I’ll start with the Hermosa Beach Walk Streets. There are really two sections of Walk Streets in Hermosa. The first section consists of only two streets in the North end- 30th and 31st Street. They’re only about a block long and one block away from the beach. The second section of Hermosa Walk Streets is located one block off of The Strand and runs from 21st Street all the way down to 3rd Street. They are one block long, flat as a pancake, and extremely close to the beach.
The Manhattan Beach Walk Streets are broken into different sections just like Hermosa, but they consist of many more streets. One of the most common sections is called “the flat walk streets.” When someone refers to the “flat walk streets” of Manhattan Beach, they’re referring to South of the pier, East of Highland, and West of Valley Dr. – those are 10th through 4th Street. Like their name, they are flat, roughly 2 blocks long, and very popular for young families due to the close proximity to the beach and downtown Manhattan.
Other Walk Streets in Manhattan Beach are mostly made up of hill areas in the 100 block and 200 block of streets. They go from 3rd Street all the way through the North end of town to 35th Street, as well as the 300 block and 400 block of 16th Street through 20th Street. These streets are very popular because you get the feel of a Walk Street with no cars driving down, but you also tend to get some ocean view because you’re on a hill.
In both cities, the Walk Streets are very close to the beach- this area is referred to as the “Sand Section”. The Sand Section has a common trait- most homes are on very small lots compared to other areas further from the beach. The smaller lots may give up having much of a yard, but the trade-off is that you can walk to the beach and to town from most of these Walk Streets.
I grew up on the Manhattan Beach flat walk streets, and I feel incredibly lucky to have spent my childhood there. I believe they are a perfect blend of beach and neighborhood! You are so close to everything you need, you can truly enjoy the beach lifestyle, and all while growing up with other kids and families who share and enjoy a similar way of life.
