Attractions and Places To See around Torrance - Top 20

Torrance Beach lies between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove. The region shared by Torrance and Redondo Beaches is often called “RAT Beach” (short for “Right After Torrance” Beach or “Redondo and Torrance Beach”). This beautiful, soft sand beach has 40 acres of beach and is at the foot of cliffs which extend to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. There restrooms, a concession stand, showers, bike path, beach wheelchairs, and volleyball nets. Torrance Beach is great for swimming, fishing, scuba and skin diving, and surfing.

As you ride along Palos Verdes Drive West, look down into Bluff Cove, a scenic rocky cove popular with local surfers, scuba divers, and snorkelers braveing the shoreline. A hiking trail descends to Bluff Cove Beach, with a steeper trail leading to Flat Rock Point, where you can explore tide pools at low tide. Walking south beyond the cove takes you into Palos Verdes Estate Shoreline Preserve, continuing to Palos Verdes Point and the rusted remains of a shipwreck along the Shipwreck Hiking Trail.

Torrance Beach sometimes goes by another name: locals call the last sandy stretch before the Palos Verdes cliffs "RAT" Beach, meaning "Right After Torrance." Torrance Beach, nestled between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove, features 40 acres of soft sand at the base of cliffs extending to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. With over 300 parking spaces, many at the end of the Esplinade, the beach offers restrooms, showers, a concession stand, bike paths, and volleyball nets. It's a popular spot for swimming, fishing, scuba diving, and surfing.

Miramar Park, located on 1.6 acres above Torrance Beach, offers pristine ocean views and easy access to the shoreline via a ramp or staircase. Owned and maintained by the City of Torrance, the park was dedicated in 1984 after a collaborative effort with Los Angeles County to secure beach access. It features benches, security lighting, whimsical animal statues, and a plaque marking the historic site of the Hollywood Riviera Beach Club, which existed from 1931 to 1958. The park also includes a “Fido Fountain” for dogs and marks the end of the upper Esplanade.

This lighthouse is still in operation and belongs to the National Registry of Historic Sites. Unfortunately, most days, access to the grounds and the lighthouse is restricted as it's used by the Coast Guard. However, you can still get a pretty good view from this point since the tower is 67 feet tall. After WWII the ceaseless rotation of the beam became a source of annoyance for nearby residents and a potential danger for drivers along Palos Verdes Drive. In response, caretakers took action by applying a layer of white paint to the inner windows facing inland, effectively eliminating the beacon's flash from reaching the windows of neighboring houses. It was during this time that the enigmatic figure known as the "Lady of the Light" first made an appearance. In the subdued glow seeping through the painted windows, a few observers caught glimpses of a tall serene woman in flowing gown, pacing slowly along the tower's walkway.

Torrance Beach is the only beach in the city and serves as a wide, sandy viewpoint onto the ocean's waters. There is a boardwalk path that you can run on, or you can run on the packed sand near the water.

A small park with a few statues and a nice grass area.

This lighthouse is still in operation and belongs to the National Registry of Historic Sites. Unfortunately, most days, access to the grounds and the lighthouse is restricted as it's used by the Coast Guard. However, you can still get a pretty good view from this point since the tower is 67 feet tall. After WWII the ceaseless rotation of the beam became a source of annoyance for nearby residents and a potential danger for drivers along Palos Verdes Drive. In response, caretakers took action by applying a layer of white paint to the inner windows facing inland, effectively eliminating the beacon's flash from reaching the windows of neighboring houses. It was during this time that the enigmatic figure known as the "Lady of the Light" first made an appearance. In the subdued glow seeping through the painted windows, a few observers caught glimpses of a tall serene woman, in flowing gown pacing slowly the tower's walkway.