LA Coast & Beaches

Greater Los Angeles has over 50 miles of beaches along which are distinctive towns and cities, well worth a visit and to spend a few days.

Coming along the coast the first major city you come to is Santa Monica with its broad sandy beaches. Los Angeles International Airport is only about 8 miles from Santa Monica so the beaches make for an excellent first few days in America. All along Ocean Avenue you will find open air restaurants plus a couple of parks : palm-lined Palisades Park and Tongva Park and of course the wonderful sandy beach and the famous 110-year old Santa Monica Pier. Santa Monica is the last stop on the legendary Route 66 first started in 1936; you will find the “End of the Trail” sign on the pier. Stroll along Ocean Front Walk – home of the original Muscle Beach – to see body builders, chainsaw jugglers, folk artists and other colourful characters.

Along the coast is Venice Beach which is a great spot for people watching and then Marina del Rey and Manhattan Beach where scenes from many television shows have been filmed. Beach volleyball courts stretch for miles, people are body surfing and topping up the sun tan.

The beaches carry on from Long Beach, where the Queen Mary is permanently moored, into Orange County with Huntington Beach and Laguna being really popular as is the yacht harbour at Newport Beach.

Disneyland and other amusement parks in Anaheim are also within easy reach.