| Beachcalifornia has a steady diet of beach bonfires. We love
them and suck up the smoky, wood fumes nearly every night during
the summer as the wind blows toward our offices in Orange
County.
Here's
our guide to beach bonfires in California. Sunsets and
bonfires go hand in hand, as do the adoring couples we see
enjoying their special time overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The
State of California Travel and Tourism Commission even used a
beach bonfire on the cover of this year's visitors guide
published by a special division of Sunset.
While we often advise to grab a fire ring and stake it out in
the summer months, that advice is especially true at Los Angeles
beaches. The busy, noisy
Dockweiler Beach under
the flight path of LAX in Playa del Rey is the bonfire spot in
L.A. and it's not easy to grab that brass ring, so to speak.
With paid parking, Dockweiler Beach State Beach (which is
maintained by Los Angeles County Beaches division), offers beach
RV camping as well as nearly 2000 parking spaces. You can park
and walk to the beach but the road is busy and you may have to
look long and hard for a free parking spot.
Be sure to take money, fire wood, matches, something to start
your fire with, and why not bring some hotdogs, sodas and a
blanket or chairs to sit on. Firewood currently costs around
$5-6 per bundle, which will last you about an hour.
Getting there: You'll find Dockweiler along Imperial Highway
at Vista del Mar. There's a guard shack so not much chance of
sneaking in. The beach is open till 10 p.m.
Where to stay: We love the hotels in Marina del Rey for
overnighters. Of course not everyone can do the
girlfriend getaway at the Ritz, so check out the
affordable hotels, and you'll be stoked, instead of smoked.
By the way, there' no smoking at the beach! Just bonfire
smoke.
|
