Redondo Beach’s Rocky Point Fuel Dock Fuels Up The Blogger

Not every time I go out am I looking for a party.

Sometimes, I just want to have a beer to soak in the scene.

And so I found myself on a super sunny Monday afternoon in the Los Angeles South Bay Beach Cities. I had just finished recording my weekly radio show for Static Beach Radio in Hermosa Beach, when I decided it was too nice to return home. So instead of heading north on The Strand on my awesome Kona beer beach cruiser bicycle, I turned to the south and headed toward Redondo Beach.

The best biking in the South Bay is in Redondo. There’s the scenic scene and serenity of King Harbor, where you can pedal around the docks and sailboats. And there is also Rocky Point.

To most people, Rocky Point is a fuel dock for the boats in the harbor. But for those of us in “the know,” it’s one of the best hidden bars in all of Los Angeles.  It’s one of my favorite places in the South Bay.

 

There’s little to it, really. Three picnic tables. A small store inside that has convenience store-type of coolers where you can get a can of a very, VERY cold Budweiser (or other beer) for $2. Two dollars! There’s also wine, tho you have to buy the four mini-pack ($8).

Then you take it outside and pick a picnic table, and look out over the harbor. You may sit next to a salty sailor or two, yet on this day I was the only patron. I pulled out my iPhone and started playing some steel drum music. My Budweiser was perfectly chilled, and I just sat in the warm sunshine basking in the simple glory of being in such a great, simple place.

The boats at the dock gently rocked with the slight breeze and the water had occasional small ripples. On this day, I saw no seals, so I really did have the place to myself.

Eventually, a lady who seemed to have once been with a salty sailor sat down at the far picnic table, and we briefly talked about the steel drum music.

I was so lost in my world, tho, that I nearly missed last call! Which at Rocky Point is 5 p.m. (It’s closed on Wednesdays.)

Fortunately, the proprietor knows my face from many past appearances and allowed me one more $2 Bud.  And I sat for another half hour or so just loving this peaceful part of life.

So no, I don’t always have to be at places like Mardi Gras or Oktoberfest to have a great time at a bar.

Sometimes, all I need is a cold beer and a great view.