Ocean View Park

Elite '09

1752

1364

Joan S.

Los Angeles, CA

7/11/2008 11 photos

This park was almost my selection for my next milestone review.
Because it's the very first park I ever set foot in, in LA.  Story coming up in  a sec.......hahaha..... you knew that....

Ocean View Park is just south of Ocean Ave., where it deadends at the ocean.  Lotsa oceans here!  The words "Ocean View Santa Monica" are spelled out in foliage, in sculpted hedges, all along the west side of the park grounds.  That did not exist several years ago & it's awesome, eye-catching.  Better than a wooden sign by far.

This is not a huge park, area-wise.  It's sandwiched in among the Sea Colony condos, and there are entrances off Barnard Way, and also 2 paths to enter on from the east, from Pacific/Neilson Way.

There's a basketball court, and a big outdoor tennis facility that is used for tournaments. I didn't count the number of courts, but there are several.  (See photos)

My fave attraction in this park is the hill surrounded by a winding sidewalk.  You circle the hill, around and around, as the view gets better and better......until you reach the top. Your reward is a sweeping view of the beach across the street, one of my favorite wide beaches in LA.  (See my photos.)

Here's where my story begins:
I came to LA on a plane with 3 suitcases, some 8 years ago, never having been here before in my life, not knowing a soul.  I was attracted to the promise of a lengthy bike path that ran along the coast, as well as an endless summer-type of lifestyle.
I checked into the Cadillac Hotel on Venice Beach, lived there for several weeks before renting an apt. a few doors away.

But on my first day in LA I headed for the sand on Venice Beach.
On my second day I began to explore the surrounding area, and ended up here, in Ocean View Park, a couple blocks to the north of my hotel.  I walked up the winding sidewalk to the top of the grassy hill and threw down my towel to sunbathe a little.

Within 5 minutes I was covered from head to toe.....with biting ants.  Holy crap I will never forget!  I was screaming and jumping around in my bathing suit on top of the hill, putting on a show for everybody within a two-block radius.
It must have looked like the dance of a crazy person.
Being LA, and being that close to Venice Beach, no one paid all that much attention.
I was amazed.  Back in the Midwest, they would have called the cops.

It was the beginning of my love affair with this remarkable free-spirited city.
And it all began in a park.

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