A couple of weeks ago while shopping at Once Upon a Time I came across a book called 10,000 Steps a Day in L.A.
Written by Paul Haddad it features 52 10,000 step walks around the LA area. Always looking for unique ways to see the city I eagerly purchased it. I read through it that night and was happy to see several walks in outlying areas like the South Bay and the San Gabriel Valley. Eager to get started I decided to try the first walk as soon as possible so last Saturday along with my mom I headed to Palos Verdes to trek along the coast.
Now, let’s just get this over with – we didn’t complete the entire walk. We started out late and deciding we’d rather go than skip it entirely we had to cut it short. We only skipped the last leg so I’d say we got about 7,000 steps in. Not too shabby.
The main drag on the peninsula is Palos Verdes Drive which hugs the coastline. Just off the road is a small street called Calle Entradero which was to be the start of the hike. I initially overshot it and when I reached Palos Verdes Estates I realized I had to turn around. Oops. Second time’s a charm and I soon found the street and the small lot to park in. Since it was a Saturday the lot was pretty full but we managed to find a spot and soon set off.
It was a lovely day and there were several folks out enjoying the weather. There were families, hikers and lots of dogs. We walked steadily enjoying the view and soon came across a small amphitheater facing the ocean. According to the book this is a popular spot for whale watching as gray whales often pass during their migration. Since it was out of season there were no whales but the view was lovely nevertheless.
Just beyond the viewing area is the Vicente Interpretive Center – a quaint museum with exhibits pertaining to the history of the peninsula. We stopped inside to look around and I loved the area devoted to Marineland.
I never visited the park during it’s tenure but several years ago my friends and I explored its ruins. Now replaced by the ultra posh Terranea resort it’s just a blip in SoCal history.
Man, I love a good tacky souvenir.
We soon left the museum and continued to the Point Vicente Lighthouse.
The lighthouse was built in 1926 and is still in operation to this day. It’s only open to the public one Saturday a month and, unfortunately, we visited on the wrong one. A shame but at least it gives me an excuse to return. When open you can climb to the top and you can rest assured I will do that one day.
At this point we decided to turn around and head back to the car. Since it was such a lovely day the trail was just as enjoyable on our return trip. Palos Verdes is really one of my favorite places to hike and I know I’ll be back before too long.
The post A Coastal Walk in Palos Verdes appeared first on La Explorer.