DESTINATION > MARINA DEL REY, CA
I n the early 1900s, the area around what is now known as Marina del Rey was primarily salt marsh and wetlands where Ballona Creek emptied into the Pacific Ocean. A favorite destination for duck hunters and bird watchers, the estuary had been eyed as the ideal location for a commercial port serving nearby Los Angeles. Several projects tried and failed to bring that dream to fruition, but in 1965 a marina was formally christened on the site after an expenditure of some $36.25 million.The commercial Port of Los Angeles was ultimately built in San Pedro, about 25 miles south. Marina del Rey sprang up around the new marina; the first wave included hotels, apartment complexes, 1,000 boat slips, and shopping centers, offices and restaurants. Since then,Marina del Rey has become a premier neighbor- hood in LA, the third in a string of picturesque waterfront communities that includes Santa Monica and Venice Beach. Today the marina is a destination for boaters seeking easy access to Los Angeles, and also for landlubbers who want to experience the laid-back nautical vibe of the waterfront and beaches. BY RICHARD KERN Discover California Sunshine in MARINA DEL REY
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mar i na l i fe. com
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