Manhattan Beach

Once the playground for in-landers from Beverly Hills to Pasadena, Manhattan Beach provided a nearby location for sunseekers to frolic on its gorgeous wide sandy beaches. Made up primarily of sand dunes until early development around the mid-1920s, a large portion of the Manhattan Beach sand was sold and shipped to Waikiki, Hawaii, to cover its native rock filled beaches to make it softer underfoot and be more attractive for tourism. Stretched along two-miles of beautiful coastline on the Queen’s Necklace, daily finds are sparkling waters, sailboats, surfers, cyclists, sunbathers, volleyball players, swimmers, kite surfers and basically any other outdoor enthusiast one can imagine. Pretty beaches, friendly people, and great surf spots all wrapped up in a lively, affluent atmosphere make the petit beach city thrive. The village-like downtown is a quaint walkable shopping area filled with delightful restaurants (some with famous chefs), boutique shopping, gelaterias, and fun watering holes. At the westernmost tip of its downtown is the iconic Manhattan Beach Pier. The Pier’s history is as long as it’s walkway, but today locals and visitors stroll across the pier gazing at the beauty of the Pacific while getting a close up of the local surfers.