SOUTH BAY

If you stop by for a visit, you’ll stay for a lifetime. South Bay is the ultimate, laid-back coastal community with life revolving around the sun, the surf, and the people. What started as huge sand dunes and a ranch in the mid-1800s gradually grew. By the early 1900s, people and vehicles traveled on wooden planks laid in the sand. The weather was so beautiful and the small community so desirable that people flocked to the area after WWII, eventually creating this coastal paradise.

 

Today, South Bay is beloved for its continual and gentle ocean breezes due to its convenient location on the shore. This keeps temperatures mild and ideal. Residents love volleyball on the beach as well as surfing, and tournaments and festivals center around these activities. Many fine dining restaurants, delis, quirky boutiques, specialty shops, and bars and lounges dot the neighborhood. The streets are quiet and a walker’s paradise. The housing includes luxury mansions and villas, modern and spacious single-family homes, exquisite condominiums, and gorgeous townhouses.

 

• Gorgeous year-round weather with exceptionally mild winters
• Two full miles of brilliant shoreline for sunbathers and surfers
• A downtown peppered with upscale boutiques and fine dining restaurants
• Very walkable streets with everything at the residents’ fingertips
• The Manhattan Beach Pier with its signature red-roofed roundhouse
• Miles of trails with several parks and open greenspace

 

A life that centers around the shore is noticeably different from anything inland. Residents enjoy quiet, clean, and safe streets that are walkable and invite interaction. The trails along the shore connect with miles and miles of other trails all along the California coast. Everything the locals need is right at their fingertips. When day trips are desired, though, proximity to major routes makes traveling throughout California easy and breezy. Festivals, parades, races, tournaments, farmers’ markets, and other ongoing events are another perk of this close-knit community.

 

If hand-crafted cocktails and excellent American food sound good, head to Manhattan Beach Post to try out their rustic menu, and make sure you try the Salt Spring Black Mussels. For a sophisticated night out with 180° views of the ocean, you must experience The Strand House with coastal California cuisine at its best. Try the Grilled Swordfish with a Heat of Passion cocktail. You can’t beat Nick’s Manhattan Beach and their Blackened Fish Sandwich for casual dining and great seafood. For Italian food and great pizza, check out Love & Salt, and try the Margherita Pizza.

 

You’ll find over 75 boutiques in Downtown Manhattan Beach with the latest in fashion, home decor, beach attire, jewelry, books, gifts, and art. Check out the Cami boutique for upscale women’s clothing and designer accessories. Get involved in the Manhattan Beach Historical Society with its lectures, programs, videos, events, and exhibits.

 

The Roundhouse Aquarium Teaching Center offers “hands-on interactive experiences with marine life and habitats of southern California.” Its many exhibits, animals, classes, and programs are for those who love the sea. Have a laid-back family weekend at the pet-friendly Live Oak Park with its six tennis courts, basketball court, and picnic and barbecue areas. The Joslyn Community Center and Live Oak Recreation Center are part of the park and include an auditorium and stage, community rooms, library, kitchen, and dance studio.

 

Manhattan Beach is served by the Manhattan Beach Unified School District and is notable for the following schools.