Dockweiler State Beach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dockweiler State Beach |
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Sunset on Dockweiler State Beach
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 Dockweiler State Beach
Location in California
Dockweiler State Beach
Location in the United States
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| Location | Los Angeles County, California, USA |
| Nearest city | Los Angeles, California |
| Area | 91 acres (37 ha) |
| Established | 1948 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Dockweiler State Beach is a fun beach in Los Angeles, California. It has about 3.75 miles (6 km) of shoreline. It's also a special place where people can learn and practice hang gliding. This beach is part of California's state park system, but the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors helps manage it. A cool fact is that part of the beach is right under the flight path for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)! The beach area is 91 acres (37 hectares) and was created in 1948. It was named after Isidore B. Dockweiler in 1955.
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Where is Dockweiler State Beach?
Dockweiler State Beach is in the Playa del Rey area of Los Angeles. It's located at the very end of Imperial Highway. Near the beach and the airport, there's a place called Palisades del Rey, which used to be a town.
In August 2000, people at the beach saw something unusual. A large airplane taking off from LAX had a problem with one of its engines. The plane was able to circle around and land safely again. All 429 people on board were fine.
Can you hang glide at Dockweiler?
Yes! Dockweiler State Beach is home to the Dockweiler Hang Gliding Center. This is a great spot for beginners to learn how to hang glide. Experienced hang gliders can also come here to practice their skills. People launch themselves from sand dunes that are about 25 feet (7.6 meters) high.
The city, county, and state helped build this special facility. A company called WindSports International, Inc. runs lessons and rents equipment. Dockweiler was a key testing ground for early hang gliding pioneers in the 1960s because of its gentle breezes and wide, sandy landing area.
For safety reasons, the sport was banned at the beach in 1986. But hang gliding fans worked for 13 years to bring it back! In 2000, the beach got a $6 million upgrade, which included building the new Dockweiler Hang Gliding Center. This was the first hang gliding park created with a city government. A group called Friends of Dockweiler Gliding Society (FDGS) was started in 2015. They are a non-profit group that helps keep hang gliding active at the park for everyone to enjoy.
Is there a bike path at the beach?
Yes, there is a bicycle path at Dockweiler State Beach. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation takes care of it. This path goes from Ballona Creek all the way to the El Segundo city limit. It's about 3.79 miles (6.1 km) long. This bike path connects to the Ballona Creek bicycle path at its north end. It's also part of the longer 22-mile (35 km) coastal Marvin Braude Bike Trail system.
What can you do at Dockweiler?
Dockweiler State Beach is one of the few beaches in Los Angeles County where you can have bonfires. This makes it a very popular spot for barbecues and picnics with friends and family.
What wildlife lives here?
Small birds called Snowy Plovers build their nests on the beach.
