Santa Monica State Beach
Encyclopedia
Santa Monica State Beach is a California State Park operated by the city of Santa Monica
.
, as well as manned lifeguard stations, casual eateries, equipment rental spots, public fitness and activity facilities, a bike trail, and wooden pathways for warm days and beachgoers with disabilities. Visitor activities include volleyball, basketball, and a running (on a strip along the beach).
At the foot of Colorado Avenue, through the famous arch and sign, lies the historic Santa Monica Pier
, which dates from 1909. The pier has a National Historic Landmark -– the 1922 Looff Hippodrome Carousel
.
Muscle Beach
lies immediately south of the volleyball courts and contains athletic apparatus. Recently restored and refurbished, the area features chinning bars at various heights, parallel bars, rings, small jungle gyms for children and a padded-safe gymnastics area.
A few steps south of the Pier volleyball courts is the International Chess Park. The public chess tables—and a human-scale chessboard set into the sidewalk—draw a wide assortment of players.
Palisades Park is located atop Santa Monica’s famed sandstone cliffs, providing a vantage point to see the sweep of Santa Monica Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
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The beach is the one Baywatch
was filmed at and also the beach the album art for Umbrella Beach
by Owl City
features.
Beach" in the early 20th century when it was one of the few areas in California where African Americans were allowed to enjoy beach access in a largely segregated society. Other areas for blacks were Bruce's Beach
in Manhattan Beach
and the Pacific Beach Club
in Orange County
. Nick Gabaldon
, one of the first black surfers in California, lived in Santa Monica, and used the 200 foot roped off stretch of beach demarcated for blacks. He died after crashing into the Malibu Pier.
is a temporary memorial created on Santa Monica Beach just north of the Santa Monica Pier at Santa Monica, every Sunday from sunrise to sunset. Crosses are placed on the beach for each U.S. military person who has died in the Iraq War. The number of crosses erected every Sunday now exceeds 4,000. For military personnel killed within the week past, flag draped coffins with blue crosses are positioned in front. The Arlington West Memorial, a project of Veterans For Peace, is intended to offer visitors a graceful, visually and emotionally powerful, place for reflection.
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
.
Santa Monica Beach
The beach is located along Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. It is two miles long and has a picnic area, shops, and pierPier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
, as well as manned lifeguard stations, casual eateries, equipment rental spots, public fitness and activity facilities, a bike trail, and wooden pathways for warm days and beachgoers with disabilities. Visitor activities include volleyball, basketball, and a running (on a strip along the beach).
Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California and is a prominent, 100-year-old landmark.-Pacific Park:...
, which dates from 1909. The pier has a National Historic Landmark -– the 1922 Looff Hippodrome Carousel
Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
The Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome is located on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. It was designed and built in 1916 by Charles I. D. Looff and his son Arthur to hold a Looff Carousel. Looff's carousel was housed at the Hippodrome until it was sold in 1939. It was replaced by a...
.
Muscle Beach
Muscle Beach
Muscle Beach refers to either Muscle Beach Venice, an area in Venice, California, on Ocean Front Walk two blocks north of Venice Boulevard or to Original Muscle Beach, two miles north of Venice, south of the Santa Monica Pier...
lies immediately south of the volleyball courts and contains athletic apparatus. Recently restored and refurbished, the area features chinning bars at various heights, parallel bars, rings, small jungle gyms for children and a padded-safe gymnastics area.
A few steps south of the Pier volleyball courts is the International Chess Park. The public chess tables—and a human-scale chessboard set into the sidewalk—draw a wide assortment of players.
Palisades Park is located atop Santa Monica’s famed sandstone cliffs, providing a vantage point to see the sweep of Santa Monica Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
Baywatch
Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
was filmed at and also the beach the album art for Umbrella Beach
Umbrella Beach
"Umbrella Beach" is a song by Owl City. The song was released as the third single from his second album Ocean Eyes. It is the second UK single from the album and had a May 16, 2010, release date in the US, and was released May 17, 2010, in the UK.The album cover is a picture of the beach at Santa...
by Owl City
Owl City
Owl City is an American electronica musical project by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young formed in 2007 in Owatonna, Minnesota. Young created the project while experimenting with music in his parents' basement...
features.
"Ink Well"
A section of the beach was referred to as "Ink Well" and "NegroNegro
The word Negro is used in the English-speaking world to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance, whether of African descent or not...
