Torrance Beach is a beautiful, soft sand
beach framed by the hills of Palos Verdes south of Redondo Beach. The one
and a half miles of smooth sand is lifeguard patrolled and offers swings for
kids, volleyball nets, bath house facilities and public parking for a small
fee. You must park on a hill above and walk down sets of stairs or a ramp to
gain access to the beach, where you can swim, surf, play and wander along
several coves.
BEACHCALIFORNIA.COM did not know about
Torrance Beach until you, the viewers, contacted us and invited us to visit
your special spot. It's not on the beaten path, and is overshadowed
(literally) by the hills that tower to its south and by Southern
California's better known neighboring haunts of Redondo, Manhattan and
Hermosa Beaches. Torrance is one of those sleeper beaches in which long time
residents of nearby Redondo Beach told us they did not think much about
Torrance having a beach and perceived the location more as a continuation of
their beloved Redondo. Unlike its neighbors north, there are no hotels,
piers or commercial offerings here, except for a cute food concession,
Alfredo's, which is open in the summer. There's an easy going feel on this
laid back beach where the sloped grounds and fenced yards of houses on the
hill line the beach, creating an atmosphere more of a neighborhood than a
tourist attraction.
Best known for its friendly atmosphere that
makes doing business easier, the City of Torrance is home to corporate
offices for numerous companies from computer firms to auto manufacturers.
Commuters who drive daily to Torrance, enjoy its convenient location near
the 405 San Diego Freeway and a few miles south of Los Angeles International
Airport. Many of those commuters know Torrance for its hotels, shopping
centers, entertainment facilities and parks. Few of them have time or
interest to visit Torrance Beach, however.
From the City of Torrance we discovered that
it is the site of the annual Daily Breeze International Surf Festival which
attracts thousands each summer. Torrance also hosts the nation's largest and
longest running Armed Forces Day Observance each May, Mobil 10k run each
spring and Torrance Beach Cities Team Triathlon in September, Bunka-Sai
Japanese Festival, Gourmet Food and Wine Festival, and the Torrance shorts
Film Festival.
