Palos Verdes Peninsula Info

“Palos Verdes “ is the Spanish name for “green sticks”. Sometimes you will see it described at “green sticks”. It is a 26.3 square mile area located in the southwest corner of Los Angeles County. The peninsula is 23 miles south of downtown Los Angeles and within its borders are the four cities of Palos Verdes Estates (incorporated in 1939); Rolling Hills (incorporated in 1957); Rolling Hills Estates (incorporated in 1957); and Rancho Palos Verdes (incorporated in 1973). There are NO HOTELS, MOTELS, and HOSPITALS OR MAJOR INDUSTRIES on the Peninsula. We are in the 310 area code. The zip code for Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates is 90274. The zip code for Rancho Palos Verdes is 90275.

Things to Do               Important Phone Numbers
 

Things to Do:

• Places to visit
  • Malaga Cove Plaza
  • Farnham Martin Park and Malaga Cove Library
  • Norris Theatre for Performing Arts
  • Palos Verdes Art Center
  • South Coast Botanic Gardens
  • Talking Flower Clock
  • Wayfarer’s Chapel
  • Abalone Beach and Ecological Reserve
  • Cabrillo Marine Museum
  • Los Angeles Maritime Museum
  • Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur
  • Korean Friendship Bell
  • Palos Verdes Libraries
• Golf
  • Palos Verdes Golf Club
  • Rolling Hills Country Club
  • Los Verdes Golf Course and Country Club
  • Ocean Trails Golf Course
• Horseback Riding
  • Palos Verdes Stables
  • Equestrian Center
  • Empty Saddle Club
  • Portuguese Bend Riding Club
  • Portuguese Bend Horse Show
• Ice Skating
• Tennis
  • Ernie Howlett Park
  • Jack Kramer Club
  • Palos Verdes Tennis Club
  • Peninsula Racquet Club
• Parks
  • Hesse Park
  • Ernie Howlett Park
  • Ladera Linda Community Center
  • Robert E. Ryan Community Park
  • Point Vicente Interpretive Center
• Point Vicente Lighthouse
• Whale Watching
  • Point Vicente Interpretive Center
• Peninsula Nature Walks
  • P.V.P. Land Conservancy
  • George F. Canyon Nature Center
• Certified Farmers Market
• Shopping

Malaga Cove Plaza - This Spanish Renaissance style plaza was the peninsula’s first commercial area that began in 1925.  You will still find shops, offices, a food market, flower stand and a small restaurant there.  The centerpiece of the plaza is the Neptune Fountain, which is a two-thirds size copy of a fountain in Bologna, Italy.  The fountain was a gift to the Palos Verdes Community and dedicated in 1930.  This is a good starting point to begin a drive around the peninsula. 

Farnham Martin Park and Malaga Cove Library – Directly behind the Plaza is a lovely stone wall and fountain, with steps on either side leading up to a lawn and the library.  The library and art gallery opened in 1930.  The lawn is the setting for free concerts in the summer and home to some of the peacocks that reside in many places on the Peninsula.  The present library contains a history room that contains documents, photos, newspapers, yearbooks and tapes all relating to peninsula history.

Norris Theatre for Performing Arts – 27520 Crossfield Drive, Rolling Hills Estates – 310-544-0403.  There are productions throughout the year.  The Norris Pavilion across from the theatre offers classes in theatre arts and the dance. 

Palos Verdes Art Center – 5504 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-541-2479.  There are changing exhibits, classes for children and adults, a ceramic studio and gift shop.  Free admission.  They also have special events throughout the year such as the Concours D’elegance, Art for Fun(d)s Sake and home tours.

South Coast Botanic Gardens – 26300 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes Peninsula – 310-544-6815.  This is an 87 acre garden built on a landfill.  Lectures, flower shows. concerts, car shows and Shakespeare on the Meadow are held during the year.  You can join a bird walk on the 1st Sunday and 3rd Wednesday of the month.  Admission fee and tram ride available by appointment.

Talking Flower Clock – On Silver Spur Road between Crossfield Drive and the Avenue of the Peninsula.  Flowers change with the season and holidays and it is one of the few in the country.

Wayfarer’s Chapel – 5755 Palos Verdes Drive South, Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-377-1650.  It was designed by Lloyd Wright – son of Frank Lloyd Wright.  The Chapel is open to all faiths and denominations.  Services are conducted every Sunday at 11:00 a.m., as well as Easter and Christmas.  It is open daily for prayers and meditation.  Wayfarer’s Chapel, often referred to as the Glass Church is a famous and popular place for weddings.  Many soap operas, television and movie weddings have been filmed there.  Admission to the chapel and grounds are free.

