16 Best Things to Do in Redondo Beach, California

By VI Staff on April 9, 2019

Redondo Beach is one of the three coastal cities in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County and is home to a wide variety of attractions and activities. The city is made up of two main areas, namely South Redondo Beach, North Redondo Beach, both of which boast beautiful sandy beaches, great swimming and surfing, and a variety of outdoor recreation. Visit the landmark Redondo Beach Pier with its oceanfront restaurants and bars, shops and boutiques and buzzing nightlife.

1.Redondo County Beach

Set along the Hollywood Riviera, Redondo County Beach is a 1.5-mile-long sandy beach along the city’s waterfront that begins at the Redondo Beach Pier near Veterans Park and continues south. Hailed as the ‘LA's Ocean Adventure Capitol,’ the beach is a popular attraction for outdoor lovers and offers an array of activities from volleyball courts, surfing, swimming and fishing to walking and mountain biking along the Marvin Braude Coastal Bike Trail. Amenities at the beach include picnic areas with tables, restrooms and showers, a grassy park, children’s play area, and on-duty lifeguards on duty.

Pearl St and Esplanade, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

2.Redondo Beach Pier

The Redondo Beach Pier, also known as ‘Municipal Pier,’ ‘Pleasure Pier’ and ‘Horseshoe Pier’ is a landmark pier that features an array of excellent restaurants and buzzing bars overlooking the ocean, boutiques and shops, and panoramic ocean views. Located a few minutes south of LAX in Redondo Beach, the Pier is a South Bay landmark with a variety of entertainment, including seasonal whale watching, harbor cruises, kayaking, pedal boating, and stand-up paddle-boarding. The Pier is a popular tourist attraction and is usually packed with people enjoying the amenities and beautiful ocean views.

121 W Torrance Blvd #103, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

3.Torrance State Beach

Torrance County Beach extends one-and-a-half miles south of Redondo Beach and ends at the base of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in at Malaga Cove and is quieter and less busy its famous neighbors to the north like Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. Torrance Beach offers a variety of things to do from surfing and sunbathing to swimming, beach-combing, and picnicking on the beach. Visitors can park atop of a cliff above Paseo de la Playa and follow several ramps down to the beach, and there are lifeguards are on duty, a family-friendly concession stands with wooden tables, and restrooms with showers nearby. 387 Paseo de la Playa, Torrance, CA, http://www.californiasbestbeaches.com/redondo/torrance_beach.html

Pearl St and Esplanade, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 727-582-2100

4.SEA Lab

SEA Lab is an interactive coastal science education center that was established by the Los Angeles Conservation Corps to educate visitors about marine life and the importance of ocean conservation. Run by college students and volunteers, SEA Lab offers a program of activities including beach explorations, touch tank tours and interactive classroom programs for children of all ages, as well as summer camp programs, community service projects such as beach clean-ups, and a Traveling Tide Pool traveling exhibit. SEA Lab also conducts a range of coastal conservation activities such as replanting coastal bluffs with native plants, rescuing marine animals, and hosting marine-related research projects.

1021 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-318-7438

5.Veterans Park

Green space with fields, a playground & a memorial to local veterans overlooking the ocean.

309 Esplanade, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-372-1171

6.Seaside Lagoon

The Seaside Lagoon is a large saltwater lagoon that provides a seasonal spot for swimming with a sandy beach, a play area for children and a snack bar. Situated in Redondo Beach's King Harbor, the Seaside Lagoon is open daily during summer from May through September and offers trained lifeguard supervision. In addition to safe swimming, the lagoon also features a lovely sandy beach for sunbathing, volleyball courts, children's play equipment, and a grassed area and luau shelter for private events and functions. Ruby's Restaurant serves light fare and snacks all day.

200 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-318-0681

7.Hopkins Wilderness Park

Hopkins Wilderness Park is an 11-acre park in the heart of Redondo Beach that is home to meadows, forests, streams, and ponds. The park was created in the late 70s as a center for conservation, nature study and camping and features several hiking and mountain trails that wind through the various ecological habitats. Amenities in the park include picnic areas and an amphitheater, play structures and sandboxes, camping, three sets of restrooms, and a modern Visitor Center at the entrance to the park which has rooms for nature-related classes. Hopkins Wilderness Park is open daily, and admission is free.

1102 Camino Real, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-318-0668

8.Gallery JS

Gallery JS is a photographic and art studio Redondo Beach's Riviera Village that is owned by artist Joshua Serafin and photographer Jill Sanders and showcases Jill’s images in their final metal format. Jill Sanders graduated from Parson's School of Design in New York and traveled to Europe where she spent three months working and taking photographs. Located in the heart of the beach community of Hollywood Riviera in South Redondo Beach, Gallery JS is open Thursday through Sunday and can be leased out for private functions.

