Wow, a road trip to the United States. That sounds FUN! It’s something we’ve always wanted to do and what better time to do it than now. We had the excuse of visiting family in Los Angeles, so thought we’d start our trip there and then work our way inland. 

We’ve been to Los Angeles before, but never to Marina del Rey. We stayed at the Hotel MDR Marina del Rey Doubltree by Hilton which is a mid-range hotel within walking distance of the marina and quite centrally located for access to the tourist hot-spots as well as being just a 15 minute ride from LAX airport. 

Marina del Rey is a huge, bustling harbour. Actually, it is the largest man-made small-craft harbour in the USA, so if spotting luxury yachts is your thing, then you’re in the right place. We like to walk, so we explored the area on foot. Marina del Rey, as well as being the tie-up point for all these yachts, is also the home to an abundance of wildlife. We spotted seals and sealions, pelicans, cormorants and other sea birds hanging out. The sealions love to lollop around on the backs of boats or perform acrobatics close to the harbour wall. 

Marina del Rey is also close to the long sandy beach that stretches from there up through Muscle Beach, Venice Beach and on to Santa Monica. We were there in September and the weather was still hot, hot, hot, so it was a blistering 5 mile walk along the boardwalk to get to Santa Monica. There are lots of cafes along the way to stop for refreshments though and it is a pleasant enough walk. 

There’s also the Venice Canals to explore. Styled on the European city of Venice, this idyllic haven is just a short stroll from the hustle and bustle of Venice beach but so much more peaceful and refined. The design was the brainchild of Abbot Kinney, a tobacco mogul, who wanted to turn this area into the ‘Venice of America’ as a destination resort. He envisaged a seaside resort with a pier and pavilion as well as the canal structure with gondolas and a casino. It wasn’t all plain sailing for him though as he battled natural phenomena such as storms and fire as well as business disputes in his attempts to turn the marshy coastline into a tourist attraction. There’s a decent history of the man and his vision on this website:  https://www.westland.net/venice/history.htm

Now, in Venice, on a warm autumn day, it is beautiful to spend an hour or so as you wander along the towpaths past the manicured gardens and multi-million-dollar homes that front onto the waterways. Our morning there was definitely one of my favourite parts of our stay in this area of Los Angeles. I loved the colours and vibrancy of this gem, hidden away and covering just a small area. 

From here it is just a short walk to the neighbourhood of Abbot Kinney Boulevard, named after the visionary himself. Such a contrast to the peace and quiet of the suburban canals, Abbot Kinney is a strip of high-end shops, restaurants, art galleries and cafes with the culture to match. From vintage to boho to the latest fitness trend, you’ll find it all here. We stopped for ice cream at Salt & Straw which has a huge selection of flavours and a queue out the door. Fortunately, they offer the unusual option of ‘half-scoops’ so you can combine a number of different flavours without over indulging. I’d say, if you’re in the area, you should definitely visit Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Find out more about the locale here: https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/about-abbot-kinney

Our next stop on this part of the trip was Santa Monica. Technically, a separate city to Los Angeles, but it feels like just an extension of the sprawling mega-city now. For us, we reached it on foot, after about 5 miles along the sandy boulevard from Venice. Santa Monica has the feel of a seaside town. If you’re staying elsewhere though you can now get to Santa Monica by Metro E Line. This opened just a couple of years ago and wasn’t an option when we visited Los Angeles before. It certainly makes it a lot easier to get here from Downtown. There are also buses and we used the Big Blue Bus to get back to Marina del Rey rather than walking all the way. 

The world-famous Santa Monica pier is the end (or, for us, the start) of the Route 66 so we had to go and have a look at that, as we would shortly be following part of the route heading east. From the pier, head east on foot to explore the rest of the town. Have a look at this webstie for all the information on what’s on in the local area: https://www.santamonica.com. 

There are plenty of shops to browse and we spent a good amount of time in the REI store which is set back just one block from the main pedestrianised area. This is a treasure-trove of camping, hiking and outdoor gear with a lifestyle vibe; the staff are knowledgeable and it’s the kind of place that inspires adventures. It embodies the essence of cool as everyone has to be a member of the co-operative to shop there. Don’t worry though, you can sign up as a member at the checkout for a dollar. We stocked up on a few essential items for the next stage of our trip. 

This section of the trip has been a lot of fun and we’ve seen some interesting sights. The section between Marina del Rey and Santa Monica is an interesting area with a vast selection of places to stay, places to eat and things to see and do. You won’t be short of choices for places to eat and drink, that’s for sure:

My favourite eating and drinking places:

Best Happy Hour: The Warehouse, fun and not too pricey. Live music too. https://www.mdrwarehouse.com

Best Steak: Charcoal, an upmarket steakhouse on Washington Boulevard. Make sure you book. https://www.charcoalvenice.com

Best for a relaxed beer with friends: Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Washington Boulevard. https://www.firestonewalker.com/venice/

For the next part of our trip, we’re going to need a car, so it is off to the Hertz rental desk located in the Mariott Hotel in Marina del Rey.

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