Red, White & Blue Bikinis, Board Shorts, Bikes & House Parties
PubClub Classics revisits memorable destinations and events through firsthand experiences and original photography. This look back at the legendary 4th of July party scene in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach combines vintage photos with today’s reality, showing what has changed—and what still makes the Strand one of Southern California’s most unforgettable Independence Day traditions.
Timeline:
- 1980s–1990s: Manhattan Beach is the epicenter.
- 2000s: The party shifts toward Hermosa Beach.
- Today: Pier Plaza draws much of the crowd and while the legendary Strand house party scene still exists there are not as many today as in the past
By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Nightlife Blogger
This the ultimate California summer beach scene, thousands of people walking and biking up and down a beach path while house parties rage around them.
It’s the Fourth of July and the location is Hermosa Beach, the tiny (two miles long) town in Los Angeles as part of the South Bay Beach Cities.
Hermosa Beach is the epicenter of activity in Los Angeles for the 4th. This makes it a mecca for single people throughout the South Bay, which is already one of the top areas for singles in all of L.A. And if you think it’s fun now, you should have seen it a few years ago. For a long time, the party scene was actually not in Hermosa but in Manhattan Beach. It then moved to Hermosa and today there are not as many house parties as in the past so the prime party scene has shifted to the bars on and arouand Pier Plaza.
The Fourth brings out not just current locals, but friends of locals who pour into town for it, former locals who pour back into town for it and curious people who have heard about it from others (which includes, mostly likely, reading about it here on PubClub.com).
So it’s quite the scene and PubClub – which has had its headquarters in both Hermosa and Manhattan– is all over it with this prose and these photos of past years.
Hermosa Beach 4th Of July Strand Singles Tips
• Hermosa is only two miles from end to end, so just walk out onto The Strand and go to one end, then the other end. The mid-point is the pier and Pier Plaza.
• Most people walk but some ride bikes. Note that if you do have a bike, you’ll need to walk it often because The Strand is so crowded with people in places it’s easier to walk than ride in those places.
• Don’t crash any house parties. Unless you’re a hot girl or a group of hot girls (hey, it’s a long-standing Strand policy!).
• Be sure and note the city’s policy on alcohol and open containers while on The Strand. And on the beach for that matter.
Map: Hermosa Beach Pier location
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Kevin Wilkerson is the founder of PubClub.com, an award-winning journalist and former South Bay resident who spent years living in Hermosa Beach and covering its nightlife scene. He has covered destinations, events and entertainment for more than two decades and received an Associated Press award for investigative journalism while working as a newspaper reporter.
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