Author Topic: I'm going on vacation to muscle beach! (Read 7581 times)

I don't want to burst this guys bubble and maybe he will ejoy the Venice area, but for the same $$$ he could have gone on a decent cruise and got catered too, just my 2 cents

timfogarty · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2006, 10:39:44 PM »

Unfortunately, Muscle Beach is a thing of the past. Two reasons for that:

1) every town in the country now has at least one well equipt gym. Long ago, Gold's Venice and World's were unique. They were much larger than you could find elsewhere and had the best equipment.

2) Venice has been gentrified. all the cheap apartments are gone. many have been torn down and replaced with multi-million dollar homes. what remains cost $1500 and up for tiny little apartments.

I suppose there could be a third reason, that Gold's Gym has been bought and sold so many times, that its now just another gym chain.

Long ago, guys moved to Venice because that's where the serious gym was and that's where other bodybuilders lived. They moved to Venice to live the bodybuilding lifestyle full time. Now, there are gyms just as big throughout southern California. And rent is cheaper elsewhere. So there is no longer a central location where bodybuilders live or hang out.

But southern California is still a great place to vacation.

CHINCutler:-()))) · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2006, 10:46:08 PM »

You can always go into Gold's while Bob Chic is there and listen to him bad mouth Vince Taylor..Right Bob

michael arvilla · « **Reply #10 on:** March 26, 2006, 04:58:54 AM »

vist .............Golds Gym,Firehouse,Venice Beach boardwalk (lotta crazies ...open area muscle beach weight pen etc)
i pretty much spent my entire 2 weeks at gold gym and the firehouse (and loved it!!)

this was 10 or more years ago tho..............

Slick Vic · « **Reply #11 on:** March 26, 2006, 05:15:33 AM »

Quote from: michael arvilla on March 26, 2006, 04:58:54 AM

vist .............Golds Gym,Firehouse,Venice Beach boardwalk (lotta crazies ...open area muscle beach weight pen etc)
i pretty much spent my entire 2 weeks at gold gym and the firehouse (and loved it!!)

this was 10 or more years ago tho..............

Definetly visit all those places. God, how I miss it.

Bigger Business · « **Reply #12 on:** March 26, 2006, 05:23:01 AM »

The first time i went there it was pretty cool....muscle beach is pretty dumb though, i spent more time watchin the other stuff goin on, the basketball, the dude in the togo on blades playin the guitar....bought the t-shirts. I went to Golds and it was a good time, saw a few celebs, pros and athletes had a better than average workout then left.

I definitely reccommend it

onlyme · « **Reply #13 on:** March 26, 2006, 09:52:17 AM »

Go to Winchells Donuts. The best

Mr. Intenseone · « **Reply #14 on:** March 26, 2006, 09:59:07 AM »

Don't forget to go down to the boardwalk and check out the dude with the turbin playing the guitar riding on the rollerskates (I haven't seen him in about 20years but maybe he upgraded to rollerblades) he's got to be about 102 by now if he's still alive at all....he's a Venice icon!!

tommywishbone · « **Reply #15 on:** March 26, 2006, 10:22:00 AM »

Quote from: timfogarty on March 25, 2006, 10:39:44 PM

Unfortunately, Muscle Beach is a thing of the past. Two reasons for that:

1) every town in the country now has at least one well equipt gym. Long ago, Gold's Venice and World's were unique. They were much larger than you could find elsewhere and had the best equipment.

2) Venice has been gentrified. all the cheap apartments are gone. many have been torn down and replaced with multi-million dollar homes. what remains cost $1500 and up for tiny little apartments.

I suppose there could be a third reason, that Gold's Gym has been bought and sold so many times, that its now just another gym chain.

Long ago, guys moved to Venice because that's where the serious gym was and that's where other bodybuilders lived. They moved to Venice to live the bodybuilding lifestyle full time. Now, there are gyms just as big throughout southern California. And rent is cheaper elsewhere. So there is no longer a central location where bodybuilders live or hang out.

But southern California is still a great place to vacation.

This guy is totally correct. I'd still check-out Gold's Venice buts its glory days are long gone.

*Go up to the Sunset Strip and hear some live Rock & Roll.
*Spend the day at Disneyland.
*Go down to Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood and play; Transvestite or Not a Transvestite.

stuntmovie · « **Reply #16 on:** March 26, 2006, 11:15:54 AM »

Start at the beginning and take a walk through bodybuilding history.

