Nearby Beaches
Manhattan State Beach
Location
400-500 The Strand
Manhattan Beach, CA
Admission
Parking:
Summer- $3 per hour to $10 maximum per day
Winter - $3 per hour to $8 maximum per day
Hours: Sunrise to 10:00 PM
Operated by Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors
Main Attractions
- Surfing
- Manhattan Pier
- Swimming
- Fishing
Facilities and Features
- 2-mile long beach
- Restrooms, showers
- Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab and Aquarium
- Manhattan Pier
- Fishing equipment rentals and bait shop
- 50 volleyball courts
- Bike Path
- Children's play area
- Lifeguards
Accessibility
- Parking, restrooms
- Bike Trail
- Beach wheelchairs available from lifeguards or lifeguard headquarters - (310) 305-9552
Hazards
- Rip currents
- Rogue waves
Caution: Check with rangers or lifeguards that conditions are safe for your planned activities.
LA County Beach Regulations (partial list)
- No pets allowed on the beach, including horses
- No alcohol allowed on beach.
- No fires on beach.
- No camping, fireworks, glass containers
- No loitering between midnight and 6:00 AM
Manhattan Beach webcam:
Manhattan Beach Webcam
LA Beaches Water Quality:
County of Los Angeles Public Health
Books of
Local Interest
The Strand Walkway and the Marvin Braude Bike Trail
The Strand is a pedestrian path along the edge of the Manhattan Beach. Benches are found at intervals along its route.
The Marvin Braude Bike Trail passes through Manhattan Beach, roughly parallel to The Strand. The full Bike Trail extends 22 miles between Will Rogers State Beach in the north and Torrance County Beach. Cyclists enjoy exploring their way from beach to beach along the bike trail's course, stopping here and there to sample the fares at the various beaches.
Distances on the Bike Trail to
Nearby Beaches
Northbound
- Dockweiler Beach - 3.5 miles
- Venice Beach - 9.9 miles
- Santa Monica Pier - 12.6 miles
- Will Rogers Beach - 16.5 miles
Southbound
- Hermosa Beach - 1.7 miles
- Redondo Beach - 3.9 miles
- Torrance Beach - 5.8 miles
Public Transportation to Manhattan Beach
Beach Cities Transit (BCT) connects Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and
El Segundo. The fare is $1.
The BCT 109 Line runs from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM between Redondo Beach Riviera Village
and LAX City Bus Center. Stops along the way include Hermosa Beach Pier Avenue, Downtown Manhattan Beach,
Manhattan Village Mall, Douglas Green Line Station, downtown El Segundo, and Aviation
Green Line Station.
Manhattan State Beach
Manhattan Beach is most popular for surfing and beach volleyball. About 50 volleyball courts are spread out along the 2-mile long beach. The City of Manhattan Beach hosts an annual volleyball tournament and an international surf festival. Surfers usually hang out at the two most popular spots along the beach, the Pier and El Porto. The well-maintained beach draws nearly 4 million visitors every year.
Manhattan Beach Pier
Built in the 1920s, the Manhattan Beach Pier extends 928 feet into the ocean. At the end of the pier in an octagonal building is the Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab and Aquarium. Surfers find good waves close to the pier, anglers appreciate it for its access to deeper water, and others enjoy its views.
Parking at Manhattan Beach
The City of Manhattan Beach maintains beach parking lots, city parking lots, and metered street parking. The City has installed new technology parking meters that accept credit and debit cards throughout the City. At the beach near the pier are the Upper Pier Lots and the Lower Pier Lots which have a total of 118 spaces. El Porto Parking Lot at the far north end of the beach has 227 spaces. Not all city lots are show on our map.
Parking Rates
- Beach Parking Lots $1.50 per hour
- City Parking Lots $0.75 per hour
- Street Parking $1.25 per hour
Manhattan Beach Area Restaurants
North Beach
- Surf Food Stand, 4119 The Strand
- Beach Chinese Food to Go, 314 Rosecrans Ave.
- Beach Pizza, 3301 Highland Ave. (310)546-5401
- Sloopy's Beach Cafe, 3416 Highland Avenue
- BoBo Chinese Deli, 2114 Highland Ave.
Central Beach
- The Strand House, 117 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, overlooking the beach and pier
- Simmzy's Pub, 229 Manhattan Beach Boulevard
- The Kettle, 1138 Highland Avenue, open all night
- Becker's Bakery and Deli , 1025 North Manhattan Avenue
- Starbucks, 233 Manhattan Beach Blvd. and 1200 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Markets
- El Porto Market & Deli, 4103 Highland Ave.
- Vons, 410 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
- Manhattan Grocery, 1111 Manhattan Ave.
- Boccato's Groceries, 3127 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach
Ocean Safety
California State Parks and Recreation cautions that "large surf, cold water temperatures, backwash, sudden drop-offs, pounding shorebreak, and dangerous rip currents can turn what seem like safe activities such as playing near the surf line, wading, or climbing on rock outcroppings, deadly." Learn more about ocean safety at CA State Parks: Ocean Safety