The Palos Verdes Peninsula

Palos Verdes is a group of affluent coastal cities in the Palos Verdes Hills on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, within southwestern Los Angeles County. Below is an extensive narrative on the Four unique Cities of the Peninsula.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula cities include: Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates.

1. Rancho Palos Verdes consists of 13.5 square miles, with 7.5 miles of coastline.

There are several distinct areas or neighborhoods in Rancho Palos Verdes:

• Miraleste:Palos Verdes Drive East. This area is on the eastern side of the Peninsula and is bordered by the City of Rolling Hills on the west, the Eastview area to the east, and Mira Catalina area to the south. Many of the land in this area is zoned for horses. Neighborhoods in this area include Miraleste Hills, Colt Road, Coach Road, Bronco, Sunnyside Ridge, Rockinghorse and Roan Road.
• Mira Catalina:Palos Verdes Drive South. This neighborhood runs along the coastline from the border of San Pedro along Palos Verdes Drive South, including Portuguese Bend, north to Point Vicente Park and the western terminus of Hawthorne Blvd. Many of the homes in this area have great views of the ocean and Catalina Island. Other neighborhoods include Abalone Cove, Ladera Linda, Vista Pacifica, Seacove, and Seabluff. There are several condo and town home developments in this area.
• West Palos Verdes: This area is just south of Palos Verdes Estates and goes south along the coastline along Palos Verdes Drive West.  This area includes new luxury home developments such as Ocean Front Estates at the southern terminus of Hawthorne Boulevard. Many homes in this area enjoy excellent ocean and Catalina Island views. There are no condominium developments in this neighborhood.
• Country Club:This area surrounds the Los Verdes Golf Course as well as an area to the east of Hawthorne Boulevard and south of Crest Road. The area below Hawthorne Boulevard and Crest Road is known as Monte Verde, and the area to the east of Hawthorne Boulevard is known as the the Monaco area. Condo and townhome developments in this area include Seagate and the Island View condos.
• La Cresta:Many of the homes in this area are in newer developments such as Island View homes, Wallace Ranch, The Ranch as well as other neighborhoods such as Del Cerro.
• Crest: This area is in the center of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The homes in this area are primarily townhomes and condominium developments. This area has the highest concentration of multi-family units on the Peninsula.
• Peninsula Center: This neighborhood is immediately north of the Peninsula Center shopping district and is bordered by Hawthorne Boulevard and Silver Spur Road. This neighborhood includes the commercial heart of the Peninsula. The Promenade of the Peninsulais a three level open air mall featuring a skating rink, movie theatres, restaurants, and shops.
• Silver Spur: The homes in this area tend to be smaller and older than many of the other homes in Rancho Palos Verdes, and therefore tend to be more affordable.
• Eastview:This neighborhood is directly west of San Pedro at the eastern base of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and is generally bordered on the east by Western Avenue……….Most of the homes in this area have an option of students either attending the Palos Verdes School District or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Students generally attend school at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School (located in Rolling Hills Estates) , Ridgecrest Intermediate School and Miraleste Intermediate School, and several local elementary schools, all part of the Palos Verdes Unified School System. Palos Verdes Unified School District has some of the highest test scores in the state.

Residents of Rancho Palos Verdes have many diverse recreational options. For children there are many different sports leagues including baseball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, etc.

Public golfing is available at Los Verdes Country Club. Trump National Golf Club is located at the southern edge of the Peninsula. Rancho Palos Verdes has several large parks including Hesse Park and Ryan Park. Hesse Park, located on Hawthorn Boulevard,  has 29 acres, 2 softball diamonds,  soccer fields, running track, children’s play area ,  community room, and restrooms. Ryan Park, located south of Hesse Park on Hawthorne Boulevard consists of 10 acres, a baseball field, grass areas, children’s play area, and restrooms. Del Cerro Park, located at the end of Crenshaw Boulevard, south of Crest Road, is a 5 acre park, with no facilities, Abalone Cove Shoreline Park, located near Portuguese Bend off of Palos verdes Drive West, has picnic tables and beach access. Equestrian facilities are located in the City at the Portuguese Bend Riding Club, as well as the Palos Verdes Stables in Palos Verdes Estates, and Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates. Private riding facilities are also available in Rolling Hills Estates. Tennis may be played at the Peninsula Racquet Club,  Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates, the Jack Kramer Club in Rolling Hills Estates, or at one of the excellent courts at Peninsula High. There are hiking and jogging trails throughout the city.

The Rancho Palos Verdes real estate market includes a selection of beautiful single family home developments, condominiums, townhomes, cottages and custom estate homes which share the dramatic coastline with scenic golf courses and a historic lighthouse. Rancho Palos Verdes is the largest of the four cities on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