Beach" in the early 20th century when it was one of the few areas in California where African Americans were allowed to enjoy beach access in a largely segregated society. Other areas for blacks were Bruce's Beach
Bruce's Beach
Bruce's Beach was a small beach resort in the city of Manhattan Beach, California, that was owned by and operated for African Americans. It provided the African American community with opportunities unavailable at other beach areas because of segregation....
in Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach is the wealthiest beachfront city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The city is on the Pacific coast, south of El Segundo, and north of Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach is the home of both beach and indoor volleyball, and surfing. During the winter, the...
and the Pacific Beach Club
Pacific Beach Club
Pacific Beach Club was a planned resort in Orange County, California for African Americans. The beachfront clubhouse, bathhouse, and pavilion were planned in 1925 and construction nearing completion the next year when the property burned down under mysterious circumstances...
in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. Nick Gabaldon
Nick Gabaldon
Nicolas Rolando Gabaldon was an early surfer who is credited by surfing experts with being California's first documented surfer of African-American descent at a time when many beaches were segregated and opportunities for minorities more limited than today...
, one of the first black surfers in California, lived in Santa Monica, and used the 200 foot roped off stretch of beach demarcated for blacks. He died after crashing into the Malibu Pier.
Arlington West
Arlington WestArlington West
For the documentary of the same name, see Arlington West: The Film.Arlington West refers to two closely related projects, both of which are intended to draw public attention to, and to open a discourse on the subject of both military and civilian deaths during the invasion and occupation of Iraq...
is a temporary memorial created on Santa Monica Beach just north of the Santa Monica Pier at Santa Monica, every Sunday from sunrise to sunset. Crosses are placed on the beach for each U.S. military person who has died in the Iraq War. The number of crosses erected every Sunday now exceeds 4,000. For military personnel killed within the week past, flag draped coffins with blue crosses are positioned in front. The Arlington West Memorial, a project of Veterans For Peace, is intended to offer visitors a graceful, visually and emotionally powerful, place for reflection.
See also
- Santa Monica PierSanta Monica PierThe Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California and is a prominent, 100-year-old landmark.-Pacific Park:...
— Pier located on Santa Monica Beach - Muscle BeachMuscle BeachMuscle Beach refers to either Muscle Beach Venice, an area in Venice, California, on Ocean Front Walk two blocks north of Venice Boulevard or to Original Muscle Beach, two miles north of Venice, south of the Santa Monica Pier...
— Portion of Santa Monica Beach south of the pier that was the site of gymnastics exhibitions and bodybuilding - Santa Monica Pier AquariumSanta Monica Pier AquariumSanta Monica Pier Aquarium is an aquarium in Santa Monica, California located beneath the Santa Monica Pier, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. Since 2003, it is operated by Heal the Bay, a nonprofit organization...
— Aquarium on the pier operated by Heal the BayHeal the BayHeal the Bay is a U.S. environmental advocacy non-profit organization based in Santa Monica, California.Heal the Bay is dedicated to protecting California's Santa Monica Bay, a region of the Pacific coast encompassed by Malibu's Point Dume on the north and the Palos Verdes Peninsula on the south...
, and formerly known as the Ocean Discovery Center - Pacific ParkPacific ParkPacific Park is an oceanfront amusement park located in Santa Monica, California.The park looks directly out on the Pacific Ocean, in the direction of Catalina Island. There are a total of twelve rides in Pacific Park, including a Ferris wheel that provides a view of the Pacific Ocean and a roller...
— the amusement park portion of the pier - Hot Dog on a StickHot Dog on a StickHDOS Enterprises, commonly known as Hot Dog on a Stick, is a fast food company originating in Santa Monica, California, originally founded by Dave Barham.-History:...
— original, opened in 1946, found on the sidewalk just south of the pier in front the original Muscle BeachMuscle BeachMuscle Beach refers to either Muscle Beach Venice, an area in Venice, California, on Ocean Front Walk two blocks north of Venice Boulevard or to Original Muscle Beach, two miles north of Venice, south of the Santa Monica Pier... - Pacific Ocean ParkPacific Ocean ParkPacific Ocean Park was a twenty-eight acre , nautical-themed amusement park built on a pier at Pier Avenue in the Ocean Park section of Santa Monica, California, which was intended to compete with Disneyland...
— former (1958-1967) amusement park one pier south of Santa Monica Pier; demolished in 1974 - Santa Monica bicycle path — path that runs though a bicycle-only underpass under the pier
- Membership discrimination in California social clubs