Abalone Beach and Ecological Reserve –5970 Palos Verdes Drive South, Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-377-1222.  You can find Coastal Sage Scrub, the California Gnatcatcher the Cactus Wren and tide pools here.  Swimming and picnic areas are available but there are NO fires or dogs allowed.  Parking is $5.00 and that covers access to the reserve.

Cabrillo Marine Museum – 3720 Stephen White Drive, San Pedro – 310-548-7562.  There are live exhibits and you can learn about the natural history of the area.  Beach walks and classes are held all through the year.  From March to August, during the full or new moon you can participate in a Grunion run.  The admission is free to the museum but there is a charge for parking.

Los Angeles Maritime Museum – Berth 84 at the foot of 6th St., San Pedro – 310-548-7618.  This museum of maritime history includes 700 ship models and other nautical paraphernalia.  Admission fee.

Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur – 3601 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro – 310-548-5677.  Rescued marine mammals are rehabilitated here and released when fully recovered.  You can watch while volunteers tend to recuperating seals, sea lions and other animals.  No charge to visit.

Korean Friendship Bell – is also on Gaffey St.  The driveway is right next to the driveway for Fort MacArthur and the Marine Mammal Care Center.  There is a small museum and a spectacular view of the Pacific.  The bell was presented to the people of Los Angeles by the people of the Republic of Korea in 1976.

Palos Verdes Golf Club – semi-private course – 3301 Via Campesina, Palos Verdes Estates – 310-375-2533.

Rolling Hills Country Club – private course - 27000 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rolling Hills Estates – 310-326-4343.

Los Verdes Golf Course and Country Club – public course - 7000 W. Los Verdes Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-377-7888. It has a beautiful view of the ocean.

Ocean Trails Golf Course  - our newest public course - located on Palos Verdes Drive South in Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-265-5525.  There are 2 excellent restaurants to enjoy.  Designed by Pete Dye, the golf course has panoramic ocean views from every hole.

Palos Verdes Stables  - public - in Palos Verdes Estates – 4057 Via Opata, Palos Verdes Estates – 310-378-3527.  Call for information about rides, lessons and summer camp.

Equestrian Center in Rolling Hills Estates – 26401 Crenshaw Blvd., Rolling Hills Estates – 310-541-9487.

Empty Saddle Club – private - 310-377-9059

Portuguese Bend Riding Club – private - 310-377-9059.

The nationally known Portuguese Bend Horse Show is held in September at Ernie Howlett Park on Hawthorne Blvd.

The Ice Chalet is on the first level of The Avenue of the Peninsula – 550 Deep Valley Drive, Rolling Hills Estates – 310-541-6630.

Ernie Howlett Park – 25851 Hawthorne Blvd, Rolling Hills Estates – 310-541-4585

Jack Kramer Club – 11 Montecillo Drive, Rolling Hills Estates –31-326-4404

Palos Verdes Tennis Club – 3303 Via Campesina, Palos Verdes Estates – 310-373-6326

Peninsula Racquet Club – 30850 Hawthorne Blvd, Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-541-2523

Hesse Park – 29301 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-541-8114 – There are picnic tables, a barbecue area, children’s play equipment, baseball, sand volleyball and walking trails.

Ladera Linda Community Center – 33201 Forrestal Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-541-7073 – There are picnic tables but no fires allowed. The center offers baseball, soccer, paddle tennis court, a discovery room for children and guided docent tours available by appointment (call 310-377-0360  ext. 309).

Robert E. Ryan Community Park – 30359 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes – 310-377-2290 – There are picnic tables, barbecues in a designated area, a ship with a sandbox all around it, play equipment and classes available through individual instructors.  Call the park for more information.

The Point Vicente Lighthouse was built in 1926.  Capt. George Vancouver originally named the promontory point in 1795 while he was exploring the Pacific Coast for King George III.  He sighted a “very conspicuous promontory” and named it after the Friar Vicente Santa Maria, who was stationed in the Mission San Buenaventura.  The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1975.  A free tour is offered on the 2nd Saturday of the month between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.  Tours are also available by appointment.  (310) 541-0334.

Point Vicente Interpretive Center – 31501 Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho Palos Verdes - 310-377-5370. This beautiful park, located adjacent to the Pt. Vicente Lighthouse, offers numerous recreational and educational opportunities to the public. The Interpretive Center opened in 1984 with a mission to present and interpret the unique features and history of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The almost 10,000 square foot newly expanded Interpretive Center, re-opened on July 15, 2006, features exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Peninsula, with a special emphasis on the Pacific gray whale. This premier whale watch site provides spectacular opportunities to view the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale, from December through April. The Interpretive Center is open to guests from 10am to 5pm daily and the park grounds may be enjoyed from dawn to dusk.

