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Rings and Swings at Santa Monica Beach

·Santa Monica Beach·#spring#southern-california#santa-monica#beach-playground
A child holds gymnastic rings on a sandy beach with people and the ocean in the background.

Down to Santa Monica for the day, and most of it went to the stretch of Ocean Front Walk just south of the pier — the free outdoor fitness area with the traveling rings, plus parallel bars, ropes, high bars, and rows of swings right on the sand. The rings have been out there since 2000, and the serious swingers make it look easy, sailing ring to ring down the whole line. The kids had no chance of actually traveling, but hanging on and dangling counted for plenty. Shoes came off early and stayed off.

Afterward we wandered up toward the pier itself, the Ferris wheel and the yellow coaster loops behind us the whole way. The little one's headband barely survived the wind coming off the water. Beach still mostly empty this early in April — a few sunbathers, bikes on the path, and the swing sets creaking away.

A young girl hangs from gymnastic rings on a sandy beach, with another child, adults, and the ocean in the background.A child in blue hangs from gymnastic rings on a sunny beach with the ocean and two adults in the background.A young child in a floral dress smiles on a sandy beach with an amusement pier and rides visible in the sunny background.A young child stands on a sandy beach, smiling at the camera, with a pier and amusement park rides in the background.A young child stands on a sandy beach with a pier, Ferris wheel, and roller coaster in the background.A young child in a colorful dress looks down on a sandy beach, with a pier, Ferris wheel, and roller coaster in the background.A sandy beach with palm trees and playground equipment, where many children and adults are present under a clear sky.A bright beach day with multiple swing sets, palm trees, and people, including children playing on the sand.

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