TamaraEden

Husband and I just saw a veggie restaurant on the travel channel that we want to try in Hermosa Beach called "The Spot". Since it's summer, we thought it would make a nice little day trip. Drive out to Hermosa, eat some good veggie food, and ride. So...

Suggestions for Hermosa. In particular:

• Parking?
• North or south on bike path?
• other riding besides the bike path?
• Etc
• All ideas appreciated

Biker395 

The Spot's great.

Parking in Hermosa? Legendarily bad. Confusing signs, confusing requirements, and aggressive enforcement. I don't park anywhere when I know it to be illegal, and the very first day I moved to the South Bay, I got a parking ticket ... in Hermosa.

Since you're riding bikes, you don't have to deal with that problem. If I were you, I'd consider parking in the Redondo Beach Pier parking structure, hop on your bikes, and ride to The Spot from there. It's not at all far. And you can take the South Bay Bike Path to it.

While we're there, the South Bay Bike Path is great. It extends all the way down to RAT beach in Torrance and up past Santa Monica. Depending on your time, you could play around in Venice, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa or Redondo. Lotsa fod and drink and visual entertainment.

On a holiday weekend, it is likely to be crowded, so be patient.

If you want to do some hills, head south on the bike path to the end, and head on up into the Palos Verdes Peninsula. If you want recommendations on that, lemme know.

Oh, and on the 4th proper? The beach is a mess with people waiting to see fireworks, but it's a snap to get in and out if you're on a bike.

TamaraEden

Wow, great info! Thanks a gazillion. Parking structure it is Is the spot north or south on the bike path from the structure? I'm a native LA girl so I know to avoid ANYWHERE near the beach on a holiday weekend. And, since I'm a teacher, well, we'd go mid week

As far as hills go? No thanks I'm a meanderer who is trying to ride more. I ride a hybrid as does my husband. Is there anything off the bike path worthy of riding to see?

Biker395 

The Spot is a couple of miles north of the parking structure.

Truly, there are probably good and safe places to park in Hermosa, but I'd start at the Redondo Pier anyway. As a matter of fact, I'd probably stroll around there too.

Hmm. I'm going to try to think of things you can see off the bike path. The beach itself is the focus of most things in the South Bay, so a ride along the bike path to Hermosa and Manhattan Beach would do it pretty well. Both the Hermosa and Manhattan Beach piers have a lot of restaurants and shops. If you feel like it, you can hop off the bikes and tool around.

Tooling around the beach on your bike ... it doesn't suck.

TamaraEden

I'm with you about farting around. However, husband and I don't always see eye to eye. If we shlep from Hollywood to Hermosa and have bikes he wants to actually RIDE We did a nice group ride last night. I loved it! Social, slow and fun, able to see sights. He would have preferred something a little more rigorous and that moved faster Neither of us are "cyclists" in the professional sense, but he likes to move more than me

Doohickie

I looked to rent an apartment in Hermosa in the mid-80s and the parking was terrible back then!

I would park maybe over by the refinery by LAX and ride the Strand to Hermosa; not too far at all. Redondo is a good bet, too.

David13

The pier parking is on the bike path. In fact, the bike path goes thru' the pier parking in Redondo, just at the west end of Torrance Blvd.
Riding the bike path from end to end is the way to go.
An important thing just off the bike path is El Tarasco, the one half a block east of Highland on Rosecrans.
(For me anyway.)
North is Hermosa, then Redondo, then El Portal, then the famous Scattergood, then El Segundo.
All worth a bike ride in the area.
dc

TamaraEden

OK, is parking better down where the path ends? And if so, how many miles from end to the pier would you guess?

hairnet

he should try this out then https://www.midnightridazz.com/forums.php?topicId=10358

TamaraEden

Gosh no! I like the idea of bicycle awareness but not at the expense of safety, rudeness, or pissing drivers off. Husband feels the same I'm pretty sure. I don't like HOW they go about making their statement. I'm all for statements; was an avid teen protestor . Husband likes to ride around without tons of rests and picture taking. He likes that sometimes but he also wants to get some easy going mileage in too.

