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Manhattan Beach Pier, United States

Stay in Manhattan Beach: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Manhattan Beach

All 39 on Manhattan Beach's map

Watch this spot We email you when Manhattan Beach Pier is worth the trip.

GoldenGateBridge BakerBeach MC
California, the wider area. Photo: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Manhattan Beach Pier

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces W (248°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (68°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 49). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 15°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 21°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually January, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Manhattan Beach, 0.6 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 9 surf spots and 3 wind sports spots.

Water about 19°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 6 h 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), direct.

    See flights MDW → LAX · Skyscanner from about £215 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 25 min from the airport to Manhattan Beach Pier.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Manhattan BeachAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Manhattan Beach · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Manhattan Beach · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Manhattan Beach Pier on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct443 ft13 scrumbling219kJ28°C
Mon 19Oct523 ft13 scrumbling260kJ26°C
Tue 20Oct493 ft12 scrumbling228kJ24°C
Wed 21Oct453 ft12 scrumbling181kJ21°C
Thu 22Oct312 ft11 scrumbling103kJ19°C
Fri 23Oct363 ft5 smushy46kJ21°C
Sat 24Oct262 ft7 smushy35kJ23°C
Sun 25Oct222 ft12 scrumbling62kJ24°C
Mon 26Oct181 ft11 scrumbling44kJ26°C
Tue 27Oct242 ft4 smushy20kJ26°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to LAX, then 25 min by road. About 6h 30 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Manhattan Beach Pier

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Manhattan Beach Pier

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Manhattan Beach Pier

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 5 s, offshore wind.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to LAX, then 25 min by road. About 6h 30 door to door

The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Manhattan Beach each day: Manhattan 26th street, Manhattan Beach Pier.

The trip from Manhattan Beach, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £910–£1,665 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn MDW to LAX, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£215–£450
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£15–£25
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£270–£455
Food7 days eating out£260–£480
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£115–£190
Total£910–£1,665

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Manhattan Beach

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.