Burton Chace Park, Marina Del Rey

Burton Chace Park is a pretty park on the marina with a walkway along the water. It has an abundance of little hills of the brightest green, tall old trees, and picnic areas scattered about. In an area where most of the land is for members only, it's nice to have this public space. There are clean restrooms which are monitored by park employees. A statue of a sailor stands by the water. It's  nice to see the different yachts and watch the boats leaving the marina. Another place in Marina Del Rey where you can watch the boats is from the Via Marina sidewalk.

If you're waiting for a plane to land at LAX, this is a great place to come for some peace and quiet. Check to see if your friend's flight has arrived and once it has, you can start driving toward the airport and make it just in time for them to come out the baggage claim!
Marina Del Rey is just around the corner from Venice Beach and Santa Monica. You can take a nice half-hour drive to Santa Monica pier if you stick to the coast roads and avoid congested Lincoln Blvd.
If you want to watch the planes flying into LAX, check out LAX Lookout Point.

Directions

Burton Chace Park is located at 13650 Mindanao Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292. There is free parking on weekdays and paid parking on the weekend.

Click on map for interactive view