There are monthly walks led by the P.V.P. Land Conservancy – 310-373-0202.  Walk leaders tell you about the history of the Peninsula, birds, wildlife, plants and the geology of this very unique community.  All walks are free.  Reservations are not required.  Call for information about the regular monthly walks or request a schedule.  There are children’s walks designed especially for young people.

George F. Canyon Nature Center – 27205 Palos Verdes Drive East, RHE – 310-547-0862.  This 36-acre canyon cuts through the hills of Rolling Hills Estates for hikes.  There are markers along the way for information about indigenous plant life.  The Nature Center is open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring exhibits about Peninsula plants and wildlife.

The Farmers Market is open every Sunday at Peninsula Shopping Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Peninsula Shopping Center is located at Hawthorne Blvd. and Silver Spur Road.

The largest shopping area is in Rolling Hills Estates on Silver Spur Road between Hawthorne and Crenshaw Boulevards.  Peninsula Shopping Center on Hawthorne Boulevard and the corner of Silver Spur Road has a large food market, banks, restaurants and a variety of large and small retailers.  On Sundays, they host a Certified Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Continuing down Silver Spur Road, you will find the Avenue of the Peninsula.  It has been newly reconfigured (it was previously an indoor mall) so you can stroll through its plaza and two upper levels.  The plaza level has an Ice Chalet that is open all year. The plaza also has a fountain in the center.  Shoppers can rest at tables with umbrellas and enjoy food as well as concerts in the summer. Children are especially delighted when it’s warm enough to run through the water shooting from the ground. There are many nationally prominent stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Abercrombie & Fitch, Williams Sonoma, Talbots, The Gap Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn and Borders Bookstore, and a wide variety of others.  The upper level has a Regal Cinema with 13 theatres that feature all the new films in comfortable stadium seating. The Avenue’s four level parking structure is convenient to The Village and The Brick Walk for more specialty shops and unique restaurants.  As we say on the front of the Chamber newspaper, PV Has It All! 

Important Phone Numbers:

• Incorporated Cities
  • Palos Verdes Estates
  • Rancho Palos Verdes
  • Rolling Hills
  • Rolling Hills Estates
• Schools
  • Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
  • PVPUSD Adult Education
  • L.A. Unified School District
  • Marymount College
  • SCROC (So. Cal. Regional Occupational Center)
• Libraries
  • Malaga Cove Plaza Library
  • Miraleste Library
  • Peninsula Center Library
• Historical Society
  • Rancho de los Palos Verdes Historical Society
• Art Center and Theatres
  • Norris Theatre for the Performing Arts
  • Palos Verdes Art Center
  • Palos Verdes Players
  • Regal Cinema Avenue 13
• Botanical Garden
  • South Coast Botanic Garden 
• Parks and Recreation
  • Rancho Palos Verdes Recreation & Parks Department
    • Fred Hesse Park
    • Ladera Linda Community Center
    • Point Vicente Interpretive Center
    • Robert E. Ryan Community Park
  • Rolling Hills Estates
    • Highridge Park (call RHE City Hall)
    • Ernie Howlett Park
    • Chandler Park (call RHE City Hall)
    • George F. Canyon Nature Center 
• Golf Facilities
  • Los Verdes Golf Club & Country Club - public
  • Ocean Trails Golf Club - public
  • Palos Verdes Golf Club – private/public
  • Rolling Hills Country Club – private
• Equestrian Information
  • Chandler Park (call RHE City Hall)
  • Dapplegray Park (call RHE City Hall)
  • Empty Saddle Club
  • Palos Verdes Stables
  • Portuguese Bend Riding Club 
  • Rolling Hills Estates Stables
• Ice Skating
  • Ice Chalet, Inc. at The Avenue of the Peninsula
• Peninsula Nature Walks
  • PVP Land Conservancy (monthly docent led walks) 
  • Sierra Club – PVP South Bay
• Swimming
  • Abalone Shoreline Park
  • Palos Verdes Beach and Athletic Club - private
  • Portuguese Bend Beach Club – private
• Tennis Facilities
  • Ernie Howlett Park
  • Jack Kramer Club
  • Palos Verdes Tennis Club
  • Peninsula Racquet Club
• Miscellaneous
  • Avenue of the Peninsula
  • Peninsula Shopping Center
  • Peninsula Seniors
  • PV Transit Authority 
  • PV Peninsula News
  • PVP Post Office
  • Recycling Center