How to Get Started Inline Skating in Santa Monica, California

When I lived in Santa Monica, I used to go inline skating every day. Inline skating, otherwise known as rollerblading, is an amazing way to tighten up your legs and butt and is very popular in Southern California. The weather is beautiful all year round, so Santa Monica is the perfect place to inline skate and thousands of people do it. If you'd like to try inline skating but aren't sure where to start, here are some tips to get you started skating in Santa Monica.

1. Rent Inline Skates. Before you go out and spend over $100 on skates, knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet, make sure you're actually going to like it. Go to one of these places and rent a pair of inline skates for a few hours and try them out:

Islands Surf - 2934 Wilshire Blvd,

Perry's Café & Sports Rentals 1200 The Promenade

Sea Mist Rentals 1619 Ocean Front 310-395-7076

Rip City Skates - 2709 Santa Monica Blvd

Most of them will rent by the hour or by the day. Also make sure you rent pads and a helmet, as you don't want to break anything on your first day out.

2. Inline Skating on the Boardwalk. Once you have your rental blades, there is a long boardwalk that runs alongside the Ocean in Santa Monica. You can inline skate on it up to the lifeguard station on the way to Malibu, or all the way down to Venice Beach. The best time to go is morning or late evening when the crowds aren't so bad, that way you won't get in people's way or get knocked off your skate

3. Buy Skates, Pads and a Helmet. There are several places in Santa Monica where you can purchase inline skates. I bought mine at Big 5 Sporting Goods on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. They have a good selection, with all the extra equipment and they left me alone to decide which ones I wanted. Make sure when you buy them you get them at least half a size bigger than what you normally wear, as you're going to be wearing socks with them and your feet do swell when you skate. Rip City Skates is another great place, where the staff really knows what they're talking about. Champs Sports is on Third Street Promenade, and Kramer Sporting Goods on Ocean Park Boulevard - both good places for purchasing sporting gear.