Wow! A beautiful and intriguing fountain in the middle of a small parking lot…read more The mermaids are in a peculiar stance and doing special things with their hands. Don't remember too much of those poses/statues in high school history classes.

Dec. 2011 review update:…read more I'm obsessed with this fountain. I might need an intervention. I'm in Malaga Cove Plaza every couple days: post office, market, coffee shop, cafes, gift shop, newspapers....recently I was there to get my hair done. I got to Malaga 40 min early so I could check out fountain photo ops. I was almost late for my appt.. Two hours later, hair cut & colored, I'm back at the fountain waiting for sunset. I was freezing. I was hungry. Should've gone potty before I left the salon but was in a hurry to get back to the fountain....(TMI, apologies). Sometimes in the plaza I avoid looking at the fountain. Resist. Don't take that first pic, you'll be hooked. A couple times they shut off the fountain's water & I felt a sense of panic. Withdrawal symptoms. I never check-in here. People will get wise. She's at the fountain again. Complete transparency: I haven't posted all the pics I've taken, not even close. It's embarrassing. This has been going on for 8 years. I'm exhausted. That Beach Boys song, "Help Me Rhonda", plays in my head but I altered the words: Help me Neptune Help, help me Neptune Help me get him out of my head. I've seen a lot of beautiful fountains in my day (e.g., Chicago's landmark Buckingham Fountain) but none so captivating as this one. It's got me. And there are no barriers here to keep people at a distance. It's so easy to use the sky as a photo backdrop, as water squirts & drips from every cherub, mermaid & dolphin orifice. Flowering trees surround the fountain in late winter/early spring. And Neptune, the star of the show, appears to reach for clouds & contrails. Sometimes it looks as if they emanate from his giant hand. He's powerful. I'm smitten. Another Yelper managed to capture Neptune holding the moon, well done. And then there's that pic where the stature is purple, captioned "photo class". Creative. And btw....about that fig leaf: Originally Neptune was not wearing one, which apparently caused a bit of an uproar as did the topless mermaids which remain. I'm guessing that today, almost a hundred years later, there'd be an even bigger uproar over a completely naked Neptune in the middle of a parking lot. So we've got half-nekkid Nept with the girls spraying water from their bosoms & a crazy lady taking pictures & everybody's just doin' their thing. A glimmer of hope: I'm not tempted to take photos when it's raining. Yet. But whoa, what interesting shots those could be. Uh oh

The good: This place is one of a kind! I am so happy I…read morefinally got around to visiting this place. Parking is free! The whale museum is free! Tours of the lighthouse are free! The picnic tables areas are plentiful and there's lots of grass for picnics blankets. The views are great. It's a great spot for whale watching. I noticed people coming here and bringing their camping chairs just to read. It's relaxing and you get to enjoy the sea breeze and beautiful sunset. I also noticed youngsters coming to record an acoustic guitar music video. I imagine people come here to paint as well. The bad: I've lived around here for almost 3 years now and haven't been here until now. The interesting: They do tours of the actual lighthouse area a few times a month and it's completely free and doesn't require a reservation.

The lighthouse is tall and picturesque sitting regally on a cliff. It's a must to stop and take…read moresome photos if driving down the coast of PV. The lighthouse has really restrictive hours, only open the second Saturday every month from 10-3 so you have to plan for this if you wanted to go inside. I went years ago and remember it being kind of a clusterfuck with a lot of people and disorganized system on entering. But the good part was you could go inside all the way to the top. Just the picture from the outside would suffice for most people. The Point Vicente Interpretation Center is nearby as well as some cliff trails to explore.

Free concert happening in the park right now. U2 cover band…read more People are picnicking on the lawn, family & dog friendly. Summer concerts are sponsored by Lunada Bay HOA, but I'm not sure how often they happen (I should have asked). Free parking all around the area. I didn't stick around long cuz I've been out in the sun too much today & I needed to just come home! What a party pooper.....

Beautiful park, dog friendly and a really nice location. This is a nice spot to come to and relax,…read moreget away from the busy things in life and just enjoy your surroundings. When we went there which was a late afternoon on a weekday, no one was here. I do agree with another review that I wouldn't say that this is a park but it is a nice location to relax, the coastline is right nearby.

