Summer is here, which for some means the beach, for others the pool and for yet others fun and games. Santa Monica's Annenberg Community Beach House, open to the public throughout the summer, allows guests to do all of these things plus a whole lot more.
"You can design your day. Whether you want to have a beach day, whether you want to have a pool day, or whether you want to be out playing beach volleyball," said Nan Friedman, manager of the Beach House. "You have the opportunity to dip into history, dip into the water or dip into recreation."
Located in Santa Monica off Pacific Coast Highway on Beach House Way, the pool offers admissionat $10 for adults, $4 for kids and $5 for seniors. On Mondays, pool admission is only $1. Reservations are not required and passes are given in the form of wristbands giving guests access to the pool, changing rooms, showers and lockers.
The grounds, including the playground, beach area, courtyard, view deck, Marion Davies Guest House and restaurant, are free and do not require pool admission.
The beach house has a wide range of special events planed for the summer that will please both old and young. Sunset Swims are perfect for adults looking for some kid-free relaxation. Held the second Friday of the month between 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. throughout the summer, Sunset Swims are a time where the pool is open for just adults. Each month, there is a different theme, including "Sunset Swim with a splash of the tropics" and "Sunset Swim goes to summer camp."
"We are always looking for a way to accommodate our guests' requests and we had a number of persistent requests for adult time only at the pool," Friedman said. "Early on we tried lap swimming and morning swims but we have learned a lot about our site and how people use our site so we are giving this a try and we will see how it goes. We are very excited about it."
But kids don't always want to be left out of the fun, and they will not be thanks to the Beach House's annual Cardboard Yacht Regatta. Families and friends can pair up in teams of two to construct yachts to race in the pool from corrugated cardboard and duct tape.
"The teams get really into it, they create incredibly complex boats that are highly themed and decorated. They take it really seriously and go all out and produce really incredible cardboard yachts," Friedman said.
If swimming and yachts sound too chaotic, guests can also check out the Beach = Cultural events, a series of free concerts, readings, talks and exhibits at the Beach House.
"We have an incredible array of really high quality artists," Friedman said. "All of these are free. We just ask that you make an RSVP through our website."
Guests are also invited to attend the Beach House's thirdannual Community Picnic on July 23 at 6 p.m. The event is free and friends and families are encouraged to pack a dinner for a fun and relaxing evening at the beach.
"It's a really great opportunity to treat the Beach House like your neighborhood park. Everyone comes out and brings their own dinner. It's a really lovely night to spend dining al fresco at the beach house with you community," Friedman said.
Friedman believes that the Beach House is special in its ability to satisfy everybody, no matter their age or interests.
"Everybody comes here and creates their own day and finds a way to have a great day at the Beach House," she said.
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