About Marina del Rey
Marina del Rey is a coastal city in California with a cosmopolitan air that entrances even the most hardened of travelers. Add to that fact this city, which has sunshine almost three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, is easily accessed from Los Angeles International Airport, by a network of state highways and even by boat, and it's not surprising Marina del Rey is a tourist magnet. It has all the attributes of a first-class one too.
Marina del Rey may be a bustling resort city with the largest yacht marina in the country, navigable canals with waterside trails, and countless retail outlets, but it’s one that holds the natural world in great respect. The Ballona Wetlands and Freshwater Marsh are areas set aside for nature preservation and there's plenty of public green spaces in between the crush of hotels where you can get a breath of fresh air.
There's a surplus of cultural activities in Marina del Rey which will see you spending as much time indoors as out. From art galleries to museums to baroque theaters with nightly shows, in Marina del Rey your evenings will be as busy as your days. You can even take a ride on a gondola and if that's not diverse enough for you, you're in the wrong city.
Things to do in Marina del Rey
What is there to do in Marina del Rey? The answer to that is just about everything your heart desires. If you prefer indoor activities like browsing art or artifacts in museums with vast collections, you'll find both in Marina del Rey as well as artworks spread around all over the city. If you're more drawn to the outdoors you'll encounter park areas with fitness equipment and running tracks, state parks with exceptional hiking trails, and a beach promenade with more than enough seaside amusements to keep you fully entertained.
- The Ocean Front Walk in Marina del Rey is the place to stroll along to really soak up the vacation atmosphere. Here you'll find souvenir shops, amusement arcades, and lots of cafes where you can take a seat to soak up the stunning ocean views.
- The Ballona Wetlands is an ornithologist's paradise of swampy ground where flocks of birds accumulate. Take binoculars and you'll be spotting a variety of species, some of which are migratory and others that are not.
- The LA Louver might not be quite on a par with the Louvre in Paris but it is a great art gallery exhibiting contemporary works from well-known and not-so-known artists.
- The Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area is a spot in Marina del Rey to go to when you want to escape the crowds. Jog, walk, or just sit a while and enjoy the peacefulness of this four-hundred-acre green space.
- When you want to know more about Marina del Rey, what there is to do and where it is or have any other questions you need answered, the Marina del Rey tourist office will be waiting for your visit so don’t hesitate to call in and say hello.
Transit option in Marina del Rey
- Marina del Rey Waterbus connects several waterfront areas such as Fisherman’s Village, Waterfront Walk, and Dolphin Marina.
- LA Pedicab Company offers a fun way to get around Marina del Ray. See the city from a unique perspective in the back of a rickshaw.
- Los Angeles International Airport is only nine miles from Marina del Ray, and can be reached by bus 3 and 108.
Luggage storage in Marina del Rey
Boarding a waterbus, cruising the canals in a gondola, or getting a ride in a pedicab won't be on your agenda if you're in Marina del Rey with a pile of luggage. Make sure you can do everything you want to by leaving your bags at a Bounce luggage locker in Marina del Rey so you can enjoy yourself to the full and avoid running the risk of sinking a gondola.
Attractions and activities near Marina del Rey
- The Getty: The Getty is something unmissable if you're in the nearby vicinity. The Getty Center houses the J Paul Getty Art Museum which is a structure based on the design of an ancient Roman Villa that contains immense collections of artworks and priceless antiquities. Some of the more well-known pieces exhibited there are the Irises by Vincent Van Gogh and Monet's Wheatstacks. The Getty building is almost but not quite as eye-catching as the famous paintings it holds and is surrounded by extensive gardens from where there are magnificent views of Los Angeles.
- Topanga State Park: Topanga State Park is an immense wilderness area that is unique for the simple fact it is inside the city limits of Los Angeles. The park has outstanding geological features including massive canyons where there are fossils embedded in the rocks. In the park, there is a network of over thirty-five miles of trails running through landscapes of open grassland and oak woodlands. There are scenic drives you can make rather than hiking if you prefer. Whichever you do will treat you to incomparable views of the rugged North Pacific Ocean coastline.
- Venice Beach: Not the Venice of Italian fame, but a California city a little further along the coast from Marina del Rey with a proper Jersey Shore atmosphere. Popular sights to see here are Muscle Beach and the city's lively beachfront promenade which is always heaving with crowds and street entertainers as well as the historic canal district. It's hipper and trendier than Marina del Rey, but somehow not as welcoming or laid back.
- Warner Brothers Studio Los Angeles: No avid film fan could be in Marina del Rey without making a trip to the Warner Brothers Film Studio Los Angeles. Take a tour of the studios and you'll see where some of the most entertaining films and TV programs have been filmed over the years. You'll recognize sets and maybe even catch a celebrity you recognize getting ready to film a shot or two.