In our Bay Area-based household, springtime has come to signify “SoCal time.” Over the last six-ish years of coupledom, I can’t recall some part of the month May not being spent in and around Los Angeles. This year was no different, as it’s not exactly a hard sell to my partner to celebrate his birthday in places where good food and (warm) beaches are abundant in supply. And so we planned and packed for two casually adventurous days in Manhattan Beach, eager to treat ourselves to some right easy livin’ by the ocean.
Getting There
Driving down from San Francisco
After years of kicking off our NorCal-SoCal drives with a PCH/Highway 1 opener, we opted for taking Highway 101 for the bulk of this trip given that Manhattan Beach was the farthest south we had ever dared push in a single day of automobiling from our home in San Francisco.
Frequent SF-LA shuttlers often go for the 5 (further inland), but we weren’t willing to suffer the monotony (and some potentially hellish farm-on-a-hot-day smells) for what Google Maps said would be around a half-hour drive time advantage. And so, El Camino Real it was, where rolling hills stood in for ocean waves, weather and cloud formations evolved constantly, and brilliant swatches of wildflowers (fueled by an unbelievably wet “winter” we’d had in California) kept us company for the nearly 8-hour drive.
Settling In
Home for the weekend in El Porto
We made it to Manhattan Beach as the sun was setting, quickly got settled in at our Airbnb in the El Porto neighborhood, and enthusiastically launched our search for our “welcome dinner.”
Food wasn’t hard to find–burgers and beer were just around the block and down the street! With provisions in hand, we set up on our “patio” to slide on into the vacationing mindset…
Beachy Cottage Goals
Gotta give a quick shout-out to this Dutch door situation and the ease of enjoying meals outdoors at our Airbnb! Definitely of the “I could live here” kind of moments.
DAY 1: Biking the Bay
Taking on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail
On to the biggest highlight of this trip…
We had originally planned our travels around celebrating my partner’s birthday, and I couldn’t think of a better way to enjoy it with him than traversing 22 miles of coastline around Santa Monica Bay on bikes! (Now whether I would request this for my own birthday is up for debate…but for a guy who lives for wheels–cars, motorcycles, bicycles–and of course, the beach, this was as close to a perfect shared activity as we could get).
By the way, let me take this opportunity to strongly encourage riding electric bikes for this kind of adventure, especially if you plan on conquering the entire thing (keep the round-trip in mind). While the bikes-and-pedestrians-only trail’s topography is mostly flat, it does involve some busy intersections and living with cars for a little while (really appreciated having my trusty throttle to give me a quick boost when needed here)!
“Pedal assist” also came in handy during just a handful of uphill climbs (nothing compared to San Francisco hills though), although I never needed anything past Level 2 to coast a bit more easily when I felt more tired toward the end of the ride (Level 1 roughly compensates for the e-bike’s weight of around 60 pounds). The batteries on our rentals lasted forever, too!
I considered taking photos to mark each “stop” along the trail, but we actually chugged along a lot more quickly than I thought we (or I, lol) would, and I eventually settled into just riding and embracing all the sights and sounds and Charlie-Ewan moments (IYKYK) with my bike buddy :-) I managed to snap a few pics of cheery coastal flora somewhere between Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach and finagle some quick bits of video in-motion, but mostly just focused on breathing, pedaling, and taking it all in!
Reaching the southernmost end of the bike trail in Torrance, we turned around and faced the longest stretch of riding we were to undertake: the trek back to where we started in Manhattan Beach, then pushing on further north through Marina del Rey, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, and, finally, Pacific Palisades.
As it was way past lunchtime at this point, we plotted a stop at Great White, one of our go-to eateries in Venice. I was in a real mood for a crispy chicken sandwich and gingery turmeric latte (#LALifestyle), but alas–the café was under construction! Undeterred in my quest for a healthy-chic platter, we strolled along the boardwalk until we chanced upon Fig Tree–seemingly designed for a similar clientele, but perhaps for a bit less casual environment. Think: chill brunch with the bae or bestie at Great White, long lunch/”business meeting” to kick around some ideas for a new project at Fig Tree. Now having experienced the fanciest shrimp roll I’ve ever had (salmon roe topping FTW), crunchy lemony fried smelt and calamari, and an iced matcha-horchata at Fig Tree, I’d gladly dine at any time, for whatever purpose, at both joints.
Enlivened by our bougie lunch (I apparently have a knack for sniffing out “avocado-toast spots” as my partner put it…but when in Venice, aren’t they all??), we got right back on the road and zoomed off to Pacific Palisades. I do find it interesting that most guides for Marvin Braude really highlight the part that runs through Santa Monica and Venice Beach; my opinion: if you’ve never been to Los Angeles and want shots with iconic things in the background, then, sure, focus on this section; if you’re not into crowds and overall tourist-y chaos (like me), then zip right through!
Before we knew it, we had reached Will Rogers State Beach–the official northern end of the trail. For a not-so-active homebody such as myself, it felt like a gigantic accomplishment!
Marvin Braude Bike Trail Tips
- For non-regular bicycle-riders (or if you simply want to cover more ground more quickly), electric bikes are the way to go! They can give you a quick boost when you get tired, cross a busy intersection, or simply want an uphill jumpstart. We rented ours (along with heavy-duty bike locks!) from Manhattan Beach E-Bike Rentals for the whole day (8 hours)–absolutely worth it for comfort and distance.
