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Print Friendly MapQuintessential Southern California, the Marvin Braude Bike Trail—commonly referred to as simply The Strand by locals—is featured in hundreds of TV shows and movies. Whether you are here on vacation, or live nearby and want to feel like you are on vacation, it's a great way to explore the many personalities of the beach towns along the famous Strand in Los Angeles County.
Starting under the cliffside houses of the rich and famous in Pacific Palisades, you can start out at Will Rogers State Beach and soon pass the entrance to Temescal Gateway Park. Traveling along the open beach, you arrive at the Santa Monica Pier where you can take a break for a ferris wheel, coaster or carousel ride, eat some ice cream, or visit one of the farmers' markets. A few blocks away is the 3rd Street Promenade with its ultimate shopping experience. Once past the many attractions of Santa Monica, the trail leads into Venice Beach with its Muscle Beach, skate parks, artists and quirky shops.
The trail continues until an end at Washington Boulevard. To reach Torrance, you will need to take the bike lanes on the road (across from Venice Pier) inland about 0.8 mile to pick up the trail around Marina del Rey. The trail is well-signed as it passes through parking lots in the marina area. Another on-street section is on Fiji Way, which leads to the Ballona Creek Bike Path and back to the beach in Playa del Rey.
Continuing south from Playa del Rey, the trail passes through Dockweiler State Beach and under the planes taking off from Los Angeles International Airport before entering Manhattan Beach. Manhattan Beach is the birthplace of beach volleyball, so there will be some bumping and spiking to watch as you ride on past.
After passing Hermosa Beach, another brief on-street section is required around the marina in Redondo Beach, so use Harbor Drive for this stretch. The trail ends at Torrance Beach where the cliffs to Palos Verdes begin.
Parking is available throughout the trail's length, usually adjacent to public beaches. Refer to the TrailLink map for exact locations.
Great bike trails with a lot of ins and outs. Lots of people to look at. Lots of shops. Plenty of restrooms and diners. Good for all day rides.
Completed the entire trail round trip, starting at Temescal Canyon in Will Rogers State Park and rode all the way to the end of the trail in about 4.5 hours… it was both exhausting and wonderful ¿¿
I ride from my home at the beach on the Santa Monica & Venice Beach border. Going North to the end is 5 1/2 miles.
Going South you can ride forever as it winds past the Marina & then until you drop.
It's a Great ride either North or South, you can't beat it.
One day I'll ride North then the next day South & you'll see something different every day.
There’s tons of homeless camper and some sleeping on the beach, but it didn’t bother me... over all it’s a good ride, especially the weather today !
This trail is absolutely amazing. You get a shoreline ride through every beach from Torrance to Santa Monica. We did the entire trail yesterday round trip and it was well worth the 40 mile loop! Will definitely go again
I recommend getting started in the morning a weekday preferably. Both Venice and Santa Monica are absolutely stunning in the morning and are quite peaceful with lots to see. Marina del Rey and Ballona creek have some of the best scenery of any path I’ve been on the ocean is clear and the marina itself is beautiful. The path is doable and you get an amazing view of the beaches in la
It is a very nice path But you have to go early otherwise you will be avoiding people walking aimlessly across the path the entire time. And be sure to walk your bikes and a designated areas otherwise you will have police officers yelling at you. Beautiful scenery and a great work out otherwise.
Rode this for the first time this week and it was a lovely ride. Down and back I managed 28 miles on the path, from around Redondo to Washington Blvd and back. It was a very nice ride, with great views, and it was easy to forget you were still in LA. Parts of it were 8 mph speed limit due to higher trafficked areas and there are parts where you may have to get off and walk your bike depending on what events are happening off the strand. It wasn’t terribly busy when I went, but I’m sure it does get that. Some sand on the path but not enough to make it terribly difficult on a road bike. Will be back!
Bike path from Playa del Rey to Manhattan Beach Pier today.
Up from 1 star the 2 previous days.
