MARINA DEL REY
Harbor of the King
North America's largest man-made small-craft harbor. Coastal living at a lower price point than Venice or Santa Monica, with LAX four miles south and the Strand at your door.
Median Home Price
$1,200,000
Price Per SF
$742
Avg Days on Market
82
Boat Slips
5,000+
The Neighborhood
GOOD TO KNOW
Marina del Rey is not part of the City of Los Angeles. It is an unincorporated community governed directly by Los Angeles County. Permits, planning, and services go through the County, not the city. The LA County Sheriff patrols here, not LAPD. The entire land and water is owned by LA County, which leases it to private developers and residents.
The name means Harbor of the King in Spanish, and the ambition was always that grand. The dream of a marina here dates to 1887 when developer M.C. Wicks invested $300,000 trying to turn the Playa del Rey estuary into a commercial harbor. He went bankrupt. The land reverted to duck hunters and wetlands for the better part of a century.
It took the Kennedy administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, and $36.25 million in federal and county funding to finally make it happen. Basin B welcomed the first boaters in 1962. Architect Victor Gruen designed the master plan. The harbor was officially dedicated in April 1965. Fisherman's Village, designed to resemble a New England seaport, was added in 1969.
What makes Marina del Rey genuinely different from its neighbors is honesty about what it is. It was planned from scratch. It lacks the organic chaos of Venice or the old-money polish of Santa Monica. What it has instead is water on every side, 5,000 boat slips, direct access to the 22-mile Strand, and a price point that is meaningfully lower than the neighborhoods immediately north. That combination has made it one of the most renter-heavy zip codes on the Westside, and one of the most underrated for buyers who actually want to own.
The sea lions here do not respect private property. They are known to board boats in the marina uninvited and are largely unbothered by the concept of ownership.
The Pockets
Marina Peninsula
The premium pocket. Technically inside the City of Los Angeles boundary, not the unincorporated county. Oceanfront single-family homes on a narrow strip of land between the marina and the Pacific. Median around $2.9M. Fastest moving SFRs in the area at 34 days. The serious money in this zip code.
Silver Strand
Sits just south of the Venice border. Quiet, residential, and the closest MDR gets to a genuine neighborhood feel. Mix of older bungalows and newer builds. Walkable to the beach. The buyers here tend to stay.
Marina Arts District
The newest and youngest pocket. Contemporary industrial lofts and condos. Most walkable part of MDR. Dining, fitness, and entertainment within a few blocks. Draws young professionals who want Westside coastal without the Venice premium.
Azzurra / Regatta
Resort-style living 19 stories up. Floor-to-ceiling glass, sweeping marina views, full amenities. The Azzurra building defines this pocket. For buyers who want the lock-and-leave waterfront lifestyle without the maintenance of a standalone home.
Villa Marina
The most affordable and most renter-heavy part of MDR. Shopping centers, fitness studios, and dining nearby. Good entry point for buyers who want the zip code at a more accessible price. Strong rental demand.
Fisherman's Village Area
Built in 1969 to resemble a New England fishing village. Sits on the main channel of the marina with direct water views. Live jazz, blues, and samba on weekends at the outdoor stage. The most tourist-facing part of MDR but genuinely pleasant to live near.
Food + Coffee
Frankin It Up
3710 Pacific Ave
A street-side Wagyu smash burger stand that started as a vintage hot dog cart in 2023 and became the most talked-about burger in the neighborhood. Owner Jeff runs it with obvious care. The Big Wag is the move. Jason Kelce called it his favorite burger in Los Angeles. Opens afternoons, closed some weekdays, check Instagram before going. Worth the trip from anywhere on the Westside.
SALT Restaurant
Harbor dining on the main channel. The sweet chili blue crab dip is the order. Go for sunset.
Burton Chace Park Waterfront
Not a restaurant but the best free lunch spot in MDR. Bring food, find a bench with harbor views, watch the boats.
Marina del Rey Farmers Market
Every Thursday 9am to 2pm, year-round. Corner of Admiralty Way. The most neighborhood-feeling thing in a zip code that can feel resort-like.