Coastal trek to the site of a shipwreck. It's not so much a hiking trail as it is walking over…read morerocks on the beach trying not to twist your ankle. Hiking boots with ankle support are strongly recommended. Came here with a friend on a Saturday around 10:30am and it was very sunny - make sure to wear sunscreen and sunglasses! There's no shade. No bathrooms are available on the trail. Street parking is available and if you come in the late morning, it won't be too hard to find a spot. There were a ton of surfers that were heading back up the trail as we went down, so we must've came after the morning rush. It got a bit monotonous after a while going over the rocks, but the ocean breeze felt nice and the view was nice. My friend and I decided to climb up one of the cliff side trails and head back to our cars via the street, so you can get a variety of paths. You'll also get a look at quite a few pretty houses. Definitely take some time at the site of the shipwreck to sit and watch the little crabs and fish in the shore.

I love this place, been here many times and usually will cross paths with few to no other people…read more Keep it clean!!! Loook for little lizards and crabs. There's two ways to get there, one much shorter and steeper than the others

First time here …read more It was a pleasant surprise to find this beautiful garden area in the city . We came here to see specifically to see the Trolls by artist Thomas Dambo that come here annually. There are 12 Trolls placed about the park which you walk to find. You are instructed to follow the "sparkles" that show which way to go along the paths throughout the garden. We were fortunate to meet a regular patron of this park , and he graciously led us to each Troll. He also shared additional information about the garden and pointed out unique points of interest too. We had a great time looking for the Trolls and enjoyed the lovely day walking around these gardens . * I ended up purchasing an annual pass at the end of our tour. Today's entry fee was applied toward the pass too. Looking forward in coming again.

First time visitor! I experienced the Trolls and Butterflies! Both were definitely an experience I…read morehighly recommend! What a joyful day. The South Coast Botanic Gardens is organized well by the staff. It is easy to navigate, however, their wifi internet connection is horrible, thus the 4 stars. If you want more information, you can scan the QR code at each troll, but in our case, it only buffered for several minutes, so we gave up. We also learned for a fee, you can get more information on each troll, but we passed on paying more for that and enjoyed just seeing these wonderful wooden creations. We truly enjoyed the trolls and I am so grateful the trolls are here until October 2026. The butterfly experience was fun fun fun! It is a small enclosed area and I learned more butterflies are on their way. We arrived the second day of opening. The weather was chilly and many of the butterflies were resting, so it was hard to see them. It doesn't matter, we were very happy to be in this special enclosed space. The staff here answered our questions and we told them they were fortunate to volunteer there. Parking: plenty of free parking on site. Do arrive early. The temperature was nice in the morning to walk around and parking was easy. As we were leaving, it was getting more crowded. We saw a place that sold food, but we passed on this and drove to a restaurant to have lunch.

If you haven't been to the Korean Bell of Friendship, you're missing out on a hidden gem in the…read moreSouth Bay. It is a symbol of friendship and community not just to South Korea, but Koreans living in United States. It is also a beautiful landmark surrounded by the cliffside vista of the Pacific Ocean below. There is also a basketball court nearby and a good amount of picnic grounds. It can get pretty windy and cold here, so be sure to come prepared for both!

Why does it take years and moving away to actual experience places that's been there for a while. A…read morenice sunny afternoon driving around and seeing what's there to offer. Plus it's been decades since I was last around this area. There's so many stops along the way during our drive which this was the first along the path. It's a nice decent size park that it part of. A good amount of parking in the lot next to the basketball courts. Right along the bell is a massive grassy knoll where people were enjoying picnics and laying out. Of course today was beautiful but it was quite windy. Didn't help that the park was little higher than the rest so it made the wind a bit more aggressive. The focal point, the massive bell. With a walkway that leads you to the prize possession. Right in the middle looking out to the Pacific Ocean, she sits there on full display. The bright beautiful color of the details painted was a sight to see. Stairs leading up to the bell where you could walk around. It is roped off. Regardless whatever side you're looking at, it's was quite amazing. Something like this on a hill that's part of the city. If you walk down the grassy knoll, the view of the pacific ocean and cliffs were spectacular. Having a seat and just taking it all in was nice. It was windy so it did get cold but on a nice sunny and clear day, you could see miles and miles of the coastline and tide pools. These little hidden spots in the city are cute when you find them. There's also a little playground around the corner from the bell by the exit and entrance.

