services
Services and care programs available at Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens.
Assisted Living
Personalized support with daily activities including bathing, dressing, grooming, and medication management, with care plans tailored to each resident's needs and preferences.
Independent Living
A maintenance-free lifestyle with access to community amenities, dining, housekeeping, and programming for residents who are largely self-sufficient but want the benefits of community life.
Respite Care
Short-term stays are available for those recovering from an illness or procedure, or for families seeking temporary support while exploring longer-term options.
Interested in learning more about the care options?
Living Environment
Coastal Setting
Located one block from the Pacific Ocean and Pacific Palisades Park, residents enjoy one of the most desirable addresses in Southern California senior living, with easy access to beaches, shops, and cultural attractions.
Courtyard and Outdoor Spaces
A beautifully maintained front courtyard with gardens and outdoor seating gives residents a welcoming place to gather, relax in the sun, and enjoy performances and social events.
Common Areas
The community features a fireside living room, game room, library, café/bistro, fitness center, and beauty salon — designed to support both quiet moments and active social connection.
Amenities
Reviews
Based on 14 reviews
Families and residents consistently highlight the warmth and engagement of the staff, with Executive Director Mia receiving particular praise for her responsiveness and leadership. The oceanside location, beautiful courtyard, and lively programming — from poetry circles to book clubs — are frequently cited as standout qualities. A recurring concern across reviews involves elevator reliability, which families exploring the community may want to ask about directly.
- Caring, engaged staff with strong leadership from Executive Director Mia
- Vibrant resident-led programming including poetry, book club, and musical performances
- Beautiful courtyard and gardens with outdoor seating
- Walking distance to the ocean and Montana Avenue boutiques
- Clean, well-maintained environment with attentive dining
- Recurring elevator outages have been a persistent concern for families
- Some reviews note understaffing and delays in services
- Food quality and value for cost receive mixed feedback from longer-term residents
Laura Farrand
July 1, 2024
Very fine residents at Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens. Mia the director is wonderful and the staff and nurses are amazing as well. We enjoy sitting outside under the sun and watching all those lovely flowers in the front courtyard. Also, there are many wonderful performances here, there’s singing, dancing, and great guitars. It’s all joyful being here for us! Resident ambassador Charles is amazing with Poetry every week and resident Rose is amazing with book club discussions. I love living here!!!
Michele Bond, M.S.
February 1, 2024
Mia the director is simply the most vibrant, competent person I’ve met in a LONG time. I chose this place because every time I went there to view a room, fill out paperwork, do some type of business, residents were happy and talking to each other. The staff was all engaged with the residents. The amount of communication between everyone was comforting, and everybody wanted to be there and do an excellent job. My mom is moving in there in a week and we are so excited to be a part of this Brookdale family. By the way, food is amazing and the cleanliness is impeccable… They are also doing AMAZING Work now with some cosmetic things. Lots of attention to detail.🙏❤️
Lucia Kagan
October 21, 2024
After many years of struggles here at Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens finally we have a wonderful Director who is young, smart and beautiful. Executive Director Mia improves not only my life but the lives of everyone in this community. I enjoy this location because I can walk to the ocean every day and I also enjoy shopping in the various boutiques along Montana avenue. I am very pleased with the staff, they are amazing, friendly and warm everyday. I still enjoy my independence and the main reason I keep returning to this community it's because I know when my time comes to get higher care, the staff here will take good care of me.
Families love this community. See if it’s the right fit for you.
Pricing
From $4,995/mo
Pricing varies by room type, care level, and services selected.
Available Room Types
Value Consideration
Monthly pricing at this community reflects a premier coastal California location along with dining, housekeeping, utilities, and access to a full amenity and activity program. Families should confirm the current rate structure directly, as pricing varies by room type and level of care, and clarify which services are bundled versus billed separately.
Location & Neighborhood
About the Area
Situated on a quiet residential street in Santa Monica just one block from the ocean, the community enjoys an exceptionally walkable location near Pacific Palisades Park, the Montana Avenue shopping corridor, the 3rd Street Promenade, and the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Santa Monica–UCLA Medical Center is approximately one mile away, making access to healthcare straightforward.
Nearby Attractions
- Pacific Ocean and Pacific Palisades Park (one block)
- Montana Avenue boutiques and cafes
- 3rd Street Promenade
- Santa Monica Pier
- Santa Monica Farmers Market
- Bergamot Station Arts Center
- Ocean Park Library
- Urth Caffé
- The Rose Cafe and Market
- Emeritus College
- CVS Pharmacy (under one mile)
- Santa Monica–UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital (approximately one mile)
Questions to Ask During Your Visit
Prepare for your tour with these suggested questions.
How has elevator maintenance been managed recently, and what is the current plan for ongoing reliability?
Can you walk us through how the personalized care plan is developed before and after move-in?
What does a typical day of programming look like, and how are residents encouraged to participate?
How is staffing structured across day, evening, and overnight shifts?
What happens if a resident's care needs increase over time — how does the community support that transition?
Is memory care available on-site, and how would that pathway work if needed in the future?
Can you share what is included in the base monthly rate versus what carries an additional cost?
Questions & Answers
Ready to learn more about Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens?
Get your free personalized path or schedule a visit today.