Marina del Rey / Mother's Beach
Marina del Rey, CA
Free; paid parking; rentals vary
By Simir Shah
★★★★★4.3(141 Google reviews)
What parents say
AI summary of 5 Google reviews — not a first-hand visit. How we write these
No waves, which is the reason parents bring small children here; reviewers call the water calm and safe for wading. It is a marina though: boats alongside, water quality several call questionable, and two describe a lot of debris in the sand. Playground, picnic tables, showers, paid parking.
Calm, lifeguarded harbor beach ideal for young kids, with kayak, paddleboard, and pedal-boat rentals. Tucked into a 12-acre lagoon inside the marina, it's been a family favorite since it was dedicated in 1965 — the fully enclosed setting means no ocean surf, which is exactly what earned it the "Mother's Beach" nickname.
Good for
- Ages 0–2
- Ages 10+
Happening near here
- Hip & Historic HalloweenCulver City · 5 miFree
- Images and Imagination: Collage Family Workshop (Getty Center)Los Angeles · 7 miFree
- Inglewood Halloween Haunted House at Darby ParkInglewood · 7 miFree
- Manhattan Beach Family Halloween CarnivalManhattan Beach · 7 mi
Mothers Beach, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, USA
Map
Tides today
Next low tide
2:56 PM
0.1 ft
Next high tide
8:26 AM
5.9 ft
Predictions from NOAA · Santa Monica station
What visitors say
- ramya G★★★★★
This spot is more like a marina than a real beach. There are playgrounds, picnic tables, and sand where kids can play, but it’s not very clean and doesn’t feel like a typical beach. ✨ What to know: • Lots of boats are parked in the water. • Located behind the Cheesecake Factory. • If you park in their lot, you have to pay — but you can find parking behind Cheesecake Factory, which leads directly to Mother’s Beach. Nice for a short stop with kids, but not the best choice if you’re looking for a real beach experience. 🏖️ If you travel from far then It’s not worthy
a year ago
- Miriam Lopes★★★★★
Great place to kayak! I bought an inflatable kayak and came here to try it out. The marina is quite large so come with power & curiosity! It’s fun to watch the rich rinse off their boats lol. But we also spotted some sea lions sun bathing. There were showers to rinse off and water to drink. Also, super convenient if you come for the farmers market, then get a snack on your way out. The beach itself has picnic tables, a playground, and bike racks. Parking is about 2 dollars an hour.
3 years ago
Showing 2 of 5 Google reviews · Read them all on Google Maps