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One of my favorite to do during the summer is have a bonfire on the beach with my friends. There are quite a few beaches in Orange County, California with fire pits. However, in Los Angeles County there is only one beach with fire pits. A Dockweiler Beach bonfire are a great way to enjoy hot dogs, s’mores, and good times with your family and friends. Now that I am spending more and more time in the LA area I decided to host a bonfire and visit Dockweiler for the first time this past weekend. Of course I’m sharing what I learned from my experience to help you have a good time if you go to Dockweiler Beach in the future.
1. Parking
You can find free street parking if you are willing to walk a long distance. Since I brought quite a bit of stuff for the bonfire I decided it would be easier to pay the $13 fee and park in the beach parking lot. If you do this be sure to drive down to the third parking lot which is past the restrooms. After spending a good 20 minutes trying to find a parking spot in the first lot a friend called and told me to come down to the third lot where there were several available spaces. There is no need to waste time waiting for a parking spot to open up when you can drive further down and find more spots.
2. The Fire Pits
My friends and I came to the beach after work. I knew there was a chance that all of the fire pits would already be taken but I was hopeful that one would open up. We ended up deciding not to do a fire and just hung out on the beach. There were several groups near us who had brought their own fire pits which I have never thought of before.
Of course there is always a chance that one or two fire pits will open up at night when people leave. However, the earlier in the day that you can arrive is better so that you can try and grab one of the fire pits. The pits are very popular since this is the only beach in LA county where you can have a bonfire. I was able to get wood at Walmart for under $5 which was great! I’ll just hang on to the wood for the next beach bonfire I plan. Especially since I found a great portable fire pit on amazon.
3. The Hours
Since my friends and I came from work we weren’t able to get to the beach before 8pm. Dockweiler beach closes at 10pm. Of course, not everyone leaves around that time but from what I’ve heard people start getting tickets if they try to stay too long past that.
Even though the bonfire didn’t actually happen I still had so much fun at the beach with my friends.
