Manhattan Beach, CA Road Trips

1 Manhattan Beach Pier. Perhaps one of the more picturesque piers in the South Bay Area, second only to Santa Monica Pier in size. The pier is 928 feet (283 m) long and located at the end of Manhattan Beach Boulevard. An octagonal Mediterranean-style building sits at the end of the pier and houses the Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab & Aquarium. Surfers usually can be seen below the pier. The pier includes the "Volleyball Walk of Fame," featuring plaques dedicated to past winners of the Manhattan Beach Open beach volleyball tournament. 2 Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden. The Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden (2/3 acre) is a botanical garden located within Polliwog Park. The garden was first envisioned in 1992, with garden construction starting in 1994. In 1997 the garden became a nonprofit organization, and its grand opening was on Earth Day 2001. It consists primarily of plants native to California.

Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. The second oldest Pro-Am cycling race in America. Held during June or July. Circuit runs along Valley and Manhattan Beach Blvd. 1 AVP Beach Volleyball Championship. Home of legendary beach volleyball tournament. Held in July/August on courts near the Manhattan Beach Pier. Farmer's Market Tuesdays, 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd. (near the Metlox shopping center in Downtown Manhattan Beach), [email protected]. Every Tuesday. 11AM-4PM during the winter & 11AM-5PM during the summer. Buy locally-grown fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Delicious foods prepared hot are also available. 2 Sand Dune Park. Sand Dune Park is small park that features a tall, steep sand dune that is extremely popular for use as a fitness area. On any given day dozens of people can be found walking and running up the sandy hillside, with participants ranging in ability from hobby walkers to professional athletes; NHL players, USC and UCLA football players, volleyball players, boxers, fighters, sprinters and WNBA players have all been known to train at the park. 3 Bruce's Beach, 2600 Highland Ave, ☏ +1 310-802-5410. 6AM-10PM. Park and vista point on the site of the first African-American-friendly beach in the area (updated Mar 2026)

Manhattan Beach is known for its numerous breakfast spots. Many people consider breakfast to be the meal that the town does best. On weekends crowds can be heavy and waits can be long. 1 The Kettle, 1138 Highland Ave (at Manhattan Beach Blvd), ☏ +1 310-545-8511. Mon-Thu 6 AM–midnight, Fri-Sun 24 hr. An eatery with lots of local character. (updated Apr 2015) Local Yolk, 3415 Highland Ave, ☏ +1 310-546-4407. In El Porto. A surfers breakfast joint with renowned omelets and diner fare. (updated Apr 2015) Uncle Bill's Pancake House, 1305 Highland Ave, ☏ +1 310-545-5177. Stop by this diner for great pancakes with an ocean view. (updated Apr 2015) Oceanview Cafe, 229 13th St, ☏ +1 310-545-6770. Situated on a quiet lane, this place is worth a visit for its charm. (updated Apr 2015) Petros, 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 310-545-4100. B110 (In Metlox, downtown). Upscale Greek food, named Top New Restaurant in the 2007 Los Angeles Zagat guide. Love & Salt, 317 Manhattan Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 310-545-5252. Italian bistro with sky dome lights and a distinct twist on pasta incorporating bone marrow. Mmm, who's hungry?

1 Ercole's Bar, 1101 Manhattan Ave, ☏ +1 310-372-1997. Daily 10AM-2AM. Oldest extant bar in Manhattan Beach. Cheap beer, burgers and cocktails. $10-20. 2 Shellback Tavern, 116 Manhattan Beach Blvd (between Manhattan Ave and the Manhattan Beach Pier), ☏ +1 310-376-7857. Mon-Fri 11:30AM-midnight, Sat Sun 10AM-2AM. Casual surf shack known for its pizza, fried items and reasonably-priced drinks. $10-25. (updated Jun 2020) 3 Simmzys, 229 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Delicious hamburgers with bleu cheese. Many beers as well but all seem to be American. (updated Aug 2020)

The Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, 3501 Sepulveda Blvd, ☏ +1 310-750-0300. Chic and stylish hotel with 127 rooms. There is a restaurant called Second Story that serves breakfast and dinner. 1 Best Western Plus Manhattan Beach Hotel, 1817 N. Sepulveda Blvd, ☏ +1 310-546-8942. (updated Jun 2020) The Wave Hotel, 900 N. Sepulveda Blvd, ☏ +1 310-318-6132. Westdrift Manhattan Beach, Autograph Collection, 1400 Parkview Ave, ☏ +1 310-546-7511, fax: +1 310 546-7520. Residence Inn Los Angeles LAX/Manhattan Beach, 1700 North Sepulveda Blvd, ☏ +1 310-421-3100, fax: +1 310 545-1327. Shade, 1221 N Valley Dr, ☏ +1 310-546-4995. Manhattan Beach's only luxury boutique hotel, located two blocks from the beach. $250-600.

5 miles south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Take Interstate 105 and South on the 405 freeway. Exit Rosecrans or Inglewood Avenue or Artesia and head west. Alternately, just take CA-1 (Sepulveda Blvd/Pacific Coast Hwy) south from the Airport. Metro K (Pink) Line last stop brings you the Marine Avenue Station. Local buses have routes throughout Manhattan Beach. The Strand, officially called the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, begins just north of Santa Monica and runs all the way down the coast to Torrance with a stop in Manhattan Beach along the way. So from any beach in the Los Angeles area, you are able to take the bike path directly in.

Bicycle, skate, or walk along the Strand, Manhattan Beach's picturesque boardwalk which spans along the Pacific. Multimillion dollar homes, busy sand volleyball courts, and bike paths line the walk. The Veterans Parkway Greenbelt, paved in sawdust, runs between Valley Dr and Ardmore Ave along a former railway route.