Sand/Dirt Condition Rating: A,B,C,D,F. A=Excellent, B=Very Good, C=Average, D=Below Average, F=Poor.
Playa del Rey Beach = C to F.
Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors office = D.
Dockweiler State Beach RV Park = F.
Dockweiler = B.
South of Dockweiler Hang Gliding = F.
El Segundo Beach/Power Plant = B.
Manhattan Beach to Manhattan Beach Pier = D.
Love this ride. Some walking traffic and slow riders around Santa Monica and Venice but the people watching in those areas make up for the slow pace in those areas. I ride it almost every weekend.
I rode this trail of amazing beach and ocean scenery mixed with totally LA culture, on the sunny, warm Saturday afternoon of a winter holiday weekend. The trail runs along the beach of the Pacific coastline of Los Angeles almost fully uninterrupted, for about 20 miles that span major LA beach communities including Redondo Beach, Venice Beach, and Santa Monica. The natural scenery of the beach and ocean is amazing, and traveling by bicycle is the best (if not only) way to experience all of LA's beach communities in a single day.
The one downside to my ride was that on this busy Saturday afternoon, bicycle traffic on the trail was as heavy as cars I-405 in the rush hour! Trail riders ran the gamut from swimsuit-clad beach cruisers, to tourists on rental tandem bikes, to families with children, to more 'serious' riders on fitness and road bikes. Navigating the bicycle traffic took some caution and skill, and was worth the benefit in scenery and convenient travel through the beach communities. One stretch of the trail (about 8 miles), that fronts LA's industrial waterfront, was wide open and free of pedestrians and slower cyclists. It was easy enough to simply shift my gaze to the beach and blue ocean waters and away from the industrial scenery.
Overall this was one the best bike rides I've ever taken. I strongly recommend this trail for all bikers!
Great bike path ,no cars, friendly people,feels safe
I've been from sunset Blvd to redondo pier.
Plenty of places to stop and have nutrition.
Love it
We rode from Venice Beach up to Santa Monica for some Rita's ice. Nice trail along the beach. Lots of riders.
Being from the east coast and living on Long Island all my life, I needed to find a place near the ocean to ride and feel the freedom from the worlds pressures that you get when you simply just ride.
Now that I am out here for two to three weekends a month on an assignment, I needed this outlet. I started easy one weekend, and road from SM Pier to Marine DR, then back up to the top trail head and back. What a great ride.
Last weekend I started at Marina DR, and road down almost to Manhattan Beach, and back. Great weather, nice trails, and respectful runners and riders make for a great trail.
Thanks!
One of the best trails on the west coast in Los Angeles..
Total environment and beach scene.
I rode it for 8 years, every weekend, sat and sun.
Torrance to Venice is the best.
No problems, no stress.
What a fun path to ride! Especially to us being from the Midwest. So much to see and do and all along the ocean. We spent the day on the path riding from end to end, shopping and eating. Very easy to follow even around the 2 marinas.
More on this ride and others we've done at http://locojoe.com
I road this trail many times and its hard to beat a ride along the beach, and it goes on for a long strech. Up there with the South Beach and Ft Lauderdale paths that go alongside the Ocean too. Enjoy!!
A few years ago I did a project for a company in Burbank and I was out there for six month and on weekends I would do this trial. I always did it on my road bike and this trail is a great ride as you are over looking the ocean most of the way. You ride on what the locals call the strand down though the middle of a few of the beaches. When I was looking at this trail it was hard believe that nobody has done a review on this great trail. It is one of the most scenic rides I have ever done. It is family friendly. It gets very busy on the weekends but you can always get though the high traffic areas. The high light for me was riding though Marina Del Ray and seeing all those high priced Sail boats. there is just so much to see in this 22 mile trip that all I can say is if you live in the L.A area you need to take a ride on this trail. Oh ya and you need to do a review. Like most of my reviews I just do not give out five stars but if I did this ride would get one.
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