Santa Monica Rules Reference

2-4 playersby Josh WoodAlderac Entertainment Group (AEG)

In Santa Monica, players create the most appealing oceanfront in Southern California by drafting feature cards to build up their beach (top row) and street (bottom row). Features work together through chains and adjacencies to gain victory points. Players can create calm nature-focused beaches, bustling tourist destinations, or something in between to appeal to locals. Each turn involves drafting cards, placing them strategically, taking placement actions to gain resources and move visitors, and managing VIPs who leave footprints as they explore the city.

Objective

Create the most appealing oceanfront by strategically placing feature cards to maximize victory points through chains, adjacencies, activity rings, footprints, and scoring objectives.

How to Play

On each player's turn, they take actions in the following order: (1) Select and Place Feature Cards, (2) Take Placement Actions, (3) Refresh the Display. Play proceeds clockwise around the table.

Tips for New Players

• Use the Blue Objective for First Game: The rulebook recommends using the blue scoring objective tile for your first game to simplify learning.
• Plan Card Placement for Adjacencies and Chains: Before placing a card, consider how its location tags will connect with existing cards to maximize adjacency and chain scoring. Cards placed diagonally are not adjacent.
• Track Your VIP's Footprint Goals: Refer to your starting tile frequently to remember which attributes your VIP wants to visit. Move VIPs strategically to place footprints on high-value cards with multiple matching attributes.
• Fill Activity Rings Exactly: Activity rings only score if they contain exactly the pictured number of people. Plan movement carefully during the game and especially during final movement to complete rings.
• Monitor the Foodie and Food Truck: The Foodie and Food Truck provide valuable bonuses. Consider their positions when choosing which card to select from the front row.
• Save Sand Dollars for Key Actions: Sand dollar actions can provide powerful alternative ways to acquire cards, especially when the front row doesn't have what you need. Balance spending and saving for crucial moments.
• Final Movement Is Crucial: Remember that all players get one final movement phase after the last turn. Use this to complete activity rings, visit new locations with VIPs, or optimize scoring. Locals can move up to 3 spaces during this phase.
• Understand Placement Action Symbols: For adjacency scoring based on sand dollars or people symbols, the trigger is the placement action symbol on the adjacent card, not the actual physical pieces that may move later.

Includes 2 Cards, 3 Tiles, 6 Tokens, 3 Meeples, 2 Others. View all components →