Pier Plaza

 Take a Tour of beautiful Hermosa Beach

Hermosa means beautiful in Spanish and this little beach town certainly fits the description.  Hermosa is often thought of as the little sister to her more upscale neighbor to the north Manhattan Beach.  Hermosa is a younger version of Manhattan Beach with its quaint downtown and trendy Pier Plaza night life. 

Some of the fun things not to miss in Hermosa Beach are the Saint Patrick's Day Parade held in March.  Hermosa also is home to a number of special sports Events.. check the Hermosa Beach City Calendar for dates.  You can see some of the best pro- volleyball on the beach at Pier Ave.

Fiesta Hermosa which inaugurates the beginning of summer over Memorial Day Week-end and  says farewell at the end of summer over Labor Day Week-end.The event hosts local artists as well as others.  There is a food court and a games area for the kids..I always find fun and unique items for gifts.

Don't forget the Farmer's Market every Friday at Valley and 11th Street.

One of the highlights of Hermosa Beach is The Hermosa Beach Playhouse located in the Civic Center Auditorium on Pier Avenue.  There is always something fun going on so don't miss out. Season tickets are a bargain.

While Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz fight over the term Surf City USA.. Hermosa and surfing is where it all came together and is the official birthplace of surfing in California... think Greg Noll, Hap Jacobs, Dewey Weber and Body Glove.   These are the pioneers in surf boards and wet suits.  The Hermosa Pier has the Surfers Walk of Fame...The seven charter Surfers Walk of Fame Members are: Bing Copland, Hap Jacobs, Greg Noll, Mike Purpus, Jeff Stoner, Dale Velzy and Dewey Weber (1969 National Surfing Champion).

 Hermosa is the only city with a condo-hotel.  The Beach House is unique to the South Bay. It is possible to actually buy a unit which is operated as a room in the hotel.  For those who like the idea of having a beach retreat and making income at the same time this concept is ideal.  You can occupy the unit for 89 days of the year and still use it as an income property for the rest of the time.   The Beach House was the ideal solution facing the city for the Biltmore Site.  At one time  there was a resort hotel originally called the Surf and Sand Beach club when it was built in 1926 then renamed the Biltmore sometime around the early 1940's.  The old hotel operated for many years until it was damaged by an earthquake and the price of repairing it far outweighed the value.   For almost 30 years the city  tried to figure out what to do with the beach front propertyuntil finally a compromise was reached with much of the land being retained as a park and the rest turned into a parking structure and the Beach House Hotel.

Hermosa Beach almost didn't get started. The vote to incorporate was passed by one vote.. 24 to 23. The close vote could have been because when the Hermosa Land and Water gave the city the deed to the land there was a clause that no liquor could be sold in the city. This lasted until prohibition was voted out. 

Officially Hermosa is the smallest of the Beach Cities with 1.3 square miles of land. The 2000 census puts the population at approximately 19,435 with slightly more males then females. The average household income is about $100,755.   60% of the population are homeowners and 40% are renters.  However that figure may be changing as more and more renters are deciding to stay in the city and are buying homes.  Townhomes are a popular choice for many who live in the city as they are less expensive then single family homes.

Hermosa Beach is divided into three main areas.. the Sand Section ( west of Valley Drive to the beach) The Valley Section( west of Pacific Coast Highway to the Sand section ) and the Hermosa Hills which is located east of Pacific Coast Highway and ends at the Redondo Beach boundary.

Hermosa has retained a number of older classic beach homes which are often home to generations of the same family.  Home prices vary depending on location and view. Two new homes on The Strand have been listed at over $10,000,000.  One is in escrow and the other is still for sale at $11,000,000.  Older homes on walkstreets are a bargain compared to similar homes in Manhattan Beach.. you can find a great home in the $2,500,000 range on a walkstreet. Newer ocean view homes in the Hermosa Hills are about $1,600,000-$2,500,000.  It is still possible to find a small condo west of PCH in Hermosa Beach for under $600,000.