The South Bay’s hidden gem! Or is it? Athletes and tech moguls have been calling Manhattan Beach home for a while now. The surfing in El Porto is usually head high and the beach volleyball courts are usually full. (Sometimes with current AVP superstars that love to call Manhattan Beach home). Whether it’s the casual, trendy restaurants like Simmzy’s on the pier, the small shops at the newly redesigned Manhattan Village shopping center, or the many tennis courts that have our weekend warriors at battle: this is the place! But don’t miss the big fireworks show each year – at Christmas!
The South Bay's most recognized beach city, and one that earns the reputation.
Manhattan Beach has been attracting serious people for a long time: professional athletes, tech executives, families who want the best version of South Bay coastal living. The pier has anchored community life here for over a century, the downtown is genuinely walkable, and the athletic culture runs deep. Sand Dune Park draws people who want a real workout. El Porto draws surfers who want real waves. The restaurants draw the rest of the South Bay on a Friday night. The six neighborhoods, Sand Section, Tree Section, Hill Section, Liberty Village, Manhattan Village, and East Manhattan, each have a distinct character, and most buyers end up with strong opinions about which one fits them best.
Location: South Bay coastal city, about 18 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles
Character: Beach-centric with a strong athletic culture, walkable downtown, and a dining scene that holds its own anywhere in LA
Neighborhoods: Sand Section, Tree Section, Hill Section, Liberty Village, Manhattan Village, and East Manhattan
Signature events: The Manhattan Beach Open, established 1960, the Granddaddy of professional beach volleyball. Winners get a permanent bronze plaque on the pier.
Hometown Fair. Every year since 1972 locals and visitors from all over come to experience the arts and crafts and chic beach atmosphere. Live music and really good food fro the many different booths attract people each and every year.
Known for: Professional athletes calling it home, world-class beach volleyball, and a farmer's market that has been running every Tuesday for years
The pier is the obvious starting point, but Manhattan Beach delivers across the board: serious fitness options, a weekly farmer's market, consistent surf, and a downtown that stays active year-round.
Manhattan Beach Pier: The social and symbolic center of the city, where the Volleyball Walk of Fame permanently honors champions of the Open and the Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab and Aquarium sits at its tip.Many trendy and award winning restaurants line up the boulevard and manhattan avenues.
Polliwog Park: A full neighborhood park next to the middle school with a lake, walking paths, and an amphitheater that hosts free summer concerts. A genuine community gathering point year-round.
Begg Pool: The city's public swimming facility, drawing lap swimmers, youth programs, and a community that treats fitness as part of daily life.
Manhattan Beach Open by AVP: Held each August at the pier since 1960, this is the oldest professional beach volleyball tournament in the country. Current and former Olympians compete every year for a plaque on the pier.
Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair: A fall tradition that fills downtown with local vendors, community booths, and live entertainment. The city at its most neighborhood-level.
Downtown Farmer's Market: Every Tuesday in the heart of downtown. Local produce, artisan goods, and the kind of reliable weekly routine that makes a neighborhood feel like one.
Christmas Fireworks at the Pier: An annual holiday tradition that draws the whole community to the waterfront. Not many cities do Christmas fireworks at the beach.
Sand Dune Park: A steep 100-foot sand hill that serious athletes use as a training ground. Military personnel, triathletes, and fitness-focused locals run it repeatedly. There is nothing casual about it, and locals like it that way.
El Porto Surf Break: The northern end of the city produces head-high waves and draws a dedicated local surf community. One of the more consistent breaks in the South Bay.
The Strand: The paved beachfront path running the length of the city. Runners, cyclists, skaters, and dog walkers use it every day. If you live near it, your daily routine changes.
Metlox Plaza: An outdoor complex in the heart of downtown that anchors the commercial core with local shops, restaurants, and open-air space worth spending an afternoon in.
Manhattan Village: A well-stocked indoor mall on Sepulveda with major anchor stores. Covers everyday retail needs without leaving the city.
Dacha: A downtown boutique with an elevated-casual point of view. The kind of shop that keeps locals from needing to drive to Brentwood for anything interesting.
Bella Bach Kids: A neighborhood staple for children's clothing and gifts. A good sign of how family-oriented this city actually is.
Manhattan Beach has one of the strongest dining scenes in the South Bay, full stop. The restaurants here are serious without being precious, and the range is real: from the Kettle at two in the morning to a Michelin-recognized oyster bar.
Manhattan Beach Post: Chef David LeFevre's flagship on Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Inventive shareable plates, a well-run bar program, and one of the most consistently excellent dining rooms in the South Bay.
Fishing With Dynamite: A Michelin-recognized seafood spot from the same chef, anchored by a lively oyster bar. Just 32 seats, so make a reservation.
The Strand House: Ocean-view dining with a focused American menu. The Sunday brunch is one of the better tables in the city.
The Kettle: Open around the clock at Highland and Manhattan Beach Boulevard. A city institution known for consistency across decades. If you live in MB, you will find yourself here.
Simmzy's: An open-air gastropub right on Manhattan Beach Boulevard with rotating craft beers and the easy energy that builds a loyal regular crowd.
Shellback Tavern: A no-frills neighborhood bar with a long local following. Good for catching a game or settling in for the evening without any pretense.
Esperanza: A Mexican restaurant and bar near the pier with strong cocktails and a social crowd, especially on weekends.
Fishbar: Casual seafood and bar near the pier. Good for a post-beach drink with ocean proximity and no fuss.
It is one of the few places in Los Angeles where daily life is genuinely walkable. The beach, the farmer's market, a good dinner, and a serious workout are all within reach without getting in a car. The community is tight-knit in a way larger beach cities rarely manage, and the outdoor culture gives residents a built-in social life from El Porto to the volleyball courts to the Strand.
The Manhattan Beach Open, established in 1960, is the oldest professional beach volleyball tournament in the country. The pier, the elite dining scene, and the city's reputation as home to professional athletes and serious fitness culture all contribute to an identity that is hard to replicate anywhere else in the South Bay.
One of the most sought-after coastal markets in Southern California, with prices that reflect it. The six neighborhoods each have distinct character: Sand Section homes steps from the water, Tree Section character and greenery, Hill Section views, and larger lots further east. Single-family homes dominate, though townhomes and condos offer entry points for buyers who want in.
I have spent my career working in the South Bay, and Manhattan Beach is a market I know inside and out. If you are buying here for the first time or ready to sell, I can help you navigate every part of the process. Reach out to me:learn more about my work in Manhattan Beach and let's start a conversation.
34,584 people live in Manhattan Beach, where the median age is 43.4 and the average individual income is $113,441. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Manhattan Beach has 13,323 households, with an average household size of 2.59. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Here’s what the people living in Manhattan Beach do for work — and how long it takes them to get there. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. 34,584 people call Manhattan Beach home. The population density is 8,543 and the largest age group is Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
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