From the publisher’s rulebook
Who goes first in Santa Monica?
English AEG base-game rules
The player who most recently visited a beach goes first.
Rule details
Starting feature tiles are chosen in reverse turn order during setup. That does not change who takes the first turn.
Source & edition
- Santa Monica: Alderac Entertainment Group rulesAlderac Entertainment Group · Setup steps 5–9; PDF pages 3 · Checked 2026-09-23Printed page references: 3
Image: © Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc. (edition publisher) · Alderac Entertainment Group
If there’s a tie
The rulebook doesn’t say.
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