Santa Monica State Beach is a California State Park operated by the city of
Santa Monica.[1][2]
The beach is located along
Pacific Coast Highway. It is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long and has parks, picnic areas, playgrounds, restrooms, as well as staffed lifeguard stations, the
Muscle Beach, bike rentals, concessions, a few hotels, a
bike path, and wooden pathways for beachgoers with disabilities.[3] Visitor activities include volleyball, surfing, stand up paddleboarding, and swimming.[1] Smoking at the beach is prohibited.[4]
In November, 2023, the city announced a plan to restore an additional 5-acre section (2.0 ha) of beach north of the pier into a native coastal strand habitat.[10]
"Ink Well" redirects here. For other uses, see
Inkwell.
A section of the beach was referred to as "Ink Well" and "
Negro 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.[12][13] 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.[14]
Arlington West
Arlington West was 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.[15]
^"Archived copy"(PDF).
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