1733 S Catalina Ave, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-918-1965

9.Dominguez Park

Dominguez Park is a 24-acre park in Redondo Beach that features lovely grassy areas with large trees, picnic areas and play equipment for children, a leash-free dog park, two Little League fields, and the historic Heritage Court. Located between 190th and Beryl Streets, the park is open from dawn until dusk every day of the week. Heritage Court includes two historic homes, namely the Queen Anne House and the Morrell House, both of which were relocated to the park from their original locations to be saved from demolition. The Queen Anne House has been beautifully restored to its former glory and houses the City’s Historical Museum, and the Morrell House is an excellent example of Victorian architecture with a charming rose garden and courtyard.

200 Flagler Ln, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-318-0686

10.South Bay Sailing

South Bay Sailing is a full-service ASA accredited sailing school and charter company that offers sailing lessons, charter cruises, and sailing courses. The registered ASA instructional facility offers adult lessons at South Bay Sailing, including four of the ASA Standards, as well as uniquely created courses, and after-school, spring, and summer sailing camps for your children. South Bay Sailing also offers cruises and private charters where guests can either learn some of the basic sailing principles from one of our certified instructors or kick back and enjoy a relaxing cruise along the South Bay coastline.

181 N Harbor Drive, 2506, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-937-3180

11.Redondo Beach Whale Watching

Redondo Beach Whale Watching and Nature Cruise Boat rides depart from the Redondo Beach Pier year-round and offers fantastic nature cruises and whale-watching opportunities off the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the beautiful South Bay. Tours are held on the 65-foot, 45-passenger excursion vessel called Indian, which features inside and outside seating, a full-service galley serving coffee, tea, beer, wine, soft drinks, and snacks. Whale-watching trips take about two-and-a-half hours, and visitors have the chance of seeing a variety of whale species, such as magnificent gray whales, minke, humpbacks, fin, and sperm whales, as well as sharks, dolphins, seals, and many species of seabirds. Nature cruises take 45 minutes and head a mile outside the harbor to see sea lions, dolphins and plenty of seabirds.

140 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-372-2111

12.Captain Kidd’s Fish Market & Restaurant

Captain Kidd's Fish Market & Restaurant offers outstanding cuisine against a backdrop of beautiful views over King Harbor in Redondo Beach, promising an unforgettable dining experience. The menu features a variety of fresh local and international fish, as well as cooked-to-order lobster and other ocean-fresh seafood such as mussels, clams, crab, and prawns. Diners can choose their fresh cuts of fish from the fish market counter and the way they would like it cooked, and it served by friendly wait staff. The elegant restaurant has three lovely patios where guests can dine alfresco style and with gorgeous views, one of which is dog-friendly and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.

209 N Harbor Dr, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-372-7703

13.Dominique’s Kitchen

Dominique’s Kitchen is a casual neighborhood bistro-style restaurant that serves a menu of French-Italian cuisine and a curated selection of fine wines in an elegant and relaxed atmosphere. Owned by Chef Dominique Theval, Dominique’s Kitchen serves a menu of dishes inspired by Dominique’s French background and boasts a laid-back ambiance. The restaurant is made up of four dining area, including the main dining room with an inviting living room feel, a cozy nook with two tables for romantic dates, and an enclosed patio with a heated patio and a bar area with high table and chairs. Dominique’s Kitchen is open for dinner every night except Tuesday.

522 Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 424-247-9054

14.Blue Salt Fish Grill

Located in Artesia Plaza on Artesia Boulevard, Blue Salt Fish Grill is a casual seafood restaurant in Redondo Beach that serves a variety of fresh fish, grilled seafood platters, fresh salads, and fish tacos. The menu boasts every kind of fish imaginable, as well as fried calamari, clam chowder, ceviche, fish tacos, and classic fish and chips, along with freshly prepared salads, plenty of sides and libations such as craft beers, casual wines, and colorful cocktails. Other unique delights on the menu include ahi tuna, Fijian opah, swordfish, mahi-mahi, Idaho trout, crab cakes, steamed clams, and several non-seafood dishes. Blue Salt Fish Grill is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

2515 Artesia Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90278, Phone: 424-247-7414

15.Eat at Joe's

Eat at Joe's is a busy, long-running American diner that has been serving a menu of American classics and breakfast specials to the Redondo community for decades. Founded by Joe Filkosky in 1969, the then little burger joint with a small counter with seven stools flourished into the popular eatery it is today with picnic table-style seating and a bright and friendly ambiance. The spot draws regular customers back for the enormous portions of burgers, hot dogs, and specials such as the Mad Dog, which is made up of yesterday’s leftovers. Eat at Joe's is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.

400 N Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-376-9570

16.Dive N Surf, Inc.

Dive N' Surf, Inc. is Redondo City’s go-to spot for scuba-diving, snorkeling, and surfing equipment sales and rentals, training services, boat charters, and air and rental services. Founded in 1953, Dive N' Surf, Inc. has been outfitting and supplying divers and surfers in the South Bay providing a variety of wetsuits, dry suits, hoodies, booties, diving fins, BCD’s and tanks, along with surfboards and surf accessories such as rash vests, bags, board bags, and leashes. Dive N' Surf is a five-star PADI Instructor Development Center and provides a range of scuba diving courses from Open Water to Advanced and Instructor levels with a team of highly-trained and experienced staff on hand.

504 N Broadway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, Phone: 310-372-8423