The Poor 20-Something's Guide To 9 Days Of Cheap Summer Fun In L.A.

Go back to Manhattan...Beach, that is...

So you've taken our advice and gone up to Malibu, chilled on the East Side and caught some tunes all over the city but you're still not happy. "Where's the beach beach?" you're asking, "the one from the movies that has hot, tanned people with perfect abs running around in bathing suits playing beach volleyball?" Surprisingly, that place actually exists, and not just on some backlot in Burbank. You're thinking of Manhattan Beach, playground for the young, blonde, often drunk, and beautiful.

Head down the 405 to the South Bay with some pals and bike, roller skate or run The Strand, a concrete path that winds up and down the coast and is flanked by some of the most gorgeous and eclectically-styled mansions this side of Newport (Rhode Island). After a long day in the sun, enjoy a brewski or two at the Shellback or any of the fratty bars that line Manhattan Beach Boulevard, or pack the car full of driftwood and drive 10 minutes north to Dockweiler Beach, the only beach in Los Angeles where it's legal to have an open bonfire.

Shellback Tavern: 116 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Dockweiler Beach: 12501 Vista del Mar, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293

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