Is Muscle Beach with a day trip?

[wallyd]

Muscle beach???
What all is there to do at Muscle Beach beside the obvious? I’ve heard it’s run down. I’ve heard it’s been revamped & all the high rollers are moving there. I’ve heard it’s small.
PLEASE FILL ME IN! I hate to waste a day driving there for nothing but disappointment.

BTW I’m in San Diego for a few days on vacation.

[Roughrydr]

Why not? You're not far comparatively.
Even if it isn't what it used to be why not go see where it all began. No expectations, no disappointment.

[wallyd]

Why not? You're not far comparatively.
Even if it isn't what it used to be why not go see where it all began. No expectations, no disappointment.

Ive got my gal & we are staying with a friend of hers. If it sucks then I wasted a day of vacation not too mention hearing nagging from the froend if it sucks.

[MR. BMJ]

If they are not into that stuff, I wouldn't waste your time. I haven't been there in many years though. Santa Monica is a freak show, any type of person you want to see is there. Personally, San Diego is the shit, and probably more enjoyable.

Also, with it being a holiday weekend, the freeways will be a shithole...unless you leave SUPER early.

[wallyd]

If they are not into that stuff, I wouldn't waste your time. I haven't been there in many years though. Santa Monica is a freak show, any type of person you want to see is there. Personally, San Diego is the shit, and probably more enjoyable.

Also, with it being a holiday weekend, the freeways will be a shithole...unless you leave SUPER early.

Thanks BMJ. Your story seems to be the opinion of others I’ve asked. I’m going to skip the drive & just stay around San Diego.

[Glycomann]

I was in SAn Diego a year ago. Lots more homeless these days and some are aggressive. About muscle beach not sure. I heard there are homeless tents. Might want to look into it.

[wallyd]

I was in SAn Diego a year ago. Lots more homeless these days and some are aggressive. About muscle beach not sure. I heard there are homeless tents. Might want to look into it.

Yeah I’ve seen a few homeless people around here. Went down to Belmont Beach yesterday & got some people watching in. I decided to skip Muscle Beach. We tried to go a couple of places today but EVERYTHING is packed, you can’t even pay to park!

[Roughrydr]

You should have come to Florida. No nobody is around due to hurticane.

[wallyd]

You should have come to Florida. No nobody is around due to hurticane.

Lmao! Yeah I’m sure I would have all the space I could possibly want on one of your beaches!

[Friggemall]

I was there January of last year (2018) for a conference and went. No big deal really other than knowing I was where the greats once trained.

Here, see for yourself. http://www.musclebeachlive.com/

[therealj]

I was in California for my honeymoon (from Canada) and made a point of hitting muscle beach, there was enough interesting people watching available to keep my newlywed wife happy. It was pretty cool to see for me, had I not been a year removed from my last cycle I probably would have paid the drop in fee and trained chest and bi's shirtless

[Dakota]

It is nothing like it once was but you can still get a gathering of big guys on any given day. (I think) I haven't visited in years. I don't care for the freak show of Venice and SM but it is something everyone should see once to say they have been there.

I have only actually trained there once just to say I did. Back in the day I was 5'8" 220 and was the smallest guy by far. There used to be some beasts there. Like anywhere you can run into dicks or the guys that like the attention and will NOT shut the hell up and just pump iron.

I don't know about these days but the Pros used to pop in now and again. I saw Franco there once RIP. Charlie Collras used to be there a lot and is in the Venice Beach Hall of Fame now. He was often pictured with the famous BBers but never received much fame.

[wallyd]

I’ll be honest I really wanted to go but after asking around I decided not to waste a day of vacation going there. The traffic in general was terrible & I heard the traffic would be even worse to get there. Plus the fact that I was the only one interested in it & the gal we stayed with kept saying how it would be a bad idea I just decided to forget it. I do kind of regret it because I will probably not get the chance again but I can live with it.

[Dakota]

yeah, it is something that every BBer should experience once even if it is not like the old days anymore.

I am not sure I get the "bad idea" suggestion. Maybe she just really didn't care to go see 250 slabs of meat bench pressing? It is a funky neighborhood but I don't think of it as especially dangerous during the day. The traffic I understand but that is just part of the deal in SoCal. It would have been cool if we had more time we could have met.

[Friggemall]

I’ll be honest I really wanted to go but after asking around I decided not to waste a day of vacation going there. The traffic in general was terrible & I heard the traffic would be even worse to get there. Plus the fact that I was the only one interested in it & the gal we stayed with kept saying how it would be a bad idea I just decided to forget it. I do kind of regret it because I will probably not get the chance again but I can live with it.

Looks like you made a wise decision since it's closed for renovation.

https://www.venicepaparazzi.com/2019/06/25/the-iconic-muscle-beach-gym-is-under-renovation/

Traffic is right. When I was there my hotel was in Anaheim. I left about 11 am and took me about 45 min-1 hour to get there. A friend that lived out there called me about 3 and asked where I was and I told her. She said you f-ed up it will take you forever to get back. I messed around until 3:30-4 and it took me over 4 hours to get back, bumper to bumper at a 20MPH max. LOL