Hermosa Beach, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hermosa Beach, California
City
The Hermosa Beach Pier on a summer day
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  "The Best Little Beach City"
Location of Hermosa Beach in Los Angeles County, California.
Hermosa Beach, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
Incorporated (California General Law City)	January 14, 1907
Named for	Spanish for beautiful
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	1.43 sq mi (3.69 km2)
• Land	1.43 sq mi (3.69 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	26 ft (8 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	19,728
• Density	13,800/sq mi (5,346/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP Code	90254
Area code(s)	310 and 424
FIPS code	06-33364
GNIS feature IDs	1652719, 2410749
Website	hermosabeach.gov

Hermosa Beach means "Beautiful" in Spanish. It's a city right on the beach in Los Angeles County, California, United States. In 2020, about 19,728 people lived there.

Hermosa Beach is part of the South Bay area near Greater Los Angeles. It's one of the three "Beach Cities," with Manhattan Beach to the north and Redondo Beach to the south.

The city's beach is a popular spot for sunbathing, beach volleyball, surfing, paddleboarding, cycling, and running. The city itself is quite small, stretching about 15 blocks from east to west and 40 blocks from north to south. Pacific Coast Highway runs through the middle.

Because it's right on the Pacific Ocean, Hermosa Beach has mild weather. The average temperature is about 70°F (21°C) in summer and 55°F (13°C) in winter. Cool ocean breezes help keep the air fresh and reduce smog almost all year round.

A paved path called The Strand runs along Hermosa's beach. It goes for about twenty miles, from Torrance Beach in the south all the way north to Santa Monica. The Hermosa Beach Pier is a famous landmark at the end of Pier Avenue, which is a busy area with shops, restaurants, and entertainment.

History of Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach was once part of a large Spanish land grant called Rancho San Pedro from 1784. Later, a big piece of this land was bought in 1900 by a company called the Hermosa Beach Land and Water Company. Back then, the area was mostly rolling hills covered with grain fields, and sheep often grazed there. The name Rancho Sausal Redondo means a large circular ranch with pasture land and a grove of willow trees.

The first official survey for the boardwalk on The Strand and other streets happened in 1901. Soon after, construction began. In 1904, the first pier was built entirely of wood, stretching 500 feet into the ocean. This pier was later damaged and replaced in 1913 with a new one made of concrete, 1,000 feet long. It had small shaded areas for fishermen and people having picnics. An auditorium building was also built near the pier around 1914, which now houses public rest rooms and the local library branch.

The first trolley service in Hermosa Beach was the Los Angeles Pacific Railway. It ran along Hermosa Avenue. Later, it became part of the Pacific Electric Railway Company, known for its "Red Cars." The Santa Fe Railway was the first railroad to run through Hermosa Beach, about seven blocks from the beach. In 1926, Santa Fe built a modern train station.

Hermosa Beach officially became a city on January 14, 1907. It was the nineteenth city to be incorporated in Los Angeles County.

Geography and Climate

Pier Plaza in downtown Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach covers about 1.4 square miles (3.6 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

Weather in Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach has a mild climate. The average air temperature is about 74°F (23.3°C) in summer and 55°F (12.7°C) in winter. The ocean water temperature averages 60°F (15.5°C), reaching about 68°F (20°C) in summer.

The city enjoys about 325 sunny days each year. In May, June, and early July, it's common to have morning fog or haze, which locals call "May Gray" and "June Gloom." This fog usually clears by noon, but sometimes it can stay cloudy all day, even when other parts of Los Angeles are sunny.

Temperatures in Hermosa Beach are usually 5 to 10°F (3 to 5.5°C) cooler than inland areas. In spring, a typical day is sunny and pleasant, around 68°F (20°C). Summers, from May to late October, can see temperatures reach the mid-80s Fahrenheit (about 30°C) at the beach. In winter, hot, dry Santa Ana winds can sometimes bring warmer temperatures.

The rainy season is from late October to late March. Winter storms usually pass through quickly. There's very little rain during the rest of the year, with about 14 inches of rain annually. Because of the ocean breeze, smog is less of a problem here than in other parts of Los Angeles.

Population Information

Recent Population Data

In 2020, Hermosa Beach had 19,728 residents. Most people identified as White (77.9%), with 7.3% Asian and 11.6% identifying as two or more races. About 11.4% of residents were of Hispanic or Latino background.

In 2010, the city had 19,506 people. The average household had 2.04 people. About 15.9% of residents were under 18 years old, and the median age was 37.0 years. The median household income in 2010 was $101,655.

Economy

6th and The Strand Hermosa Beach

In 2024, many residents of Hermosa Beach worked in management, sales, and administrative support jobs. Some of the biggest employers in the city include the City of Hermosa Beach, Von's Companies, Lazy Acres, Trader Joe's, and the Hermosa Beach School District.

The city has 32.5 acres (13.2 hectares) of beach and 1,570 parking meters.