The 2024-2025 NBA season kicked off today and what better place to kick off basketball season than…read morewith a visit to the Kobe Bryant Mural located in Torrance! Painted by Mike Trujillo; the mural highlights Kobe's basketball journey via all his jerseys. The mural starts off on the left with a painting showasing when he played high-school basketball at Lower Merion High School and wore #33. The mural then shows how he first wore #8 for the Lakers for when was first drafted and on to when he won three championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The mural next highlights him wearing the #10 jersey for the USA men's basketball team at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Lastly it shows Kobe sporting #24 starting in the 2006-07 season; all the way till he retired in 2016. I also loved how the mural had purple and gold hues for the background. This is an amazing mural to see and it can be easily missed as it is on the backside of the Burger City restaurant in Torrance. I definitely say though it is one not to pass up seeing as it's a great tribute to Kobe via showcasing all of Kobe's jerseys from the start to the finish of his career. This mural is something Lakers and basketball fans will truly appreciate. I know I certainly did!

Public art in Torrance, California…read more.. My friend, Craig Y., knew that there was a relatively new Kobe Bryant mural in his hometown. He tried to figure out where it was located on Torrance Boulevard. We found it in Old Town Torrance... on the wall of Burger City Grill. It's by Mike Trujillo and is awesome! The gigantic mural has great illumination at night! It includes all of the numbers that Kobe wore: from High School, to the Olympics, and when we was with the Lakers! Look for Kobe's Academy Award! It's very cool - go see it!

Landmark in Rolling Hills Estates, California…read more.. I've had this place bookmarked for years, but wasn't in the area and didn't make time to find the Palos Verdes Flower Talking Clock. This evening after dinner, we searched our lists of things to do. I drove to this shopping plaza and finally found The Flower Clock at the exit lane of a bank. I should have parked on the street, but I was so happy to see The Clock that I ran out of the car and blocked the driveway! My impressions: It's very pretty with live flowering plants! The hands of the clock work! It's amazing! After reading a few reviews, I learned that at noon, it plays The National Anthem daily! It also announces the time on the hour! Michel Medawar, a watch repairer from Beirut, Lebanon, created this masterpiece in appreciation for his new country (The USA) when he moved here in 1975. The Talking Flower Clock was dedicated in 1987 by Actor Danny Thomas. I'll have to return at noon someday!

Located off Silver Spur Road in Palos Verdes. You can park on the street to quickly check it out…read more It's working clock with everything made of flowers. It also is supposed to talk but we didn't hear anything maybe it does every hour, 30 mins or 15 mins I dunno there was no signage mentioning it. Overall something interesting to see lol.

Visited this park on a Thursday lunch time with my two dogs in tow…read more Parking is not free and you have to download the app to pay-per-hour. I found plenty of free street parking across the street and all around the neighborhood instead. After nearly getting hit by a car a few times and getting approached by an intoxicated looking homeless or two, we finally made it to the park. And then that's when we discovered that the place is NOT DOG FRIENDLY. Omg! At first, I thought I saw the signs wrong and had to actually go up close to it. I also witnessed a bunch of other dog owners walking around the park with their dogs but many had them not leashed. That's when it dawned on me why the park has a no dog allowed policy. It's honestly very infuriating when people are so blatantly disrespectful about park policies and other people's safety. Not to mention the dog shit everywhere that really shouldn't have been there. Ugh. And that was enough of LA County shenanigans for me that day.

The oceanfront Veterans Park is located at the corner of south catalina avenue and torrance…read moreboulevard, which features grass, trees, and playground. The community center, formerly the main library of Redondo beach, is currently unavailable and under construction. I always like the elevated ocean view, and found it's quite peaceful to walk around here.