Sometimes we ride with a little group downtown LA just meandering about for 2 hours.

David13

Your best bet is probably the Redondo Pier at the west end of Torrance Blvd. Riviera Village and the end of the bike path has short time meters and all and you will get a ticket, probably even on weekends. Oh, you said weekdays. I still think the pier is the best and then ride north and south.
Weekdays the parking would be open, but still the meters are strict. Weekends there may be no parking at the south end of the bike path.
dc

headlight

If you are going to "The Spot", there is a 3 story parking structure in the same block. You don't have to go to Redondo. The access to the structure is 1 block north of Pier Ave. on the West side of the street. There is a traffic light at the intersection. I park there every week. It could be crowded now that summer is here. Also, there is a parking lot 1 block south of Pier ave.

Our group rides up to MDR and back then some pizza at "Pedone's" (almost directly across from the parking structure on Hermosa Ave.).

Have Fun,
Drew

RVD72

I also live down here in the South Bay (Redondo Beach). The Redondo pier parking is great since you're on a bike. I don't park in Hermosa Beach very often so please verify the info that I am about to give you (check signs, etc.). If you would rather park in Hermosa Beach and don't want to park in metered parking, there is sometimes parking available on Valley which is about a 1/2 mile or so east of the the beach. There is also a nice park called Valley Park that has some parking nearby.

As far as bike routes, it sounds to me like you'll have the most fun just riding along the beach trail. The only other routes that I enjoy around here are the ones that go up the Palos Verdes Penninsula for some moderate climbing (it's not too bad because there are a lot of downs and flats as well as the ups).

If you have time I would recommend that you ride north from Redondo to Hermosa, eat at the Spot, then head north up to Manhattan Beach. You can walk the pier at Manhattan Beach and then ride further north if you have time. The El Segundo area has a nice beach (with fire pits) but there isn't really that much to see on a bike. However, if you keep riding for another 20 minutes from Manhattan Beach you'll hit Marina Del Rey where there are some shops and stuff like that. If you keep going another 10 minutes you'll hit Venice Beach and you can walk on the boardwalk and see all the cool stuff...then head back down.

This may sound far but it's really only about a one hour leisurely ride from Hermosa to Venice. If you ride fast, you can do it in about 30 minutes. However, on most weekends, the bike path is full of leisure riders so you can't really ride very fast anyway (and you may not want to if you're just out for a fun ride).

Anyway, hope that info helps.

Oleanshoebox

The Spot is rad. Born in the South Bay and homesick for it every day, I would highly recommend it.

Ride south on the bike path and check out King Harbor.

kandyredcoi

grew up in the south bay, now in IE and i want to move back

anyway when i ride around the strand area i park by the storage facility off Herondo St.

i start at one side of the strand and go past the pier etc. depending how far you want to go, but mostly that area is just for cruising, and sometimes you have to get off your bike on busy days

DScott

Maybe consider this: on your way west from Hollywood, go to where the Ballona Creek bikepath starts at Duquesne, just north of Jefferson. Drop your hubby off to ride west on the bike path to MDR. It's about 5-6 miles to MDR.

You drive on to MDR via Culver Blvd. and park in one of the lots at the fishermans village on Fiji Way and meet up with him where the bike path coems out at the marina. Then ride south to Hermosa/Redondo. He gets more mileage, you both ride the beach path, and it's win-win.

muller2030

My sister and I recently purchased our first home at hermosa beach. No more renting! Yeah. I'm wondering if anyone here could recommend a good, reputable home inspector. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Hermosa Beach Home Inspector Service

David13

Umm. The thing about home inspection, is, like, you're supposed to do that before you buy. After you buy is ... too late.
So forget it and just live there, and enjoy the beach. When it's not too cold, as it seems to have been all year, this year.
And get out on that bike path and ride.
dc