Secret Walks #37: Marina Del Rey's Ballona Lagoon, 2.5 miles

Cloud wisps over the Santa Monica Mountains, blue sky peeking out over the Pacific—a glorious Southern California morning walk around a centuries old lagoon. Originally part of the Ballona Creek wetlands that extended from Playa Del Rey to Santa Monica, Ballona Lagoon, a protected habitat, is a rest stop for birds on the 2000 mile Pacific Flyaway between Alaska and Latin America. The pedestrian bridge pictured below is a shortcut to the ocean, visible 2 short blocks west. Years after the Marina opened in 1966, the lots along the lagoon were graded for home$$$, but the star of this morning's hike was the serene white egret who strolled alongside us on his morning rounds.