Things to Do in Santa Monica

Stretched across 120 acres, Camp Summertime beckons youngsters to its picturesque grounds that boast three swimming pools, two ponds, and one towering rock wall. As campers delve into activities that range from horseback riding to zip lining, they also build friendships and boost their self-esteem in a noncompetitive environment first cultivated in 1965 by the Lefitz family. This atmosphere continues to thrive as campers bond with one another and their personable counselors over playing carnival games, attending dance parties, and building giant sand castles to live in together.

Surrounded by walls tacked with sunny works of art, rows of easels prop up paintings in progress, their evolving canvases commanding the attention of aspiring artists. This scene plays out every day at Paint Lab, a creative haven where talented instructors ignite pupils' imaginations with positive encouragement. The studio's classes teach the technical elements of acrylic, watercolor, or oil painting while students craft their own rendition of a classic work, capture the human form in figure-drawing sessions, or turn their pen toward anime and cartoons. Adults pique their artistic sensibilities with liquid inspiration during classes that provide refreshments and cheese, and younger Picassos can pay homage to their favorite lunchbox by painting it in battle dress during after-school or weekend children's workshops.

Today’s side deal offers an opportunity to experience soothing melodies without camping out in an elevator or doctor's waiting room. For $20, you get one orchestra-center ticket to one of two performances from the New West Symphony: East Meets West on Sunday, April 18, at 4 p.m. or Soiree Romantique on Sunday, May 16, at 4 p.m. (a $78 value for either show). Both performances take place in Barnum Hall at Santa Monica High School. Your Groupon is only valid for the performance date purchased from the links above.

Pacific Park’s attractions celebrate Santa Monica Pier’s history with classic rides that run with modern technology. The Pacific Wheel uses solar energy to circle 130 feet into the air, where fist pounds from the man in the moon and scenic views of the coastline await. The energy-efficient attraction is 1 of 12 rides, which include classics, a roller coaster, and a four-story tower drop. Visitors can earn prizes at midway games, refuel at the food court, and get their adrenaline pumping on the rock wall or beach bounce.

Each week, the 32 lanes at Pinz sparkle beneath the strobe lights and disco balls of Shake, Rattle & Bowl. When they’re not glowing or being incubated by confused chickens, the bowling balls can be hurled by visitors and league bowlers alike, rolling swiftly past the 10-foot video screens that line the alley’s far wall. Behind the scoring table, in the VIP billiard room, plasma TVs help to ensure that guests can play pool without missing critical sports moments or any commercials starring famous cats. And in the on-site arcade, players can enjoy more than 40 games including air hockey, skee-ball, and video bowling.

The Acting Corps, a school endorsed by Oscar winner Sydney Pollack as well as Rainn Wilson of The Office, takes a modern approach to acting instruction. In classes with an average of 16 students, creativity flows unimpeded and students overhear the whispered names of Hollywood’s best agents quite clearly. Actors with MFA degrees lead programs that help acting students find an authentic style, and also pilot advanced classes with mock auditions that challenge experienced actors. Four- or six-week acting boot camps incorporate aspects of the Meisner technique and the Michael Chekhov technique. In classes engineered for international acting students, teachers elucidate methods for developing a convincing American accent or faking a convincing cheeseburger craving.