The South Bay has some of the nicest areas to visit for photography, picnics, hiking, sightseeing and a lot more.
There are three stand-out locations that the South Bay has to offer when visiting the area, next time you’re driving along or around the coast of the South Bay:
- Sunken City, San Pedro
- Wayfarers Chapel, Rancho Palos Verdes
- Point Vicente, Rancho Palos Verdes
These locations are generally always occupied with an abundance of people, but the amount of people doesn’t interfere with the locations’ beauty. There’s enough area to appreciate what you’re seeing.
A visit to these parts is recommended if you’ve never been before, it’s a nice experience and a great place to stopover if you’re around the area.
Photography is very popular in today’s culture, people on social media are usually hunting for the perfect spot to take their next profile picture or just post.
The perfect angle and shot will come as long as the sun is always behind you and not in front of your camera lens.
There are a lot of hidden locations around the coast where you can stop for a quick look or a quick snapshot, so you’ll never forget the view, this side of the community brings in people from all over.
Rancho Palos Verdes reels in a lot of tourists and locals to some of the hiking trails scattered around the city.
If you are a fan of being in the water there are a plethora of private and public beaches to fill your head with sand. Many beaches within the South Bay coast offer different beach fronts such as:
- Golden Cove which offers a rocky beach front with small pools of water in trenches formed by the rocks.
- Portuguese Bend Beach Club which is a private beach nestled in a gated community which offers a wide flat beach with imported sand and plenty of shared picnic tables and sports courts.
Other reasons that attract people to the peninsula is the vibe and culture you can feel and sense walking down the street or the beach everything feels so much closer to nature and the beautiful views that can be seen driving down Pacific Coast Highway.
Sunken City
According to dailybreeze.com George Peck began building Bungalows on a six acres stretch just south of Shepard Street in San Pedro in the mid-1920s. He imagined it to be the go-to housing market for perfect views from atop a cliff.
Unfortunately, on January 2, 1929, in the area Peck had built his bungalows, there would be a devastating landslide.
The land was eventually moving at a rate of three inches per day. Over the years this place has become a hang out destination to the likes of teenagers, gang members, the homeless and many people from all over the area looking for an eerie atmosphere and street art along with spectacular views from atop the cliffs.
According to the LA Times, californiacuriosities.com, and ktla.com, there have been around 18 deaths in the last five years and in 2003, there were five cliffside deaths, two of which happened within a three-day span. In 2006, four people fell or threw themselves from the cliffs onto the rocks below and died.
Sunken City offers a beautiful view of the ocean from atop cliffs and brings with it the passion and style of Los Angeles street art among artists, filmers, vloggers and other creative people.
Many musicians find inspiration from the atmosphere surrounding Sunken City, such as local EDM artist Michael Gilliam, who finds inspiration from the area.
“Its kinda therapeutic for me actually. I get inspiration from the way artists express themselves and i feed off of their energy out here,” he said.
Gilliam, whose DJ name is blvckjesus, says Sunken City has inspired a song or two
He said, “I come up here about once or twice a week and just sit here, relax and find inspiration through meditation and the calming sounds along with the artwork.”
Knowing the dangers of instability of Sunken City Gilliam stated, “I don’t think it’s dangerous as long as you are being responsible, I don’t think anyone should be getting hurt out here.”
Sunken City is blocked off to everyone who tries to enter and also has trespassing signs posted along the fence that keep people out. Even though there is a heavy presence of people, when asked how to enter the place Gillam said, “I climb a fence at the end of the trail and walk down, but there is another way of getting in that is safer that I have yet to try.”
Wayfarers Chapel
Wayfarers Chapel, also known as the “Glass Chapel,” is known for its unique modern architecture and seemingly all-glass design, making it seem as though you are getting married in a utopia of nature.
The Chapel is well known for its location off the cliffs over the Pacific Ocean, which was designed by Lloyd Wright in the late 1940s.
The Chapel features geometric designs and incorporates the natural landscape into the design and its scenic location, the church is very popular for weddings, both the inside of the chapel as well as the chapel grounds.
The Chapel has grown in popularity over the years as it has been featured in many television shows and music video from “The O.C.” to the 2014 movie “Endless Love,” and Marina and the Diamond’s “Baby” music video.
Many people use this church as a wedding destination. Northern California resident, Don, who preferred to not give her last name was married at the chapel 10 years earlier and visited the location to reminisce.
She recalls, “It was the view that initially caught our eyes, it’s beautiful.”
Don remembered what if felt like to be wedded, “It was actually just a serene day, there was a calmness and I think it had to do with the church being glass, open and just surrounded by nature.”
Many people, even if not getting married, come out to this beautiful area to propose, picnic and enjoy the view with a loved one.
Point Vicente
Point Vicente Lighthouse was built in 1926 on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. It is the most prominent coastal feature.
The lighthouse was created to mark the turning point into the harbors of San Pedro and Long Beach, but was not approved until 1916.
The light source was dimmed during World War II to avoid aiding enemies. It was automated in 1971 by the United States Coast Guard.
Today, the lighthouse gives out free tours every second Saturday of the month along with being a family-friendly park where families come to picnic and enjoy the scenery.
Raymond, who declined to give his last name, has friends who live out in the area and comes out to the lighthouse to enjoy the view, “It’s very beautiful and the air is fresh.”
He enjoys the fresh air and view so much that he has encouraged other people to come out and join him in taking in the view. He said, “I have already got some of my friends to come up here with me, as well as some of my friends from out of state and even out of the country out here to enjoy all of this. They say it’s amazing.”
Raymond has plans on moving to Ranchos Palos Verde just for the view.
Point Vicente has come along way from being a lighthouse and staying dark to avoid enemies during World War two, to now creating everlasting moments for families and friends who soak up nature and enjoy the view.
