Page 114 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

REDONDO BEACH
SoCal’s family friendly seaside playground
»SWIM, BIKE,
DINE, RELAX!
Redondo Beach
Chamber of Commerce
& Visitors Bureau
visitredondo.com
REDONDO BEACH pier at sunset, above;
yachts docked at Redondo Beach, below.
PERCHED ALONGSIDE the Pacific Ocean
with glorious sands and a lively pier, Redondo
Beach is an ideal venue for living the Cali-
fornia dream, even if only for the weekend.
Just seven miles from LAX and not far from
Los Angeles’ top attractions, historic Redondo
Beach is a destination in its own right.
Typically sunny and in the 80s in summer
and comfortable most of the rest of the year,
the beach is less crowded than better-known
spots like Malibu and Santa Monica. Activity
options range from sport fishing to whale
watching, surfing to beach volleyball.
Redondo Beach rose to prominence early in
the 20th century when George Freeth came from
Oahu and introduced surfing to the mainland.
Known as the “Man Who Can Walk on Water,”
Freeth attracted thousands of spectators who
gawked in amazement as he rode his eight-
foot-long wooden surfboard from sea to shore.
Today the Redondo Beach Pier attracts visi-
tors with annual events including the 20th
Annual Redondo Beach Lobster Festival (Lob-
sterFestival.com), 37th Annual Super Bowl
Sunday 10k/5k (Redondo10k.com), a classic car
show and kite festival (redondopier.com/events).
The pier has more than 50 shops, rides and
restaurants, with dining options including
112 2015 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
B Y M I C H A E L S H A P I R O
seafood, Mexican specialties and hot dogs.
And there are more choices, such as a bakery
and Japanese restaurant, on the adjacent Inter-
national Boardwalk.
The city’s cultural anchor is the Redondo
Beach Performing Arts Center. The 1,457-seat
venue hosts performances by the Los
Angeles Ballet, distinguished speakers such
as director Ron Howard, and theatrical musi-
cals like Ragtime.
For lodging, a top pick is The Portofino,
located in Redondo Beach’s marina with soul-
stirring ocean views. While staying in Redondo
Beach, don’t miss S.E.A. Lab, a marine science
education center (visitredondo.com/sealab.html).
If you’re in Redondo Beach between
November and April, be sure to look out for
gray whales migrating between California
and Mexico. You can often see the behe-
moths from shore; to get closer, book a
whale watching tour on a boat such as the
Voyager (voyagerexcursions.com).
But don’t feel you have to fill your
schedule. Perhaps the best way to enjoy
Redondo Beach is to simply relax in the
sand, watch the waves curl, and enjoy some
California dreamin’ in one of the state’s pre-
mier beach towns.
SAHANI PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK; JUNE74/SHUTTERSTOCK