Redondo Beach
Updated on Apr 27 2024 6:27am
This landmark park draws visitors from around the world with its gorgeous views of the Santa Monica Bay, palm-dotted greenway, and mix of resident homeless people, joggers and tourists taking in the ocean and pier views.
The park sits on top of an exposed bluff that offers views of both the Pacific Ocean and the coastal mountains. The land that is now Palisades Park was donated to Santa Monica in 1892 because it was considered too unstable to support houses. The bluff is geologically fascinating, with layers in the sediment that represent different eras in the land's history, including marine fossils, shells, rocks, sand, and gravel.
Despite being carefully developed with specific flora to plant in the park that would grow strong enough roots to slow down the erosion, the bluff still experiences periodic landslides. In the 1940s, the Pacific Coast Highway had to be shut down due to a large amount of sediment that had slid onto the road. Each year the park loses some of its land to erosion, and it sits between three fault lines, so there is always the possibility of damage if an earthquake strikes.
Visitors tend to come for the extraordinary view of the Santa Monica Bay. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Malibu. The park itself is full of beautifully manicured grass, smooth paths, and towering palm trees. Jogging, biking, and people watching are popular activities. Many people stop by the Camera Obscura Art Lab, a haven for interactive programs. Other interesting landmarks include the rose garden, totem pole, picnic area, and Santa Monica concrete sculpture.
The history of Palisades Park is also fascinating. In the late nineteenth century, the southern portion of the park was donated by Senator John P. Jones and Arcadia Bandini De Baker; the northern portion by Santa Monica Land and Water Company. Known as Linda Vista Park until 1915, the historic site includes one of the few remaining Camera Obscuras in the U.S. (built in 1889 by Sen. Jones' nephew), Craftsman-era stone gates, and numerous monuments.
Standing at the end of Wilshire is a statue of Saint Monica, sculpted by Eugene Morahan as a federal arts project in 1934. The statue looks over the spot known in the 1910s as "dead man's curve," where racecar drivers would turn east from Ocean along a nearly 8-1/2-mile surface street raceway.
Palisades Park in Santa Monica is a natural and historical landmark that offers breathtaking views of the Santa Monica Bay, a mix of resident homeless people, joggers and tourists taking in the ocean and pier views, and numerous landmarks and monuments. Whether you're looking to jog, bike, people watch, or simply take in the beauty of the California coast, Palisades Park is a must-visit destination.