Seniors Make A Stop In Hawthorne

Hawthorne, a city that senior travelers will find in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, has a population that runs right at 87,000 inhabitants.

Wondering, like me, how Hawthorne got its name? Well, the city was founded in 1905 as the “Hawthorne Improvement Company” by B.L. Harding and H.D. Lombard. Harding’s daughter shared her birthday–July 4th, American Independence Day–with New England author Nathaniel Hawthorne, and a decision was made to name the city after him. Hawthorne was a small-size community before being incorporated in 1922.

Today its called “The City Of Good Neighbors”. Hawthorne is located only 15 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles and 5 miles from shorefront communities such as Manhattan Beach.  Hawthorne delivers all the convenience of South Bay, so toss in your surfboard, enjoy a cool sea breeze and some awesome waves.

Northrop Corporation, founded in 1939 and headquartered in Hawthorne, became a major manufacturer of aircraft during World War II, as well as a major subcontractor to other aircraft companies. Jack Northrop developed his famous flying wings, which ultimately led to the B-2 stealth bomber.

Seniors Find Aerospace Community

Hawthorne has many amenities that draw senior visitors. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean is certainly one. Then there is the aerospace industry, with SpaceX Technologies being a major employer in Hawthorne. SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.

Senior visitors can take a stroll in one of the city parks like Del Aire, a fun tree-studded green space with hard surfaced picnic areas and then you have Hawthorne Memorial and Badger Park to choose from.  Me, I’d want to take in the Hawthorne Historical Society to learn about the history of the area.

TripAdvisor has several attractions you won’t want to pass up including Beach Boys Monument. Remember them? The Beach Boys formed their band in Hawthorne in 1961. The Beach Boys Historic Landmark commemorates the site of the childhood home of Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys. The house was demolished in the mid-1980s during construction of the Century Freeway.

 Seniors Enjoy “Good Neighbours Day”

Senior visitors can climb aboard a Raven II helicopter and take a tour over the city with Star Helicopters. If you have skipped your workout lately, give Hangar 18 Southdale on W. Rosecrans Avenue a shot. It features over 12,000 square feet of textured climbing terrain, two massive-free-standing bouldering areas, lead climbing, crack climbs and a large training section for you novice mountain climbers. Me, I’d skip that and head for my Snap Fitness facility.

Senior gourmands, Hawthorne has a great array of top-rated restaurants awaiting your arrival. Hawthorne locals enjoy a community-based dining scene filled with local gems ranging from authentic Mexican eateries to Mediterranean cuisine.

So set your GPS for Hawthorne and you will discover a cozy South Bay community. Plan to arrive by Saturday, July 18 and celebrate the 5th Annual Good Neighbors Day. Sounds like fun to me. -jeb