Good beaches north of Anaheim?

[lauraljp]

We will be in Los Angeles the end of July. We will be going to a Dodgers game Saturday afternoon. We are spending the night near LAX. Would have liked to been closer to Hollywood/Beverly Hills area but could not find a good rate anywhere close for the 6 of us. Anyhow, Sunday morning we plan to drive around the Hollywood area...Walk of Fame, Mann's Chineses theater, etc. Whatever we can cover in a couple of hours.

In the afternoon we would like to spend some time at the beach before we head down to Anaheim where we will be the next four nights. We have heard great things about the beaches south of Anaheim but are there any closer to the LA area that would be nice for the kids to play in and us to lounge at?

Thanks!

 

[Magix]

You could go to Santa Monica and/or Venice Beach. Good beaches and plenty of atmosphere that's very L.A.

 

[lauraljp]

Thanks for the suggestions. Is parking going to be a problem in these areas? I guess I don't mind if there is a charge to park but I would guess it would be pretty packed on weekends.

I thought I had heard that Santa Monica was kind of polluted and not a good swimming beach. Is this true?

What about Redondo Beach? Anyone know anything about that area?

Thanks!!

 

[KaitlinsMom]

Santa Monica has like a carnival on their pier - There is parking for this beach, but I haven't been there in a while, so I don't know how much -

Venice beach I don't care for much - There can be some pretty scary people there - To me, it's one of those places you go to once - glad you went, but don't really want to go to again - My personal opionion -

Redondo/Manhattan Beach is a nice beach, nice area - Probably the nicest to where you are saying you want to be -

Have you thought about Malibu beach? Just a tiny bit further north of Santa Monica -

Which ever beach you choose, you will be in some pretty good traffic when it is time for you to head to Anaheim - the 405 can be pretty dead locked sometimes -

Karen

 

[Magix]

I haven't been to Redondo Beach, only in the general city area. I've heard it's great, though. Santa Monica parking could be a problem, but there are various lots around, it just might take some looking. All the beaches are polluted, so you pick your poison, as it were. Just try not to think about it - one exposure won't kill you... well, probably not...

 

[TheLionKing]

The time of year when the water quality is questionable is after rain storms due to urban runoff which is the winter and spring, so it shouldn't be much of a problem in late July. If you were talking about "general appearance" then that is a different issue.

Any of the South Bay beaches are pretty nice which includes Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach.

I am kind of partial to Hermosa Beach. They have a simple pier unlike Santa Monica, volleyball courts to watch some action if you are so inclined, the Strand is a bikeway/walkway that travels along the beach with shops and beachside homes to see.

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

Will traffic on the 405 to Anaheim be heavy on weekends?

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

I like Hermosa Beach, also. I've been going there since the 50s and it's had its ups and downs, but is very nice right now. The lifeguard headquarters is being rebuilt, but the pier is still open, and the last block of Pier Avenue is closed to traffic, so it's a mall-like area that's nice to walk around in. There's a public parking garage around 14th st. (I think), N of Pier Ave. and you can get a really good breakfast or lunch at a little place called "Good Stuff" that's right on the strand around 14th.

 

[Zoemakes5]

I grew up in Redondo Beach and really like the beach down there, particularly if you go down south a bit, away from the pier. Cleaner and better behaved people. Redondo Beach is where they filmed much of Bay Watch and Simon and Simon, for those 80's tv officianados!
If you want a "true" CA beach experience, I'd recommend either Hermosa or Manhattan, though. In those areas, the strand goes right along the beach and it directly attaches to retail/food areas that you just walk around in straight from the beach. 405 can be kinda unpredictable. If you're in downtown, I'd take the Harbor freeway to the Artesia freeway (91) which takes you right into the South Bay area. If you want to go to Manhattan you'd take a right onto PCH at that point. If you wanted Redondo, you'd go to the end and take a left, if you wanted Hermosa, you'd go to the end and go right.
If I had to recommend any beach, though, I'd say it would be Corona del Mar, hands down! Clean Clean Clean. Great, deep beach, rentals, snack bar, and a break-water that keeps the beach cleaner, the water a bit warmer, and the waves not quite as wild. Parking wasn't an issue when we were there.