- Wear the most protective clothing and sunscreen you can (don’t forget the backs of your hands–absolutely no getting around them being fully exposed at all times when riding a bike). I wore sunscreen all over, a breathable t-shirt with a lightweight long-sleeved zip-up, long leggings, flat comfy sneakers, my bike helmet lid tipped low, and my hair loosely over my ears for maximum coverage, and I still reapplied sunscreen a few times during the ride.
- Bringing your own canteen of drinking water is always a good idea for any kind of outdoor adventure, though water fountains and refilling stations are also easy to find in several areas of the trail along the beach.
- Expect to cohabitate with pedestrians (including unpredictable small children and dogs) and act accordingly/respectfully.
- Take it as leisurely as you can: stop wherever looks interesting, rest when you need it, snap some photos, hydrate + grab a bite! The opportunities for delight are endless.
Cinco de Mayo Dinner in Hermosa Beach
After completing the Marvin Braude bike trail, we were able to make it back to Manhattan Beach for yet another glorious sunset. Dusk just hits different down there.
As the colors of the sky intensified, so did the party vibes–it was Cinco de Mayo, after all (and a Friday, no less).
We found ourselves right in the thick of things at Palmilla Cocina y Tequila near the pier in neighboring Hermosa Beach, where a hopping bar scene mingled with GNO parties and clusters of family friends with children of a spectrum of ages hanging out nearby. Good casual-dressy spot to enjoy margaritas outdoors after a walk on the beach followed by generously-portioned Mexican dishes, but perhaps, on a less busy night (unless you do want to soak up all the lively atmosphere).
DAY 2: Weekend Wanderings
Taking The Strand (by foot, this time)
We obviously couldn’t get enough of the beach–the morning after our 40-mile bike ride up and down Santa Monica Bay, we took to The Strand in Manhattan Beach on foot. The path itself is paved and friendly to all types of footwear, so it’s a great way to get your beach walks in when you’re not in the mood to go barefoot in the sand or dip your toes in the water. Colorful beachfront abodes bursting with plant life make for great house-peeping as you stroll, and at any point, you can also head up the hill toward the main downtown area for food and shopping.
We were eager to get back into the sand (and away from the crowds), though, so we quickly picked up some refreshments at Manhattan Grocery and enjoyed a picnic lunch on the beach with a view of the iconic pier.
After lunch, it was back uphill to explore a bit of the more residential area around Highland Avenue. I really gotta hand it to Manhattan Beach residents and how much thought and care they put into their small but mighty gardens!
BRUCE’S BEACH PARK
Walking along Highland Avenue between 26th and 27th Streets, you’ll find Bruce’s Beach Park, a cozy green block dotted with benches from which you can view the water in relative peace (it was pretty quiet on a sunny Saturday afternoon).
While the park was originally built by the City of Manhattan Beach in 1956, it wasn’t until 2007 that it was re-named to commemorate Willa and Charles Bruce and the Black families whose land, homes, and businesses in the surrounding area were unjustly restricted, condemned, and eventually seized by the City in the 1920s (source). Unexpectedly coming across this historical site was a welcome reminder to find moments to learn about and reflect more deeply on the places I travel through.
In Pursuit of Views in Palos Verdes
Working off a tip from the (super helpful) manager at the e-bike rental shop, we capped off our “chill beach day” with a drive down to Palos Verdes, where the best views of Santa Monica Bay were rumored to be found.
After quite a few twists and turns (part of the geography, but also, what happens when you don’t really have a plan or a specific destination hehe) around some really nice houses in Palos Verdes Estates, we finally set Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve as our approximate target on Google Maps for a better shot at catching those views.
And boy did we! Rocky, citron-splashed cliffs sloping into cool blue waters and all.
We also had the good fortune of arriving at the lookout point about an hour before sunset, just in time for the sunlight to cast the perfect golden glow on everything–big and small–around us.
Sunset + Sushi in Manhattan Beach
Having had our fill of eye candy in Palos Verdes, we headed back to catch our last sunset in our “home neighborhood” of El Porto, Manhattan Beach. There are only so many pictures you can take of a sunset sky (and several did I take), but at the end of the day (especially after the past 48 hours of activities), there truly wasn’t anything else to do but put the camera down and allow myself to yet again be enchanted by the sea and sky.
Well, okay, there was one more thing to do…
Can a girl get some sushi?? I’d been spotting Japanese restaurants and poke bowl joints left and right throughout this trip and I was due for some fresh fish! Luckily, Fansea Sushi (where we clearly couldn’t miss out on the Beach Boy Roll) was on the way “home.” And thus and tastily concluded the day and our latest SoCal adventure.
MANHATTAN BEACH IN A SNAP
Just a few random snapshots that I thought captured that easy livin’ vibe we had sought (and found) in Manhattan Beach…
No shortage of sand and surf to play in, food spots (Poke & Boba, I’m comin’ back for ya) in every cuisine, and a palpable current of creative spirit. Yep, I could stand to spend more time in Manhattan Beach–we’ll see what next spring has in store ;-)