In addition to its stunning beaches, Palos Verdes also boasts a great selection of parks offering picture-perfect views and first-class amenities.
Many of the parks offer a wide range of enjoyable outdoor activities, perfect for families looking to spend time enjoying the wonders of nature.
Here are some of the many incredible parks you can visit in the area:
Del Cerro Park
2 Park Place, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Visitors of Del Cerro Park can soak in gorgeous panoramic views of the ocean, offshore islands, deep canyons, and coastal headlands. This park is great for families with children, as it features sprawling grassy play areas secured by safety fences.
For outdoor lovers searching for one of the most picturesque views in the area, there’s a great vantage point at the park’s bluff top that shows the vast undeveloped landscape on the south side of the city.
The Del Cerro Park grounds are open daily, one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.
Portuguese Bend Reserve
Crenshaw Boulevard, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
The nearly 400-acre Portuguese Bend Reserve is the largest of all ten reserves that make up the expansive Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. This stunning outdoor destination offers an enchanting natural landscape filled with rolling hills, unique rock outcrops, steep canyons, and a diverse variety of drought-resistant shrubs and flowering plants.
Hikers, bikers, and equestrians can access the reserve’s network of scenic nature trails, with difficulty levels ranging from moderate to difficult. The trails offer outdoor lovers a scenic adventure, with its incredible views of the coast’s beautiful canyons and breathtaking vistas. The most popular trail in the area is the Burma Road Trail, which is located at the end of Crenshaw Blvd.
Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve is a stunning bluff-top park and rocky beach located right in the heart of Palos Verdes Estates.
From the preserve’s cliff edge, visitors can take in breathtaking views of Catalina Island, the Channel Islands, Bluff Cove, and the beach communities lining Santa Monica Bay to Point Dume. During certain parts of the year, visitors may also be able to spot migrating whales from this area.
Among the preserve’s features is a picturesque bluff-top trail that winds through the park, leading to steep, rugged footpaths to the beach. The beach runs 4.5 miles along the coast, and is excellent for walking, beachcombing, and tide pooling, as it features many fascinating tide pools during low tide.
Ernie Howlett Park
Rolling Hills Estates, CA
The 35-acre Ernie Howlett Park features a wide variety of excellent facilities perfect for sports and other leisure activities. Some of the park’s amenities include multi-purpose athletic fields, a basketball court, a volleyball court, playgrounds, picnic tables, and a ¾-mile running track and bicycle path.
The park is also the home of the Rolling Hills Estates Tennis Club and Equestrian Center, which features eight fully equipped tennis courts, three riding rings, and a multi-use horse trail.