Beach Volleyball at the Beijing Olympics + Visiting Manhattan Beach Michael Phelps and the Opening Ceremony may be dominating the Olympic news this week, but the hottest ticket in Beijing is for Beach Volleyball. The two top ranked women’s teams in the world are from the US, and superstars Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh hail from Southern California. We set our TIVOs to record the US women's competitions, and pulled up the excellent NBC Olympics website to give our kids a sense of the prominence of our local sport. They were hooked -- and after a few near misses from bumping and digging around the living room, we took our kids to Manhattan Beach, a town famous for its beach volleyball. We spent a few blissful hours playing in the surf and sand, checked out the perfect pint-sized Roundhouse Aquarium, took a leisurely bike ride along the beach, and ended a perfect summer day the old fashioned way, with some yummy locally-made ice cream.
Most beach players start playing indoor volleyball, which is a highly popular sport for girls, in particular, in Southern California. These top athletes are great role-models for all kids, and watching them compete is exciting for the whole family.
Click here for the scoop on where to rent bikes, shop, and eat in Manhattan Beach,
