Next Tuesday I fly into LAX at noon, pick up my rental car, and then have the afternoon to myself before meeting friends when they finish work. I'll be meeting them in Hawthorne, probably around 5:30. After picking up my luggage and rental car, I figure that gives me 3-4 hours. Since I'd rather not spend them sitting in traffic, I'm thinking I should be a tourist in the Manhattan/Hermosa/Redondo beach area. But which one? Ideally, I'd like to eat some good lunch, walk along the beach, people watch, maybe sit and read a book.

I'd also like a back up plan in case of intense June gloom. Do any of these beach areas have enough shops or indoor touristy things? I know Santa Monica has lots to do, but I'm a little unsure as to how awful the traffic would be from there to Hawthorne.

Thanks in advance!

Manhattan Beach is a little more refined, followed by Hermosa Beach, then Redondo. If you want a nice lunch, a walk along the beach (they're all connected via the "Strand") and shops, I'd head for Manhattan Beach.

I've lived in all 3 cities and like Manhattan Beach the best, lots of restaurants near the pier, small aquarium out on the end of the pier, lots of nice small shops to browse through, always fun to watch the surfers and volleyball players. Places to rent bikes if you wanted to ride the bike path for a few miles.

I agree that Manhattan Beach has better shopping options. Hermosa has a bit more of a funky/hippy vibe. The Riviera Village area of Redondo is nice, too, but set back farther from the beach.

Better than people watching, IMO, is architecture watching, ie: Walking along The Strand and checking out all of the different styles of architecture of the beachfront homes.

Another option would be a scenic drive along the beach cities and up to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. There are plenty of places to stop along the way to have lunch, walk oceanfront trails and sit a read a book. (Here's an example) www.yelp.com/biz/nelsons-rancho-palos-verdes

You could easily do this in a few hours, hop back onto Hawthorne Blvd, and meet your friends back in Hawthorne at 5:30.

No use in going any further than Manhattan Beach, why put yourself in any more 5pm traffic than you have to?

The SouthBay is great and I am sure you will find a place that fits your lifestyle. Hermosa is very small town with really nice people and beachy. The restaurants are wide ranging. You have the area near the strand for the party goers and then as you move away from the pier and east you will stumble upon healthy, eclectic, soul, greek, creole, mexican, pan asian and organic...

As you move into Manhattan you will start to see quite a few juice bars, acai shops, smoothin shops and a lot of seafood.

I will get back to you RE: Redondo Beach. ....

The OP came and went over a year ago. Why did you resurrect this thread?

Because he didn't notice the date???

I was searching for info on Manhattan Beach and this is what I found. I caught the months, but not the year. Please forgive.

Hi Alex. I wasn't complaining. Just wondered what was going on.