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Rancho Palos Verdes is a city of about 41,000 people on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southwest Los Angeles County, incorporated in 1973 to protect the peninsula's open coastline from dense development. Its rugged cliffs, coves and rolling hills face the Pacific, with Santa Catalina Island visible on clear days.
The city is known for its coastal parks and trails. Point Vicente has a 1926 lighthouse and an interpretive center that is one of the best places in Southern California to watch migrating gray whales, while the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve protects more than 1,400 acres of canyons and coastal sage scrub. Tidepools at Abalone Cove and Pelican Cove draw families at low tide.
The Portuguese Bend area has long been affected by slow-moving landslides, which sped up in 2023 and 2024 and led to closures and the dismantling of Lloyd Wright's famous glass Wayfarers Chapel. Visitors should check current access. Terranea Resort and Palos Verdes Drive South offer some of the most scenic coastal views in Los Angeles.
Perched on a cliff above the Pacific, this white 1926 lighthouse is still an active aid to navigation operated by the Coast Guard. The grounds and tower are usually open to visitors only on select days each month, so check the schedule. At other times, enjoy the view from the walkway at the interpretive center next door.
A large resort on the site of the former Marineland of the Pacific, with Mediterranean-style buildings set on a point above the sea. Non-guests can walk the public coastal trail around the property, enjoy the views or book a meal or spa visit. Validated parking is available for diners.
This small city museum covers the natural and cultural history of the peninsula, with exhibits on gray whales, Tongva history and local geology. Its clifftop grounds are a prime spot for watching migrating gray whales from December to April, when volunteers often count them. Bring binoculars.
An ecological reserve with rocky tidepools, a small beach and cliff trails, where you can spot sea anemones, crabs and sea stars at low tide. The area lies next to the Portuguese Bend landslide and access has been restricted at times. Check the city website before going, wear sturdy shoes and leave all sea life in place.
A small parking area off Palos Verdes Drive South leads to a bluff-top trail and a steep path down to a rocky cove with tidepools and sea birds. Pelicans and dolphins are often seen offshore. Visit at low tide for the best tidepooling, and take care on the descent, which can be loose and slippery.
Public trails on the bluffs along the southern coast of the city wind past coastal sage scrub and down toward small beaches and tidepools. Interpretive signs describe local wildlife and history. Parking is available at public lots along the coast; wear good shoes and stay on the marked paths near the cliffs.
More than 1,400 acres of protected open space spread across several reserves, with trails through coastal sage scrub, canyons and ridges with ocean views. Habitat supports rare birds like the California gnatcatcher. Some trails in the Portuguese Bend area may be closed due to land movement, so check trail status first.
A small hilltop park at the end of Crest Road with one of the best panoramas on the peninsula, looking over the Portuguese Bend hills to the ocean and Catalina Island. It is also a trailhead into the nature preserve. Come for sunset, but note that parking is limited and the park closes at dusk.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
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