How to Spend a Great Day in Hermosa Beach

If you’re looking for the classic Southern California beach town—surfers, volleyball players, cyclists, lifeguard towers, a long sandy beach and sunsets over the Pacific—Hermosa Beach is pretty hard to beat.

And it’s surprisingly compact.

Hermosa is only about 1.4 square miles, tucked between Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, which makes it one of the easiest Los Angeles beach communities to explore on foot.

You don’t need an elaborate itinerary here. In fact, the best way to experience Hermosa is pretty simple: start at the beach, walk the Strand, wander around Pier Avenue, grab something to eat and come back to the water for sunset.

Here’s how I’d spend a day.

MORNING: WALK THE STRAND

Start on The Strand, the paved beachfront path that runs uninterrupted from Playa del Rey to Torrance Beach and connects the South Bay beach communities.

This is quintessential Southern California.

You’ll pass cyclists, runners, surfers carrying their boards, volleyball players and some pretty spectacular beachfront homes.

And unlike Malibu, where you spend much of your time getting back into the car and driving from one destination to another, Hermosa is totally walkable.

You can simply park the car—or better yet, Uber or bike into town—and leave it behind.

Parking can be difficult, particularly on weekends and during the summer, so avoiding the car once you’re here will make the day considerably easier.

WALK OUT ON THE HERMOSA BEACH PIER

Eventually, make your way to the Hermosa Beach Pier, which extends from the foot of Pier Avenue.

Unlike the neighboring Manhattan Beach Pier, 2 miles to the north, or Redondo, 1.7 miles to the south, there isn’t a building or aquarium at the end, or shops. It’s basically one long fishing and walking pier.

But that’s part of its appeal.

Walk all the way out and turn around. You’ll see one of the best views of Hermosa: the beach, coastline, hills and dense collection of homes stretching behind you.

This is also my pick for the iconic Hermosa Beach photo.

Late afternoon and sunset are particularly good, but it’s worth walking the pier earlier in the day as well.

Movie fans may recognize it. Ryan Gosling danced on the Hermosa Beach Pier in La La Land.

EXPLORE PIER PLAZA

Back on land, you’re immediately at Pier Plaza, Hermosa’s pedestrian-only collection of restaurants and bars.

Decades ago, cars could drive through here. Today, it’s essentially the town’s beachfront living room.

This is a good place to stop for lunch, have a drink or simply people-watch.

It’s also the center of Hermosa’s nightlife, with restaurants and bars packed closely together. The list is numerous: Baja Sharkey’s, American Junkie, Hennessey’s, Patrick Malloy’s and on and on it goes. We have two favorites right off Pier Plaza. Good Stuff has been serving healthy beach fare with an amazing view of the ocean for over 45 years, while La Playita is a cute little Mexican restaurant with a view on 14th Street. The best view in town however goes to Hennessey’s Tavern, (8 Pier Avenue) which has a third-story deck looking out over the beach.

VISIT THE LIGHTHOUSE CAFE

Just off Pier Plaza is one of Hermosa’s most famous establishments, The Lighthouse Cafe.

Address: 30 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

The Lighthouse has a long history as a jazz club and became even more famous after appearing in La La Land.

This is the club where Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling, takes Mia, played by Emma Stone, to hear jazz.

The Lighthouse still features live music, including jazz.

Even if you don’t go inside, movie fans will want to walk around the building and see another recognizable filming location from the movie.

SEE WHY HERMOSA IS VOLLEYBALL COUNTRY

You can’t spend much time on the sand without noticing the volleyball courts.

Hermosa Beach has become one of the centers of beach volleyball culture, and games seem to be going on constantly.

Local volleyball player Chris Brown put it this way in our episode: if you want to become a NASCAR driver, you move to Charlotte. If you want to become a beach volleyball player, you move to Hermosa Beach.

Even if you’re not playing, volleyball is part of the visual personality of the beach—and makes for great action photography.

You’ll find the main volleyball courts right by the pier.

Address: 1 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

HEAD UP PIER AVENUE TO THE HERMOSA BEACH MUSEUM

Don’t spend the entire day at the beach, though. Walk uphill on Pier Avenue and explore the side streets. You’ll find locally owned stores, boutiques, murals and antique shops that are easy to miss if you stay along the water.

And for a completely different look at the city, continue uphill to the Hermosa Beach Museum.

Address: 710 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

It’s a small local museum, but don’t skip it.

The exhibits explore Hermosa’s history through surfing, skateboarding, punk rock, surfboards and the people who helped shape the community.

It’s a good reminder that Hermosa isn’t just another Southern California beach town. There’s a distinct local culture here that developed around the ocean, music and beach life.

The museum is currently open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., but check the website before visiting.

EXPLORE THE SHOPS

Continue wandering around upper Pier Avenue and the surrounding streets.

You’ll find small boutiques and locally owned businesses, along with Stars Antique Market.

Address: 526 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Stars is hard to miss—it’s the big red barn on Pier Avenue, filled with thousands of square feet of antiques, vintage clothing, collectibles and assorted oddities.

This part of town has a completely different feel from the bars and restaurants down by the pier and is worth an hour of wandering.

Then start heading back toward the beach.

Because the best part of the day is still ahead.

SUNSET: COME BACK TO THE PIER

If you only photograph Hermosa Beach once, do it at sunset.

The trick is figuring out exactly where to stand.

Don’t just arrive, pick a spot and stay there. The relationship between the sun and the pier changes dramatically as the sun drops toward the horizon.

I like to work both sides of the pier and then move directly in front of it.

Here are three shots to try.

1. The classic wide shot

Use your phone’s main camera and frame the entire pier with the sun dropping beside or behind it.

2. The telephoto silhouette

Switch to your phone’s telephoto lens and zoom in on the people standing along the pier.

Expose for the bright sky and the people become silhouettes against the sunset.

It’s an easy way to get a much more dramatic photograph.

3. Shoot through the pilings

As the sun gets lower, walk toward the water and position yourself directly in front of the pier.

Move around until you can see the sun dropping between the pilings.

This shot may not work 30 minutes before sunset. Be patient. As the sun gets lower, the composition changes.

And one other smartphone tip: if you’re shooting directly toward the sun and see that annoying little green or yellow lens-flare dot, move the phone slightly until the dot overlaps the sun. You can often make it effectively disappear.

Then put the phone down for a minute.

Watching the sun disappear into the Pacific from underneath the Hermosa Beach Pier isn’t a bad way to finish the day.

WHERE TO STAY

Hermosa Beach doesn’t have a huge hotel inventory, particularly right along the water.

Two of the most prominent beachfront options are:

Beach House Hotel Hermosa Beach
1300 The Strand
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Sea Sprite Beach Club
1016 The Strand
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Both are directly on the Strand and put you within easy walking distance of the beach, pier and Pier Plaza.

There are additional hotels along Pacific Coast Highway, about 12-15 blocks and a world’s away. if the point of the trip is to experience Hermosa Beach, staying near the Strand lets you walk almost everywhere.

And that’s what Hermosa is all about. It’s not a driving town.

Unless you’re driving a bike, skates or such!

Have fun in the sun.

(Huge thanks to the dean of Hermosa Beach, Kevin Cody, the publisher of the Easy Reader for all his guidance through the years.)