Fisherman's Village
Live jazz, blues, and samba on weekends. Not a single spot but an area. Walk the dock promenade, stop wherever looks right. The annual holiday boat parade starts here in December.
Outdoors + Lifestyle
The Strand
The Marvin Braude Bike Trail runs directly through Marina del Rey. The 22-mile coastal path connects Will Rogers State Beach in the Pacific Palisades to Torrance Beach in the south. At MDR the trail intersects with the Ballona Creek Bike Path, which runs 7 miles inland to Culver City and connects to the Metro Expo Line at La Cienega and Jefferson. You can bike from your marina condo to the train.
Note: The marina section requires a short on-street stretch along Washington Boulevard before rejoining the dedicated path. Factor that in on busy weekends.
Dockweiler State Beach
One of the last beaches in Los Angeles County where you can have a bonfire. Public fire rings dot the sand at Dockweiler, open until 10pm, first-come first-served. Bring your own wood. Planes from LAX climb overhead every few minutes. It is louder than it sounds on paper and somehow better for it. Saturday nights here are a distinctly LA experience.
On the Water
- • Kayak and paddleboard rentals at multiple marina access points
- • Sailing lessons at the UCLA Marina Aquatic Center
- • Whale watching and harbor cruise boats depart from Fisherman's Village
- • Sea lion spotting is free and guaranteed
Burton Chace Park
Ten acres of waterfront park named after the County Supervisor who pushed hardest to build the marina. Barbecues, picnic tables, and unobstructed harbor views. Free. Open sunrise to sunset. The closest thing MDR has to a town square.
Getting Around
Santa Monica
4.5 miles
LAX
4 miles north
Century City
7.9 miles
Downtown LA
17 miles
By Bike
The Ballona Creek path gives you a direct inland route to Culver City. The coastal Strand connects you north to Venice and Santa Monica or south to the beach cities. MDR is one of the most bikeable communities on the Westside.
By Car
The Marina Freeway (State Route 90) connects directly to the 405. LAX is a straight shot south. The proximity to the freeway makes MDR unusually accessible for a beach community. Commute to Century City averages 25 to 50 minutes depending on time of day.
By Water
The WaterBus runs on select weekends and holidays during summer, connecting points around the marina. More novelty than commuter option but genuinely enjoyable.
Parking near the marina and Fisherman's Village can be limited, particularly on summer weekends. Some properties use assigned or structured parking. Factor this into any property evaluation.
The Market
Condos
Median DOM: 129 days
Inventory: Most of the inventory
Pricing: Sitting at or below asking
The bulk of MDR listings are condos. They move slower than SFRs and tend to sell at or just below asking. Buyers have more negotiating room here than in most Westside markets.
Single-Family
Median DOM: 34 days
Inventory: Very limited
Competition: Multiple offers common
SFRs move fast and with competition. Marina Peninsula leads the market at $2.9M median. If you want a house in this zip code, you need to be ready to move.
The Marina del Rey housing market is a study in two separate realities running side by side. Condos, which make up most of the inventory, are moving at 129 days median and selling near asking. The buyer who wants a condo here has time and leverage.
Single-family homes are a completely different story. With 34-day median DOM and multiple offers common, the SFR market moves at a pace more typical of Venice or Santa Monica. Supply is the constraint. Marina Peninsula properties at $2.9M median are the most coveted.
The zip code (90292) median sits at $1.2M with price per SF around $742. That is meaningfully below Venice and Santa Monica for comparable coastal access. The trade is the planned feel of the community and the condo-heavy inventory. For buyers who want the lifestyle without the premium, MDR is the calculation worth making.
Market data based on recent MLS transactions. Values reflect 90292 ZIP code and vary significantly by pocket and property type.
Buying in Marina del Rey?
The split between the condo and SFR market here creates real opportunity for the right buyer. Tony O'Brien knows this market well and can help you figure out which pocket and which product type makes sense for your goals.