I wrote this for my friends and family who come to town so they can best plan their visit and know what their options are. It’s a great way to experience the slower-paced side of Los Angeles.
What Does Playa Del Rey Have to Offer?
What I love about this neighborhood is that it’s a quiet beach community, relatively secluded from the chaos of LA, but still close to everything on the westside. We are surrounded by the Ballona Wetlands which is protected land, so it’s pretty quiet. It’s true that we hear the planes taking off from LAX, but every window and door in the city has been double paned and sound proofed so we don’t really notice it. Our “downtown” extends only about 3 blocks and is within walking distance. It’s home to several places I enjoy: The Shack (burgers, bar, beachy casual), The Harbor Room (tiny old-fashioned bar), Mo’s Sports Bar (bar, restaurant, pool tables), Prince of Whales (cheap drinks, bar food, live music couple nights a week which is always great) and The Tripel (excellent food, wine and beer only, avoid all evenings due to crowds). The upscale restaurants here are Cantalini’s Salerno Beach (fantastic Italian food and ambience), Playa Provisions (getting media attention for their menu but overpriced) and Caffe Penguini (fancy Italian restaurant, but overpriced).
In the mornings you can get a coffee at Tanners Coffee or fresh pressed juice at The Mad Carrot and walk to the ocean or to the top of our scenic overlook to enjoy the view of the whole Santa Monica Bay. Enjoy the crisp sea air!
Our beach is very empty compared to the rest of southern California, mainly because we don’t have much beach parking to speak of. This is a bonus for us because we can walk to the beach from almost anywhere in Playa Del Rey and relax there without any crowds. The waves are great for boogie boarding, too. Our bike path will take you to southern beaches including Dockweiler Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa and Redondo, great beach communities each with their own vibe. Dockweiler by the way, is the last beach in LA County that allows dogs and has fire pits (first come, first served)!
We are conveniently located just 6-minutes from LAX, so flights and car rentals are very easy. We have a nice little hotel in town called “Inn at Playa Del Rey” though a more affordable hotel that is very close is the Custom Hotel (not in walking distance to Playa Del Rey).
Below I’ve listed some things to do nearby, each of them just 5-15 minutes from Playa Del Rey.
Marina Del Rey:
One reason this area is great is because it’s so walkable. Get a smoothie or coffee at The Cow’s End, stroll the Venice Canals, take scenic ocean pictures on the Venice Pier, eat burgers at Hinano Cafe or just to play pool there. My favorite lunch is a picnic at the Burton Chace Park sitting on the grass overlooking the water. If you’re outdoorsy type, between Mothers Beach and Fisherman’s Village you have options for paddle boarding, kayak rentals, small party boat rentals, surf lessons, bike rentals, yoga on paddle boards (!) and parasailing. Check Goldstar and Groupon for discounted tickets on Hornblower Cruises; those are definitely worth it if you can find a deal.
There are plenty of other good dining options in the marina (Tony P’s has great food, and a patio with twinkle lights overlooking the boats at sunset), The Warehouse (waterfront dining where they filmed “Meet the Fockers”), Thai East Wind (best coconut soup ever—Tom Kah Kai), Cafe Buna (daily brunch, lots of gluten free and healthy options too), Kaya Sushi, etc. If you seek nightlife or the bar scene, downtown Marina Del Rey is great for bar hopping at Baja Cantina, The Whaler, Hinano, The Terrace and a few blocks at Townhouse Bar and James Beach. If you want to dance, go to Brennan’s pub (also has Thurs night turtle racing) or Circle Bar in Santa Monica, both a short taxi or Uber ride away.
Venice Beach:
My preferred Venice experience is in a neighborhood known as Lincoln & Rose; it’s a little stretch of Rose Ave filled with some great shops and food. Walking the Venice Boardwalk never gets old, and stop for a bit to watch the skate boarders (and sometimes roller skaters) out there. Lots of street art, crazy characters, and wacky things to see there, not to mention this is your spot for henna tattoos and ice cream. Another Venice option is walking Abbot Kinney which is a trendy street of boutiques, eateries and coffee shops (some of the most popular coffee shops are featured here) with plenty of unique things to see, though all quite expensive.
Playa Vista:
This is a new-ish shopping center and neighborhood just a couple minutes from Playa Del Rey. They have a Saturday morning farmers market, a large movie theater, Whole Foods, Home Depot, and a several new restaurants are popping up including Hopdaddy Burger Bar of Austin, Texas fame. More to come, for now it’s just an option. See their website here.
Culver City:
Downtown Culver City is just a 15 minute drive, no need to get on a freeway. It couldn’t occupy you for a whole day, but there are a few Hollywood movie sights, some great bars and good food. Tuesdays is their farmers market and they also have a big movie theater and the beautiful historic Culver Hotel once owned by John Wayne which has live music on Friday and Saturday nights. One unique place I bring friends who are animal lovers like me, is an exotic wildlife rescue facility called Star Eco Station.
Santa Monica:
Due to inevitable frustrations with parking and crowds, I usually avoid Santa Monica entirely, but you should visit if you’ve never been. Third Street Promenade (outdoor shopping with chain stores), Main Street (some great boutiques, surf shops, bars, coffee shops, nail salons), Santa Monica Pier (ferris wheel, rides and games) and the one place I never fail to bring visitors: Cha Cha Chicken (Carribean food with an outdoor patio). Another favorite spot is The Huntley Hotel Penthouse bar and restaurant, great for a drink and appetizers and fantastic view of the coastline. Another favorite for food and drinks is The Misfit Bar.
Manhattan Beach:
This is a nice day trip idea just a 10 minute drive down the coast from Playa Del Rey. You can watch the surfers at the famous surf spot known as El Porto, and there’s countless options for boutique shopping, food, drinks, coffee and a handful of really nice spas. See their website here.
South Bay Breweries:
South Bay is on the rise as home to several popular craft breweries, and it’s now a popular location for LA brewery tours at: Three Weavers in Inglewood, El Segundo Brewing Co. near LAX, and in Torrance the Smog City Brewing, Monkish Brewing Co., The Strand Brewing and The Dude’s Brew.
Beyond the Westside——Hollywood and More:
Beyond these westside recommendations, there are gems I suggest in every direction, so it just depends on what you feel like and how much time you have. If you’re here in the summer, don’t miss the sea of sacred lotus flowers at Echo Park Lake, or if you appreciate art history don’t miss the Getty Villa in Malibu. If you enjoy beach scenery, sunsets and tide pools you should make a day trip to Crystal Cove. If you seek the Hollywood experience, I recommend going to Hollywood Blvd (see a movie at Grauman’s Chinese Theater or the El Capitan if you can), drive down Sunset Blvd, do the Warner Brothers Studio Tour (I’ve done them all and this is the best one), have dinner at The Magic Castle (let me know I can probably hook you up with tickets), or the Smoke House Restaurant. It’s also fun to check out some of the historic bars around town, too.
LA in the Winter:
If you’re here in the winter and you seek snow, that can easily be done, too! Snow Summit and Bear Mountain in Big Bear, Mountain High, Mt Baldy, Mount Pinos, Mammoth Mountain, Mt Wilson, and Lake Arrowhead are all easily accessible from LA as a day trip for skiing, snowboarding, sledding or tubing. Heck, sometimes we go just to remember what seasons look like and make snow angels.
LA Hiking:
If you’re interested in hiking, the best choices are summed up well by ModernHiker and DiscoverLA.