Arts and Culture

Hermosa Beach sunset concert

Hermosa Beach is known for its lively arts and culture scene:

• Fiesta Hermosa: A large arts and crafts festival held twice a year, on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.
• AVP Hermosa Beach Open: A professional beach volleyball tournament that usually takes place in June. It's free to watch!
• ShockBoxx Art Gallery: This gallery showcases modern art from artists around the world. It's free to visit.
• Hermosa Beach Film Festival: Started in 2005, this festival in August shows short films at the Hermosa Beach Playhouse.
• International Surf Festival: Held in early August, this festival includes surfing, paddleboarding, and pier-to-pier swim events.
• Hennessey's Paddle Board Festival: This event in July hosts the U.S. Paddleboard Championships.
• Hermosa Beach Sunset Concerts: Free concerts by bands performing right on the beach, usually in July and August.
• Farmers' Market: You can find fresh produce and goods every Friday from 12 noon to 4 pm on Valley Drive, and every Wednesday from 1 pm to 6 pm in the Pier Plaza.
• Sand and Strand Run: One of the oldest runs in the Los Angeles area, held in February. Part of the race is on the paved Strand, and part is on the sand.
• Shakespeare by the Sea: A free outdoor theater company that performs Shakespeare plays in various locations, including Hermosa Beach, from June to August.
• The Lighthouse Cafe: A famous place in Hermosa Beach known for its history as a West Coast jazz music venue.
• Hermosa Beach Community Drum Circle: People gather to play drums together every third Sunday of the month at Hermosa Pier.
• The Comedy and Magic Club: A well-known comedy club where famous comedians like Jay Leno have performed for many years.
• Punk Rock History: Hermosa Beach has a strong connection to punk rock music. Many famous bands like Black Flag, The Descendents, and Pennywise have lived or practiced in the city.

Parks and Recreation

Hermosa Beach is a great place for outdoor activities. Its wide, flat beach is perfect for beach volleyball, attracting both professional and amateur players. The city hosts the AVP Hermosa Beach Open tournament.

The Strand is a popular paved path that runs along the beach. It's used by walkers, joggers, and bikers and stretches for miles. Hermosa Beach is special because it owns its own beach, unlike its neighboring cities whose beaches are owned by the county.

Running next to The Strand is a beautiful walking path called the Hermosa Valley Greenbelt. This narrow strip of land, once a railroad path, was saved by local residents who wanted to keep it as a park. Now, it's a peaceful place with woodchip trails and trees, home to monarch butterflies and many birds. It's also part of a national "rails to trails" network, turning old railway lines into public paths. Experts have even called Hermosa Beach a "world class pedestrian city" because of the Greenbelt.

Education

Public Schools

Hermosa Beach has its own elementary and middle schools. After 8th grade, students go to high schools in nearby Manhattan Beach or Redondo Beach. These high schools are highly rated.

The Hermosa Beach City School District includes:

• Hermosa View Elementary (Pre-kindergarten to Grade 2)
• Hermosa Vista Elementary (Grades 3 and 4)
• Hermosa Valley Middle (Grades 5 through 8)

In 2005, Hermosa Valley and Hermosa View schools were recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. This award means they are among the top schools in the country for academic achievement.

For high school, students can choose between:

• Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach Unified School District
• Redondo Union High School in the Redondo Beach Unified School District

The Hermosa Beach City School District is one of California's best-performing districts.

Private Schools

Hermosa Beach also has one private school:

• Our Lady of Guadalupe School is a Catholic school for students from Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through 8th grade. All classes are taught by certified teachers.

Media

Besides the Los Angeles Times, Hermosa Beach has its own local newspapers. These include the Easy Reader, the daily Daily Breeze, and the weekly Beach Reporter.

Filming Location

Hermosa Beach has been a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows:

Movies

• Surf II (1984)
• Hardbodies (1987)
• Back to the Beach (1987)
• Men at Work (1990)
• Side Out (1990)
• Point Break (1991)
• Jackie Brown (1997)
• La La Land (2016)

TV Shows

• Parts of the TV show Summerland were filmed here.
• Scenes from The O.C. were filmed on the Hermosa Beach Strand, Pier, and Plaza.
• The Beach House in Beverly Hills, 90210 was located on the north end of The Strand.
• The city was the starting point for The Amazing Race 31.
• In 2019, the fourth season of Veronica Mars filmed mainly in Hermosa Beach, especially at the Sea Sprite Hotel.

Photography

• Hermosa's coastline was the location for "Tragedy by the Sea," a Pulitzer-winning photograph taken by local photographer John L. Gaunt.

Notable People

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Hermosa Beach:

Sister City

Since 1967, Hermosa Beach has been a sister city with Loreto, Baja California Sur in Mexico.

Images for kids

• 

  Golden State Silk Mills in Hermosa Beach, around 1925. This small city was once a center for the silk industry on the West Coast.

See also

In Spanish: Hermosa Beach para niños