Hermosa Beach, CA
By: Paul Benevich
Hermosa Beach is near and dear to my heart and the place where I lived for over four years. It Is still my volleyball mecca on weekends. A beach community where I gather with my group of 20 friends for the past 13 years and pretend to be AVP-quality volleyball players. But in reality, we are just a bunch of friends having fun, talking smack, and corrupting a beautiful sport.
Hermosa Beach is anchored by the Hermosa Beach Pier. This beach community is only 1.4 sq miles and nestled between two much larger beach communities of Manhattan and Redondo Beaches.
In my opinion, Hermosa Beach is one of the last true beach communities in Los Angeles. It’s relaxed and casual and still has a beach bum flavor to it. Fortunately, enough of the old-school beach lovers that were lucky enough to purchase their homes when properties were somewhat reasonable, continue to live in their appreciating homes, so the city of 30 years ago still lives today.
Many of the shop and restaurant owners are locals, growing up surfing, hanging out at the beach, and playing volleyball, so the beach vibe is inherently part of the culture in this town.
The beach
Hermosa Beach is my favorite beach in all of Los Angeles. The actual beach is clean and groomed and has some of the best coastal sand, along with its sister beach community, Manhattan Beach.
In my opinion, if you are seeking a day at a beach in Los Angeles, then Hermosa Beach is hands down the best place in LA, with easy access to ample parking, restaurants, and small gritty boutique shops.
There are plenty of shops that will rent you critical beach amenities such as beach chairs, and surf and paddle boards. There are bike shops that rent electric and
regular bikes so one can enjoy the beach pathway that runs for miles along the coast. If you are into volleyball, there are plenty of courts with well-maintained nets along the pier, and all you need to do is bring your volleyball.
The Pier – make a day of it
The Hermosa Beach Pier anchors the town, and everything happening emanates from it. From Pacific Coast Hwy, you can turn onto Pier Avenue, and the half-mile drive to the beach passes plenty of boutique shops and eateries. Pier Avenue dead-ends into Hermosa Beach Blvd. and this is where you can find parking, pick up some beach gear, set up on the sand, play some volleyball, head to the water to surf, boogie or paddle board, take a break and grab a meal, and then take a short walk to The Comedy and Magic Club for some laugh therapy.
Click here for a list of local eateries.
Parking
There is plenty of parking and one can find both street meter parking or you can head to the 4-story parking structure adjacent to the pier. During the week, parking is generally no problem, but on weekends and holidays during the summer months, it is advisable to arrive earlier in the day.
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