Things to Do in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles: 6 Ideas

You do not need a car or a tour to enjoy this stretch of coast, but you do need a plan for the bus. Do it on your own for the pier, the aquarium, the Strand and Hermosa Beach, which cost little or nothing to see. A tour is worth it only for the water: the Redondo Beach boat and kayak trips need a boat, gear and a guide, and you cannot easily do those on your own. Manhattan Beach is a small beach town south of Santa Monica. If you would rather see the venice beach boardwalk and the Santa Monica pier, that is a different day with a different route.

How to get to Manhattan Beach from LAX and central Los Angeles

The quickest way to reach Manhattan Beach from LAX is by car, about a ten-minute ride, says the Los Angeles tourism board. A taxi or a rideshare is the simple choice if you land and head straight to the beach.

By bus, Beach Cities Transit line 109 serves downtown Manhattan Beach and downtown Hermosa Beach and its pier, according to the City of Redondo Beach. On weekdays it runs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., about every 45 to 50 minutes. On Saturdays and Sundays it comes about every 55 to 60 minutes. The airport's transit page lists the line as running between the LAX bus center and Riviera Village in Redondo Beach, and shows an adult fare of $1.00 with a TAP card, according to Los Angeles World Airports.

You can reach the LAX bus center by train. The same page says the C and K Lines meet at the LAX/Metro Transit Center, and that the K Line runs every 10 minutes. A free shuttle runs from there to the terminals. Metro charges $1.75 a ride and never more than $5 a day with a TAP card or a tap of your bank card, says LA Metro.

From Downtown or Hollywood, this is a trip with at least one change. We could not confirm a single-ride route, so enter your start point in Metro's trip planner before you go. Parking lots serve the pier area. We could not open the city's parking page, so we cannot say how easy it is to find a space or what it costs. Read that page before you drive, and weigh it against the bus. Once you arrive, the pier and its aquarium are the first stop (see idea 1).

Key Takeaway A bus every 45 to 60 minutes makes the ride back the part to plan, so look up the last bus before you pick a late dinner.

1. Walk the pier and visit the Roundhouse Aquarium

The best first stop in Manhattan Beach is the pier, because the free aquarium sits at its end. The tourism board suggests you stroll the pier for ocean views and visit the free Roundhouse Aquarium, in its list of ideas near LAX.

The aquarium is at 2 Manhattan Beach Blvd, at the end of the pier. From October to March it opens Monday to Friday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., says the aquarium's own site. From April to September the closing time is 7 p.m. The site warns that hours can change with weather, pier closures and private events. It also lists some days with shorter hours or closures, so check it on the day.

Pro Tip Go on a Saturday or Sunday morning, because the aquarium opens at 10 a.m. then, and on weekdays it opens only at 2 p.m.

The aquarium's site does not state an entry fee, and We could not confirm what animals you will see. Call 310-379-8117 if that matters for your visit.

2. Walk or ride the Strand

To see the coast on foot or by bike, use the Strand, the beach path that runs along the sand. The tourism board suggests you pedal the Strand with a rented cruiser bike and says several vendors rent them. LA County Beaches and Harbors lists the Strand at the pier as an accessible walkway and links a map of the Marvin Braude Bike Trail on its Manhattan Beach Pier page.

The Strand and the bike trail can have different rules for bikes, skates and skateboards. We could not confirm the current rules, so follow the signs on the path.

Keep it simple. Rent a bike, ride toward Hermosa Beach and turn back when you want to eat.

3. Watch beach volleyball

If you like watching sport, volleyball courts are listed at the Manhattan Beach pier area on the same county page. You can walk down to the sand and watch a game from the Strand.

Court rules and tournament dates are not on the pages we could open, so we do not say whether you can join a game. Look for posted signs and event notices on the day.

4. Spend an afternoon at Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach, the next town south, is an easy second stop. Its pier sits at Hermosa Avenue and 33rd Street, with the Strand, volleyball courts, a fishing and bait shop, restrooms, showers and a parking lot, says the county's Hermosa Beach Pier page. Surfing is listed too.

Bus line 109 serves downtown Hermosa Beach and its pier, so you can ride between the two towns. The county page does not state pier hours, so check the city's site if you plan to walk out late.

If you want to try surfing, our page on surf lessons in Los Angeles lists options. Check the meeting beach before you book, because the group lesson we looked at starts in Santa Monica.

5. Take a glass-bottom boat ride in Redondo Beach

For a short ride on the water, the glass-bottom boat in Redondo Beach is the easiest pick. The Redondo Beach glass-bottom boat cruise is from €31.16 per person and lasts 45 minutes. It leaves from 181 N Harbor Dr, and the group has up to 19 people. Redondo Glass Bottom Boat runs it.

You get the boat ride, a captain and life jackets, and children under 90 pounds must wear them. Food and drink are not included, though you may bring your own, and tips are not included either. The boat is not suitable for wheelchair users. On GetYourGuide it has a 4.8 rating from 42 reviews. A tour is worth it here because you cannot get on the harbor water without a boat; on your own you would only see it from the shore.

The listing showed free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance on 22 October 2026, so read its own terms before you book. To get there by bus, line 102 serves the Redondo Beach Pier, says the City of Redondo Beach.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026.

6. Kayak and snorkel with sea lions in Redondo Beach

If you would rather paddle than sit, a kayak trip in the Redondo Beach harbor fits a fit and curious group. The kayak and snorkel trip with sea lions is from €134 per person and lasts 3 hours. It meets at 280 Marina Way in Redondo Beach, and the group is limited to 8 people. Kayaking and Snorkeling Southern California runs it.

You get kayaking and snorkeling gear, life jackets and a guide. Food and drinks are not included. Snorkeling is optional, you do not need to know how to swim, and the page notes the trip is wheelchair accessible. It promises sea lions and other marine life, but wild animals can't be guaranteed. On GetYourGuide it has a 5.0 rating from 7 reviews, which is a small sample. The price covers the gear, life jackets and a guide, which is why it costs more than the boat ride. Doing it on your own would mean finding and paying for gear yourself, and the listing does not say what that costs.

The listing showed free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance on 22 October 2026, so read its own terms before you book. Bring swimwear, a change of clothes and a towel.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026.

A good beach day needs a bus time and a plan for the way back.

Things to Do in Los Angeles' count of GetYourGuide listings on 22 October 2026 found four tours and activities with Redondo Beach in their title and none that name Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach, so the boat and kayak trips are the main bookable options here.

How to choose things to do in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles

Pick by how long you have and whether you have a car. This table matches each idea to its time and its catch.

Manhattan Beach is the wrong choice if you want movie sets, celebrity sights or big attractions, because it has none of them on the pages we could open. For that, read about Santa Monica and Venice Beach or the Hollywood and Beverly Hills tours.

Official pages also do not say whether any celebrities live in Manhattan Beach, so we do not answer that. Check the weather before the water trips, since boats and kayaks depend on it.