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Venice Beach Athletic Venues

by Alexander Gorney

One of Los Angeles' main tourist destinations is Venice Beach. On any given day at Venice Beach people can walk along the beautiful beach, watch numerous street performances, and buy all kinds of souvenirs. But among the most popular sights at Venice Beach are its athletic venues.

"It's the best sports action that you can see for free"

- Big Mike, Venice Beach basketball player

The Venice Beach sport venues are among the most recognized athletic spots in the world. As people walk along Ocean Front Walk, they see the numerous athletics going on near the beach. Among them is the Venice Beach Basketball Courts.

The Venice Beach basketball courts are among the most prominent street basketball courts in the world. The courts at Venice Beach have had some of the greatest basketball players step foot there.

The basketball courts are also home to one of America's toughest street basketball leagues, the Venice Basketball League. The league starts after the conclusion of every NBA season and only the best of the best street basketball players are able to play in the league.

Another one of Venice Beach's prominent sports venues is Muscle Beach. Muscle Beach is considered to be not only one of the most famous fitness centers in America but one of the most recognizable athletic venues in the world. People travel from all over to catch a glimpse at Muscle Beach. The outside part of Muscle Beach is what the gym is most recognized for because of its beautiful views of the beach and the ability for weight lifters to lift outside in the Southern California outdoors. And large crowds are most often standing around the outside part of the gym watching the weightlifters in action.

"It's good motivation for us to train harder with all the people watching us"

- Bishoy Hanna, Body Builder

Opened in 1951, many of the world's most famous bodybuilders including Arnold Schwarzenegger lifted weights at Muscle Beach. And throughout the year, highly contested weightlifting competitions are held on the platform next to the gym's entrance. Because of the immense popularity of the gym, all the equpment used at Muscle Beach is donated by sponsors of the gym.

Venice Beach is trying to add to its historic sports venues with the addition of the city's brand new skatepark. Opened in October, the skatepark has become one of the most popular destination spots for extreme sport enthusiasts in Southern California.

The new park comes in a tribute to the Z-boys, a local surf group who helped launch the modern skateboading phenomenom in the 1970's.

"We have been waiting for this for years. This is the orginal home for skateboarding"

- Jafar Williams, Skateboarder

The park cost $2.4 million to construct and is made entirely out of concrete. The features of the new skatepark include a snake run, in which skaters can skate through a long snake-like bowl, rails, ramps, steps and a bowl that resembles an empty swimming pool. There is no admission fee for those who want to use the skatepark. And the opening of the new skatepark has attracted hundreds of skaters on a daily basis.

Major films have been based on the prominence of the basketball courts, Muscle Beach, and skateboarding at Venice Beach.

And what is even more unique about all three sport venues is that they are all located within only a couple hundred yards of each other.

But with all the glory and popularity these three athletic spots have gained in Los Angeles, each venue faces its own unique problems of either violence, weather or overcrowding. But even with each venue's own dilemmas, many people say that the Venice Beach sports venues are such a great and unique part of Los Angeles.

 
  • Venice Beach Basketball Courts
  • Muscle Beach
  • Venice Beach Skatepark

The Venice beach basketball courts is where street basketball is played at its highest level. Since it's opening it has established itself as a prominent part of Los Angeles culture.

The "A" court is the most popular court to play on because it is where the top street basketball players will only play.

The reputation of the courts over the years has led to hundreds of people just coming to watch the games being played. But even with the great basketball ability that exists at the basketball courts daily, it can be replaced sometimes with violence.

But for many of the basketball players, they say that the Venice Beach basketball courts are a staple to the Los Angeles culture.

The courts are open 24 hours but there are no lights at night.
 

Muscle Beach is considered by many as the most famous fitness center in the world.

People travel from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the renowned gym.

The 1970's film "Pumping Iron" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was filmed at Muscle Beach in Venice.

But with the popularity and famous name the gym carries, being located right next to the ocean has created a lot of problems with the equipment at the gym.

But for the members of Muscle beach, they say that those problem are not even comparable to all the beauty and sunshine that the gym offers to them on a daily basis.

The gym is open from dusk till dawn everyday.

The Venice Beach Skatepark is Venice Beach's newest athletic attraction. The skatepark opened in October and has already had thousands of people skate at the park.

Skaters say the skatepark was overdue because of how the sport of skating was revolutionized here during the 1970's.

The new skatepark attracts beginners as well as some of the most prominent skaters in the world including Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Jesse Martinez and Geri Lewis.

Because of its recent opening though skaters say that the skatepark can be way overcrowded at times.

But many other skaters say it's okay because the the birthplace of skateboarding finally has its own home skatepark.

The skatepark is open from dusk till dawn everyday.