"Tears touch my eyes for I have found / My heart has stayed / In Marina del Rey." - "Marina del Rey," George Strait
It should come as no surprise that the seaside community's dominant feature is in fact its marina (or marinas, to be more accurate). The world's largest man-made harbor, Marina del Rey can hold a staggering 5,300 boats throughout its 19 marinas. At 8,866 residents, the tony Westside community of boat owners and those wanting to live the boating life in the Los Angeles metro area can't really be called a city or town. It's a census-designated place (CDP) that was originally a salt marsh fed by the fresh water from Ballona Creek. Groundbreaking for the marina and harbor didn't begin until 1953, but Marina del Rey has certainly made up for a late start as a neighborhood by growing in leaps and bounds during the last half century. Apartments, beach homes and hotels dot the landscape.
Drive out of Los Angeles through Venice and you'll reach Marina del Rey
"Tears touch my eyes for I have found / My heart has stayed / In Marina del Rey." - "Marina del Rey," George Strait
It should come as no surprise that the seaside community's dominant feature is in fact its marina (or marinas, to be more accurate). The world's largest man-made harbor, Marina del Rey can hold a staggering 5,300 boats throughout its 19 marinas. At 8,866 residents, the tony Westside community of boat owners and those wanting to live the boating life in the Los Angeles metro area can't really be called a city or town. It's a census-designated place (CDP) that was originally a salt marsh fed by the fresh water from Ballona Creek. Groundbreaking for the marina and harbor didn't begin until 1953, but Marina del Rey has certainly made up for a late start as a neighborhood by growing in leaps and bounds during the last half century. Apartments, beach homes and hotels dot the landscape.
Drive out of Los Angeles through Venice and you'll reach Marina del Rey. While it's just four miles from LAX, it's worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Life moves more slowly here, and that's just how the handful of year-round residents like it. Don't be in a rush to do, well, anything. And that includes finding an apartment. Plus, when you consider how much of your income will go toward rent, you'll want to take plenty of time to tour different communities and their many amenities, then decide which is the right Marina del Rey apartment rental for you.
Marina del Rey is pretty small, so there are only two neighborhoods of note:
The Marina Peninsula: Along the peninsula surrounding the harbor, you'll find beach-style homes, many of them beachfront. Most of these are owner-occupied dwellings with at least three bedrooms. Small beach cottages sprinkled here and there may be available for rent on a month-to-month basis, but it'll take plenty of digging to uncover them.
The Marina: You can find plenty of high-rise apartments and condos here, along with shops and restaurants. Whatever home you choose, you'll get a great view of the pleasure crafts and smaller boats moored at the harbor below you.
Laid back coastal living isn't even an option in Marina del Rey; it's the only way to function. Leave your stress on the Marina Freeway and relax in your own little strip of paradise in your rental apartment. Head to Burke Park to jog or Chace Park in the summer to listen to the free outdoor concerts held there. If you know a member of the California Yacht Club, don't miss the opportunity to visit the facility. The 90-year-old club is among the most exclusive in the country. You're more likely to visit Fisherman's Village, which brings the term quaint to a whole new level with its New England fishing village charm, complete with lighthouse, promenade and even a ferry that will take you to Catalina Island. It might cost an arm and a leg to live here, whether you choose one of the small one-bedroom apartments for rent or the larger luxury three-bedroom apartments, but you'll soon realize it's worth every penny.
