Marineland of the Pacific finally comes down for good

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

Demolition started Thursday in Rancho Palos Verdes on the last remaining buildings of what was once Marineland of the Pacific, a mecca for Los Angeles-area families for more than three decades. One year older than Disneyland, Marineland, which opened in 1954, was one of Southern California's first theme parks. It once billed itself as "the world's largest oceanarium" and featured such baby boom icons as the 320-foot-high Skytower and Bubbles, billed as the world's first trained and performing whale.

Read more from The LA Times.

Wow, I can't believe the buildings were there for so long. The funny this, if I remember correctly, was that the skytower was shorter than the cliffs next to it. An escalator to the top of the cliff would have provided a better view.

*** This post was edited by janfrederick 7/21/2006 11:05:23 AM ***

The recent articles are very misleading. The majority of the buildings were not there and the property had no resemblance of a theme park. This was my home park as a youngster and I lived only minutes from it with a view of the entire park from my backyard. I took a tour of the property a few years ago with the owner at the time. All of the aquariums and the majority of the buildings were torn down a few months after the park closed. The city ordered their demolition and the owner at the time (SeaWorld) complied. What remained was the Catalina Room (10 room Motel and Banquet Room used for weddings), parking lot, entrance shade cover, Baja Reef, one games building, the administration buildings and support warehouse. The Sky Tower was removed about ten years ago after years of neglect and vandalism.

The cliffs were from the edge of the property to the ocean below and they are only 60-100 feet high. Behind the property rose the Palos Verdes Peninsula which is a large sloping hill that rises to an elevation of 1,600 feet, but it is full of different residential neighborhoods on the way to the top and the top is several miles in distance.

I remember driving by the park as young child in 1987, I remember the sky tower was leaning to 5-10% degrees, at it still kind of looked like a part back then. Do you remember that Egieszl?

The Sky Tower at Marineland was never leaning any direction. Why do you say that. If you were young it was probably just your impression, but it wasn't actually leaning.

The Sky Tower was 244 feet above the park, which itself was over 100 feet above the cliffs. I don't know what janfrederick was thinking. You can see a picture of the Sky Tower where I discuss the history of Marineland on my web site page of the history of Rancho Palos Verdes at http://www.maureenmegowan.com/PageManager/Default.aspx/PageID=1471638&NF=1

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