Santa Monica Donut Tour FAQ

Donuts, churros and ice cream near the beach: our Santa Monica Donut Tour is a walking food tour from Randy's Donuts through downtown to the Third Street Promenade, with Southern California stories along the way. From October through December, the holiday tour adds seasonal flavors to the same route.

Our Santa Monica Downtown Donut & Walking Tour visits some of the area's most-loved sweet spots: Randy's Donuts, Sidecar Doughnuts, a local favorite for fresh churros, and McConnell's for ice cream. Along the way you'll stroll through downtown Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade.

Every stop has its fans, and every tour brings out new favorites. Guests love the glazed, butter crumb, apple fritter and maple bar at Randy's, the huckleberry, butter and salt, old fashioned, Saigon cinnamon and maple bacon at Sidecar, the warm churros, and a scoop of McConnell's ice cream to finish.

Our partners love to get creative, so the lineup changes throughout the year. Flavors vary by day and season, but here are a few guest favorites. Summer favorites include passion fruit pavlova and strawberry buttermilk at Sidecar, and mango tajín at Randy's. Fall favorites include pumpkin donuts at Randy's. Winter favorites include holiday donuts at Randy's and Sidecar, including gingerbread and holiday apple pie, plus French toast crunch at Sidecar. All year long, guests enjoy Randy's glazed and butter crumb, and Sidecar's huckleberry and butter and salt.

See our guide, Best Donut Shops in Santa Monica, for local shops worth a visit beyond the tour. Some of Santa Monica's most-loved sweet spots are on our tour, including Randy's Donuts, Sidecar Doughnuts, a stop for warm cinnamon sugar churros, and McConnell's for a scoop of ice cream to finish. Flavors change with the seasons.

Your guide hand-picks a lineup that shows off the best of each shop, so you get to try flavors you might not have ordered on your own. Many guests discover a brand-new favorite this way.

Plenty! You'll share a variety of donuts at Randy's and Sidecar, then enjoy churros and ice cream, so you can try lots of flavors. Come hungry.

The tour starts at Randy's Donuts in Santa Monica. Randy's has more than one location in the LA area, so be sure to head to the Santa Monica shop, not the original Randy's in Inglewood. The tour usually wraps up with ice cream at McConnell's, and your guide is always happy to share recommendations for things to see and do in Santa Monica.

The tour begins at the Santa Monica Randy's Donuts (not the Inglewood original), heads into downtown Santa Monica and onto the car-free Third Street Promenade with its topiary dinosaurs, then wraps up at McConnell's, with the beach and Palisades Park a short stroll away.

Most Underground Donut Tours in Santa Monica last approximately two hours.

Street parking in the neighborhood around Randy's is usually the easiest option. Just check the posted signs, and please park on the street rather than in the shop's own lot.

Our guides set a relaxed pace on warm days, and the ice cream stop is a sweet way to cool off. We recommend bringing water, sunscreen and comfortable shoes.

Yes, we run rain or shine, and a rare LA rainy day can make for a cozy donut tour. Just bring an umbrella. If conditions ever become unsafe, we'll reach out to help you find a new date.

Yes! During the holiday season, our holiday tour adds a festive twist, with holiday flavors from partners like Randy's and Sidecar. Check our website for dates and times.

Yes! Our West LA & Original Farmers Market Donut Tour visits Truman's Bakery, Sidecar Doughnuts and Bob's Coffee & Doughnuts in the historic Original Farmers Market. Some guests take both.

Please let us know about any dietary needs when you book. This route has limited gluten-free availability, and vegan options are limited too (Sidecar usually offers one seasonal vegan donut). With advance notice, we'll work with our partners on the best choices for you. Our partners are bakeries, so we can't guarantee a gluten-free environment.

Please tell us about any allergies when you book, and your guide will plan ahead to find the best options for you. Since our partners prepare their treats in shared kitchens, we can't guarantee against cross-contact.

Absolutely. Families join us all the time, and kids love the donuts, the churros, the ice cream and the buzz of the Third Street Promenade.

Accessibility can vary slightly by route in Santa Monica, but many tours are designed to be accessible. Guests are encouraged to contact the tour directly for specific accommodations.

Definitely! Local guests from Santa Monica and across Southern California tell us they discover new flavors at shops they love and a few they hadn't tried before. It's also a great way to show visiting friends and family around town.

Donut lovers from all over the world join us in Santa Monica, from across the US to the UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, along with plenty of locals. Many guests have taken our tours in other cities and add Santa Monica to their list.

Yes! Birthdays, honeymoons, Father's Day and holiday gifts are some of our favorite tours to lead (we've even been known to put a birthday candle in a donut). Let us know you're celebrating when you book, and your guide will help make it extra special.

Yes. Private group tours are available in Santa Monica for birthdays, corporate outings, student groups, and celebrations.