If you’re planning a summer trip to the Los Angeles area, there are just too many great options for fun. They include Hollywood, Universal Studios and Six Flags Magic Mountain, shops, restaurants, museums, the zoo, Griffith Park, and many ethnic neighborhoods to explore. But don’t forget that some of the best beaches in Southern California are in Los Angeles County. Here, then, is a brief introduction to the many beach communities that await you.
We start in the south, in Long Beach, home to the Queen Mary floating museum. The Queen Mary is a magnificent cruise ship that was retired in 1967 and was bought by the good city of Long Beach and made it one of the most talked about tourist destinations in California. She is located in Long Beach Harbor, on a peninsula outside of downtown. There are hotels, restaurants, boat and boat rentals and many other activities here; the harbor keeps Long Beach from being a great surfing beach, but with charming communities like Belmont Shores and Naples (with royal canals and gondoliers waiting to show you around) you can easily spend a day of your summer trip in Long Beach.
Heading north on Pacific Coast Highway, or Route 1 (also known as PCH to the locals) past the twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, we come to the Palos Verdes peninsula and its rocky cliffs. There are a couple of great parks and ocean lookouts along the perimeter road, but not many beach opportunities.
The next community with a lot of beach action is Redondo Beach. Esplanade Street runs along a pleasant section of the sandy Redondo Beach State Park, and at the north end of town is the Redondo Beach Pier and King Harbor water sports and entertainment activities. Fisherman’s Wharf and Seaside Lagoon are also there.
Continuing north on PCH we arrive at Playa Hermosa. This is a well-respected beach community and is actually particularly well-known for its beach volleyball facilities. You can fish from the Hermosa Beach Pier, halfway along The Strand Boardwalk. You will find many shops and restaurants along with the great beach; could fill a day of summer travel in and around this city and its neighbors.
Next up is Manhattan Beach, which also has its own pier and Manhattan State Beach Park. Take Manhattan Beach Blvd west from I-405 and you’re right in the middle of it all.
To the north of Manhattan Beach are some industrial areas and the LAX Airport complex. Dockweiler State Beach runs parallel to the airport frontage and above is the small marina del Rey boat harbor (and many multi-story residential buildings with ocean views along with some good restaurants).
Just north of Marina del Rey is the original city of Venice. It’s hard to describe Venice Beach, except to say that a good percentage of the more eccentric crowd tends to gravitate here, especially on summer weekend afternoons. However, the beach is nice, and it is worth trying to include this city in your summer travel plans.
Santa Monica has its pier and amusement center along the Santa Monica State Beach. Downtown Santa Monica is right at the top of the cliffs; browse shops and a variety of dining options on and around Montana Avenue.
Continue on PCH another 10 miles or so and you’ll arrive in Malibu, home to many celebrities and Pepperdine University. There are a couple of great surfing beaches in and around Malibu, where the original Gidget movie was set.
There are many miles of great beaches in Los Angeles County. However, one thing to keep in mind is that parking can be a challenge on a busy summer weekend. You might consider going to the beach on weekdays if that works into your summer travel schedule.