California is teeming with abandoned destinations. Near Joshua Tree National Park, there’s Eagle Mountain, one of the Golden State’s largest ghost towns. In the Mojave Desert, travelers can encounter Amboy on a surreal stretch of the Route 66 desert. And believe it or not, California’s largest city, Los Angeles, is home to an eerie, long-deserted beachside neighborhood: Surfridge.
Once a bustling community, Surfridge sat adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Vista Del Mar, a road connecting Playa del Rey and Manhattan Beach. The neighborhood’s origins date to the early 1920s, and in its heyday, it was a coastal paradise. Picture hundreds of impressive homes dotting hilly streets just feet away from the shore. Unsurprisingly, the neighborhood attracted high-profile figures, including filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille. Unfamiliar with the name? DeMille’s achievements include establishing Paramount Pictures and directing the 1956 epic “The Ten Commandments.” Put simply, Surfridge was, for a time, the epitome of Los Angeles luxury. But as the saying goes, all good things must end, and Surfridge’s location ultimately sealed its fate. Before it became LAX, the site was Mines Field, later renamed Los Angeles Municipal Airport.
After World War II, the airport expanded into what is now LAX. This interfered with the quality of life of Surfridge residents, with the jet noise having become unbearable, and by the 1960s, it was decided that the neighborhood would be no more. Uninhabited since the 1970s, Surfridge is now owned by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)…