Peninsula and South Bay Information

Palos Verdes Peninsula and the South Bay
Palos Verdes is a name often used to refer to a group of coastal cities on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southwestern Los Angles County, California, USA.  Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, Rolling Hills are the predominant cities in the area, with a part of San Pedro protruding on the eastern end of the peninsula. This affluent bedroom community is known for its dramatic views from the Palos Verdes Hills, its high ranking schools, extensive horse trails, and fabulous homes.  There are many shopping centers including The Promenade of the Peninsula. This outdoor mall includes a megaplex movie theater, many eateries, and an ice rink.  Other areas of commerce include Malaga Cove and Lunada Bay.
The area where Marineland of the Pacific once stood and subsequently served as an outdoor set for commercials and film productions is now currently home of the luxury oceanfront resort, TERRANEA.   Donald Trump’s latest venture is Trump National Golf Course, a gold course on the Ocean Trails cliffs.
The Peninsula is frequented by runners, hikers, horseback riders, bird watchers, surfers, scuba divers, and bicyclists. The area is home to several golf courses and country clubs.
The South Bay is a region of the southwest peninsula of Los Angeles County. The name comes from its geographic features stretching along the southern shore of Santa Monica (covering the coastal regions on Los Angeles County south of Los Angeles International Airport) which forms its western border.
The definition of the region includes the Beach Cities (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach), El Segundo, the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Torrance. This definition is more commonly found near the ocean, while not as accepted in the inland portions of the South Bay (Hawthorne and Lawndale). The region is bordered on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean.
The Harbor (I-110), San Diego (I-405), Gardena (SR 91) and Century (I-105) Freeways provide the region with its principal transportation links. Several ports and harbors in the South Bay provide access to Santa Catalina Island, a popular resort. Los Angeles International Airport borders El Segundo to the north.  Note that in there is a “South Bay” area in San Diego and San Francisco Bay.
The South Bay is one of the most culturally, economically and ethnically diverse areas in the United States, with a largely even distribution of the population across European, Asian/Pacific Islander, African and Latino ancestry.  However, the racial and economic makeup varies widely across the region.  The Port of Los Angeles, sprawling across the shorelines of  San Pedro and Wilmington, is the busiest in the United States. When combined with the Port of Long Beach, it is the fifth-busiest in the world.  The South Bay is the traditional home of Southern California’s aerospace industry. While considerably shrunken from its Cold War peak, it still represents a major economic force, employing thousands in high-skill, high-wage engineering positions.

If you’re looking for something to do on the weekend, Los Angeles is only 25 miles away. Below are some great places to explore in the city.

The Getty Center, located in Los Angeles, contains Western art from the Middle Ages to the present. The museum estimates that it receives 1.3 million visitors annually making it one of the most visited museums in the U.S.  The second location of the Getty Center is the Getty Villa, located in the Pacific Palisades, features art from ancient Greece, Rome and Etruria. At the Getty, visitors can learn unlimited facts about the exhibitions using the GettyGuide- an audio player with commentary from curators and conservators, watch art-making videos, play with an interactive timeline, etc.

The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheater in Hollywood used for music performances. The Bowl is known for its distinctive shell arches, set against the backdrop of the Hollywood Hills and the Hollywood Sign. The amphitheater is n home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic during the summer. Some other acts include Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, and Alicia Keys. The environment and experience provides a great cultural experience for the young and the old.

The Huntington Library is a private, non-profit institution, that features a library, art collections, and botanical gardens. The Library offers rare collections of books and manuscripts in both British and American history. The library is one of the nation’s largest centers for the study of the American West with an expansive collection of materials on the pioneer experience, the Gold Rush, and the formation of Southern California. The Art Collections are distributed in three separate galleries. A fourth gallery is dedicated to hosting changing exhibits. The Huntington Art Gallery preserves one of the most comprehensive collections in the country of 18th and 19th British and French Art. The Gardens cover 120 acres with more then a dozen specialized gardens. The most visited include the Desert Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden, and the Chinese Garden.

L.A. Live is an entertainment complex in Downtown approximately one hour from Palos Verdes and situation next to the Staples Center. The Nokia Theatre and Club Nokia. The Nokia Theatre is a music and theatre venue, seats 7,100 people The venue has hosted concerts from The Eagles, John Mayer, American Idol, award shows- The ESPYs, Primetime Emmys, American Music Awards, etc. Club Nokia is a club venue, seating 2,300 people who can enjoy live music and cultural events. Nokia Plaza is a 40,000 square-foot plaza the provides a broadcast venue for special events. The Grammy Museum, dedicated to Grammy history, opened in December 2008. The museum has four floors with historical music artifacts. L.A. Live offers hotels and residences as well. Located above the parking lot of the Staples Center, is a 54-story hybrid hotel with rooms available through the Marriott, Ritz Carlton, and Ritz Carlton Condominiums. Regal Entertainment Movie complex includes 14 screens, seating up to 3,772 people. THe “Regal Premiere House” is a three-story atrium and 806 seat theatre. Restaurants in L.A. Live includes Katsuya, Wolfgane Puck Bar and Grill, Yard House, Fleming’s Steakhouse, and Lawry’s.

The Los Angeles Zoo is the perfect place to take the family. Set on 133 acres, the zoo is home to 1,100 animals from around the world. The zoo receives over 1.5 million visitors per year and is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. Zoo highlights include the Elephants of Asia, Campo Gorilla Reserve, Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountians, Dragons of Komodo, Winnick Family Children’s Zoo, and the Australian Koalas.

The Natural History Museum (NHM) is a great resource for parents to give teach their kids about science. Its mission is to inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds.The NHM is one of the world’s most extensive of natural history. The Museum curates new exhibitions giving visitors the opportunity to explore the importance of our cultural history.

The Staples Center, one of the major sporting arenas in Los Angeles, is adjacent to L.A. Live and the LA Convention Center. The arena is home to the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Sparks, and hosts over 250 events every year with 4 million visitors annually. Events hosted by the Center in the past include the 2004 and 2011 NBA All-Star Game, 2002 NHL All-Star Game, 11 Grammy Award shows, annual X Games, PAC-12 Basketball Championships, and many more. The venue has also hosted concerts for musicians such as Jay-Z, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, U2, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake.

The California Science Center located in Exposition Park, Los Angeles is the West Coast’s largest hands-on science center and one of the most visited museum destinations in Southern California. It is a public-private partnership between the State and the CSC Foundation. The CHC consists of the IMAX Theater, the Sketch Foundation Gallery- Air and Space Exhibits, and the Science Center.

University of California, Los Angeles athletics offer great entertainment for the whole family. Participating in the NCAA Division 1, the men’s and women’s teams are part of the Pacific 12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. As of May 2011, UCLA has won 107 NCAA team championships and 128 total national team championships- more than any other university. Some of the most successful and entertaining sports at the school include baseball, softball, men’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, men and women’s tennis, men’s volleyball, men and women’s water polo, and football.

University of Southern California athletics participates in the PAC 12 Conference and has 115 championships (93 of which are NCAA National Championships) under its belt. Notable team sports include football, baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, men;s golf, women’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s rowing, women’s swimming and diving, men’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track and field, women’s track and field, men’s water polo, and women’s water polo.

The Hollywood Wax Museum, located on the Hollywood Boulevard, is the longest running wax museum in the U.S. This particular location is dedicated to only creating wax figures of celebrities. Popular figures featured at the Museum are Angelina Jolie, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, John Wayne, and for the kids-The Teenage Mutant Turtles.