Dockweiler State Beach stretches across 91 acres of wide, sandy coastline in Playa Del Rey, making it one of the most unique beach experiences in Los Angeles County. What sets Dockweiler apart from every other LA beach is simple: fire pits. It’s one of the last beaches in the region where you can have a legal bonfire right on the sand, and locals have turned sunset bonfires into a beloved ritual year-round.

The beach sits directly beneath the LAX flight path, which sounds like a drawback until you’re lying on a blanket watching 747s descend impossibly close overhead against a pink sky. It’s oddly mesmerizing and a hit with kids and aviation enthusiasts alike.

With 4.5 stars across nearly 17,000 reviews, Dockweiler draws crowds for good reason. The wide, flat shoreline is ideal for beach volleyball, cycling along the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (which runs 22 miles from Pacific Palisades to Torrance), jogging, and surfing when the swells cooperate. The RV park at the north end offers hookup sites with direct ocean views — one of the few places you can camp beachside in metro Los Angeles.

Visit on weekday evenings for the best fire pit availability; weekends fill up fast, especially in summer. Late spring through early fall delivers the warmest weather, but mild Southern California winters make Dockweiler a genuine year-round destination. Arrive early, claim your pit, and settle in — sunsets here, framed by silhouetted planes and crackling fire, are hard to beat anywhere on the California coast.

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