Do this on a weekend day. Start at the Santa Monica Pier (the western end of old Route 66) and spend an hour or two on the beachwalk directly ajacent to the original Muscle Beach and you just might meet some of the old time original guys sitting on the bench ready, willing and just about able to show you a scrapbook or two of the old days when Reeves and Strohl and other pioneers used to train there.

The exact spot is designated by a large "Muscle Beach" sign set up by the city of Santa Monica.

Walk back in the direction of the SM Pier a few yards and have a cold beer at Dean's Muscle Inn and check out the old time and original photos of Muscle Beach in its prime.

Then head back on down south along the beachwalk and enjoy the sights along the way.

A mile on down the road, you'll be leaving Santa Monica and heading into Venice which is just about as insane as any beach city can be on the west coast.

You'll be entertained along the entire route if you go on a weekend.

Continue for another mile or so and you'll see the Pit which always reminds me more of a Prison Yard Training Area than anything else.

Then head east into the main part of Venice and check out Gold's.

Make sure you hit the Firehouse at lunchtime if you want to meet a good number of the pros. They are always willing to meet new fans with a hearty handshake and a few kind words if you don't interrupt them while they are shoveling the "Bodybuilder's Special" down the old gullet.

I suggest you take a camera on this weekend tour.

ANd you might want to walk back to Santa Monica along the main shopping road in Venice to see Arnold's restaurant (Shotzie's) and the origina World Gym further up by the SM boundary line.

I guarantee you'll be seeing a lot of familiar faces if you do this tour on a weekend day when the sun is shining. (Summer is best.)

Enjoy your vacation and let us know when you return.

bigdumbbell · « **Reply #17 on:** March 26, 2006, 11:21:58 AM »

Quote from: figgs on March 25, 2006, 09:09:31 PM

Never been to Venice before. I'm from NY and I've never even been to CA. What fun places are over there? What good gyms should I visit? Any tips?

dont this question get asked every spring on this board

Bast175 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 26, 2006, 11:24:38 AM »

YAY Half naked Muscle Men on the beach oiling themselves up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What could be better!??

ManBearPig... · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2006, 11:26:22 AM »

Quote from: Bast175 on March 26, 2006, 11:24:38 AM

YAY Half naked Muscle Men on the beach oiling themselves up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What could be better!??

spotting them while they do stiff legged deadlifts!!

gordiano · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2006, 12:30:30 PM »

Quote from: G o a t b o y on March 25, 2006, 10:53:00 PM

Exactly!

Only dumbasses like Bob Chick drop everything and move to Venice once they get their pro card, ony to find out they're about 30 years too late.

When 3rd-tier scrubs like Bob Chick and Tom Prince are the best pros who work out at Gold's Venice, you know the "Mecca" is no more.

HAHALOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jwb · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2006, 02:51:57 PM »

hire a car and stay in santa monica or even go south down around manhatten beach or hermosa.

check out gold's venice, world gym in marina del ray, gold's redondo

visit the firehouse, original gold's site, the pit, max muscle store.

take a night out on sunset to see live music.

take in some strip joints on sunset too.

cswol · « **Reply #22 on:** March 29, 2006, 06:54:28 AM »

u can pay me 100 bucks and I give u the grand LA tour guide book, sex spots, strip clubs, gyms, afterhours, clubs, restaraunts, steroids, all other drugs and much more

LuciusFox · « **Reply #23 on:** March 29, 2006, 08:02:36 AM »

Quote from: cswol on March 29, 2006, 06:54:28 AM

u can pay me 100 bucks and I give u the grand LA tour guide book, sex spots, strip clubs, gyms, afterhours, clubs, restaraunts, steroids, all other drugs and much more

You will join him at the sex spots

?

Special Ed · « **Reply #24 on:** March 29, 2006, 08:29:06 AM »

Be sure to stay at the Marina Pacific Hotel and tell 'em Joe Bucci sent you. Get a great haircut at Locks around the Clock. Stop in at Gold's Gym and say hello to the Barbarian Brothers (the guys in the flannels and Oshkosh overalls and Timberlands). Then eat some chicken and eggwhites at the Firehouse. Check out the psycho ward at the outdoor Muscle Beach. Rent some rollerblades and hit on some gay guys. At night, head over to Rage and get laid in the bathroom. And don't forget to go to Universal Studios!

Special "Frommer" Ed

Author Topic: I'm going on vacation to muscle beach! (Read 7581 times)

Mr. Intenseone

Slick Vic

Mr. Intenseone

Bast175