Marina del Rey, Calif.―The largest man-made marina in the world, more
restaurants packed into one square mile than any other city (except for
New York), and a convenient location 10 minutes north of Los Angeles International
Airport make Marina del Rey a prime location for the jet set, nautical
nuts and food connoisseurs.
This unincorporated "near the beach" community
was built for boating--even the small bay across the street with its sandy
beach and children's playground rents kayaks.
For those visiting Los Angeles, Marina del Rey provides
a quick and convenient overnight stay on layover flights. It's accommodations
and location are also ideal for vacations near the beach with major attractions
within reach. For locals, it is a fantastic place to live if you
don't require terra firma. Most residents reside in condominiums,
high rise apartments or on boats.
Harbors and boat slips along the Pacific Ocean are a hot
commodity, even during down cycles in the economy when luxury yachts don't
sell as quickly. One Southern California resident received a call in 2001
and was told the good news that his name reached the top of a waiting
list and a boat slip was available for rent. After waiting 22 years, the
offer was too good to pass up so he went out and bought a boat right away,
glad that the slip was available while he was still young enough to use
it. This true story exemplifies the foresight that drove determined planners
to realize their dream of building Marina del Rey.
It would be difficult to construct
the same marina today, over 40 years after its completion and formal dedication on
April 10, 1965. It took over 75 years for Marina del Rey to be funded and built, with one investor going bankrupt in the process
and one bid to be chosen as the location for the Port of Los Angeles lost.
In 1887, M.C. Wicks, organized the Port Ballona Development Company
under the auspices of the Santa Fe Railroad. Wicks wanted to turn the Playa
del Rey estuary and inlet into a major commercial harbor to serve the Los
Angeles area. He raised $300,00 for construction work which extended over
a three year period. Wicks went bankrupt and the area was taken over by
duck hunters.
Today, Marina del Rey thrives as a scenic and exciting
community with an identity tied to boats. High rise cement, steel and glass
structures line this man made harbor with its wide channels that reflect
objects as colors and shapes in the blue water inlet of the Pacific Ocean.
By night, everything is transformed into a magical scene as the lights
of the buildings sparkle and dance with great contrast against the near
blackness of the water and sky. A very time to see view this
scene is during the holiday boat parade and festival, held usually in December.
Marina del Rey offers hotels, restaurants, a small beach,
shops, boat launch ramps, fishing trips, whale watching and rentals for special
events such as weddings, corporate functions or private parties. Nearby Venice
Beach has a pier, bike and roller skating path and wide stretches of sand. An
excellent resource for phone numbers for charters is the official Los Angeles
Beaches web site. beaches.co.la.ca.u
For hotels, there are plenty to chose but we've found
one particularly nice for its quality rooms, moderate price and location
right at the beach and marina. The link below not only shows you the hotel,
but also has pictures of colorful Mother's Beach art work and the bike
path.
For planning your vacation in Marina del Rey, contact:
Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau,
4701 Admiralty Way,
Marina del Rey, CA 90292 Call: 310-305-9545. visitthemarina.com.
Reviews:
Marriott Hotel;
Marina del Rey Hotel;
Ritz Carlton- Marina del Rey
