Solo, Manhattan Beach works.
The South Bay's polished beach town and LA's most low-stress straightforward beach day — wide clean sand, the Strand bike-and-skate path running the length of the coast, and a tidy walkable downtown of cafes and shops above a classic small pier. The distinguishing local texture is the Strand culture: beach-volleyball nets (this is the sport's spiritual home), cruiser bikes, and multimillion-dollar beach houses you can ogle. It suits travelers who want an easy, upscale, family-friendly day and don't need the spectacle, performers, or grit of Venice or Santa Monica — and who don't mind that it's pricey and short on 'sights.'