2 Best Sights in Westside, Los Angeles

South of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach has all the amenities of its neighbor but attracts a rowdier crowd. Swimming takes a back seat to the volleyball games and parties on the pier and bustling boardwalk, but the water here is consistently clean and inviting. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; surfing; swimming.

The pier here marks the starting point of this wide, busy beach along a heavily developed shoreline community. Restaurants and shops flourish along the pier; excursion boats and privately owned crafts depart from launching ramps; and a reef formed by a sunken ship creates prime fishing and snorkeling conditions. If you're adventurous, you might try to kayak out to the buoys and hobnob with pelicans and sea lions. A series of free rock and jazz concerts takes place at the pier every summer. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking.