Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Cerritos is a city of about 49,000 people in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, on the border with Orange County. It was incorporated in 1956 as Dairy Valley, when its fields were home to dairy farms, and took the name Cerritos in 1967 as the cows gave way to carefully planned neighborhoods, parks and shopping centers.
Today the city is known for civic architecture far grander than its size suggests. The Cerritos Millennium Library, wrapped in shimmering titanium, has a dinosaur skeleton and a large saltwater aquarium inside, and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts across the civic plaza draws big-name concerts and Broadway shows. A sculpture garden and the Cerritos Towne Center surround them.
Shoppers come for Los Cerritos Center and the huge Cerritos Auto Square, while families enjoy Heritage Park, Cerritos Regional County Park and the Olympic swim center. The city is a convenient base for Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and the beaches of Long Beach and Seal Beach, all within about 20 minutes.
A striking public library clad in titanium, rebuilt in 2002 with themed spaces, including a children's area with a life-size Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton replica, a large saltwater aquarium and an Old World reading room. It is one of the most unusual libraries in the country. Visitors are welcome to look around for free.
A performing arts center opened in 1993 with a hall that can be reconfigured into several shapes, from an intimate cabaret to an arena-style concert stage. It hosts touring musicians, comedians, dance companies and Broadway shows. Book ahead for big names, and arrive early as parking fills up.
An outdoor garden near the civic center with contemporary sculptures set among lawns, paths and water features. It is a quiet place for a short stroll before a show at the performing arts center or after visiting the library next door. It is free and open in daytime, and benches offer shady rest stops.
An open-air shopping and dining center next to the civic center, with restaurants, cafes, stores and a cinema around walkable plazas and fountains. It is a convenient place for dinner before a concert at the performing arts center across the street. Parking is free and plentiful.
A large regional shopping mall with department stores such as Macy's and Nordstrom, more than a hundred shops and a range of restaurants. It is one of the main shopping destinations in southeast Los Angeles County. Weekday mornings are quietest, and the mall is right off the 605 and 91 freeways.
A popular city park built around a small lake with an island, walking paths, playgrounds and picnic areas shaded by trees. Families come for the large children's play areas and ducks on the water. It is a pleasant spot for an easy afternoon, and parking and restrooms are on site.
A city aquatic and fitness center with an Olympic-size outdoor pool, a shallower recreation pool and a fitness gym. It offers public swim sessions, lessons and day passes for visitors. It is a refreshing stop on hot summer days; check the city website for public swim hours before you go.
A Los Angeles County regional park with sports fields, courts, playgrounds, walking paths and open lawns used for picnics and community events. It is busy with youth sports on weekends. Shaded areas and easy paths make it good for a relaxed visit with kids, and parking is free.
No reviews yet. Been to Cerritos? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Cerritos? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photos
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
Photo: The original uploader was AllyUnion at English Wikipedia., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jengod, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: AllyUnion at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Swim123blue, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Swim123blue, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: AllyUnion at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Ms926 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Ms926 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Coolcaesar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kidgrifter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rebecca Jones from Toronto, Canada, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Northwalker, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: The original uploader was AllyUnion at English Wikipedia., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view from Los Angeles, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: DarkNight0917, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: DarkNight0917, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: cjalallian from 562, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: DarkNight0917, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0