2. Palos Verdes Estates: Palos Verdes Estates is one of the most beautiful places to live in the entire nation. It is a planned community and a good example of good city planning and controlled growth of a city. The entrances are limited and many of the streets end at the city limits. The city is made up of almost 5 square miles, with about 25% of the land zoned as permanent park land and will remain in its original natural state. There are  several different and distinct areas with each has its own unique characteristics.
•    Valmonte Area:This is a neighborhood on the eastern edge of the city. The area is characterized by the canopy of eucalyptus trees and the “Palos Verdes Golf Club and Tennis Club” which is located in the center of the Valmonte area. This is the area where the riding stable is located. The homes in this area include many of Old Spanish style, English Tudor, FrenchNormandy, Ranch style and Traditional.
•    Malaga Cove: This is where the City Hall, Police and Fire Station are located. The very first commercial plaza built is The Malaga Cove Plaza, is located here. Several retail outlets and the Post Office is also right here. The “Malaga Cove School” (the first school), the Neighborhood Church and the “Palos Verdes Beach and Athletic Club” are also located in the Lower Malaga Cove, close to the ocean. This area has beautiful homes most of Old Spanish style with red tile roofs. There are some older type condos located close to this retro commericial area.
•    Lunada Bay: The two areas of Lunada Bay are: Lower Lunada Bay and Upper Lunada Bay. Lower Lunada Bay is located south of Malaga Cove. The terrain here gently slopes downward toward the cliffs. Homes in Lunada Bay are a mix of styles including Mid Century Ranch, Old Spanish, Mediterranean, Craftsman and Traditional and what is termed California Spanish . There are some condominiums near Lunada Bay Plaza
•    Montemalaga: This area is at the upper area of hillsides of Palos Verdes Estates and has some of the newest homes in the city. Most are of Mediterranean style. Many of the homes in this area have unbelievable views of the South Bay beaches and of Santa Monica Bay. There are no condos or town homes in this area.

There are plenty of recreational options offered to the residents. There are hiking and biking trails, horse riding trails, swimming at the Palos Verdes Beach and Athletic Club for members, many youth sports leagues including baseball, soccer, lacrosse and basketball. Golfing is available at Palos Verdes Golf Club, and Los Verdes Country Club and the Trump National Golf Club in neighboring city, Rancho Palos Verdes. Tennis courts are available at the Palos Verdes Tennis Club, near the golf club, or at the courts at Palos Verdes High School.

The city has award winning schools within its boundaries. Palos Verdes High School and Palos Verdes Intermediate School, and several elementary schools are all part of the Palos Verdes Unified School District. There is an additional high school located in near-by Rolling Hills Estates, Peninsula High. Both high schools are California Distinguished Schools, with open enrollment to students on the Peninsula.

3. CITY OF ROLLING HILLS ESTATES

The City of Rolling Hills Estates is a gated and private community and has the majority of commercial and retail businesses. It is often confused with its sister city, Rolling Hills.   It has over 25 miles of bridal paths and many properties that are zoned for horses. It attracts those people who appreciate an equestrian atmosphere and lifestyle. The city was incorporated in 1957, mainly to preserve the unique rural residential and equestrian environment.

Sometimes Rolling Hills Estates is referred to as “The Heart of the Peninsula” due to the location of the Peninsula’s main shopping and retail stores in the city.  Within walking distance of Peninsula High School, this section of the city includes an open-air mall called The Avenue of the Peninsula, which has an ice-skating rink, major movie theatre, top retail stores, and a variety of diverse services and restaurants.

Over the years since its incorporation, the city has annexed real estate properties that include already  existing home developments, commercial or industrial property and other properties with special character or attributes. There are over 30 neighborhood areas within the community today, each with its own special character, architectural style and Homeowners’ Association. The City continues to take an active role in maintaining the high quality of life that makes this community such an attractive place to live.

Rolling Hills Estates is the center for most equestrian activities and on-going events. The Community Services Department of the City of Rolling Hills Estates operates the Howlett Park Equestrian Center and sponsors many of the equestrian related activities.

Things to do and recreation options are never lacking on the Peninsula as there are plenty of tennis courts, golfing, horse back riding, jogging, biking and just about anything that you might want to do is available here and in the other cities on the Peninsula. Rolling Hills Estates is a great place to live, work and raise a family among the green rolling hills, canyons and vast open spaces.

4. CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA
The City of Rolling Hills, California is one of a total of four cities that occupy the Palos Verdes Peninsula, or the Palos Verdes Hills. The Palos Verdes Peninsula is located in the southern most part of the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Anywhere on the Palos Verdes Peninsula is considered to be one of the most beautiful areas in which to live of any place in the world. The median household income in Rolling Hills is almost $210,000. Many people confuse the City of Rolling Hills with its sister city on the hill called Rolling Hills Estates. The other cities on the  Peninsula are Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates.

This is a single 24.7 guarded gated community. The residents work, go to school, shop, and obtain other  services in the other three towns on the “Hill”. Since its  incorporation  in 1957, it has  maintained a somewhat rural or ranch type character, with no traffic lights, large open spaces between houses, and wide equestrian paths along streets.

The city enjoys a unique lifestyle and very high standard of living and the residents work together with the residents of the other 3 cities to maintain the natural beauty of the surroundings and the native wildlife in the area. The latest population count is around 1900 residents. According to the 2000 census, Rolling Hills is the 21st richest place in the U.S. Rolling Hills offers a variety of municipal services to its residents and visitors including: Fire and law enforcement (LA County), Planning, Vector control, building and safety (LA County), animal control and licensing, Waste disposal, Complete backyard recycling.

The city occupies only 3 square miles on the east side of the ‘Hill”,  maintaining an extensive horse trail system throughout the city totaling 23 miles, and many of the city’s residences have stables and corral facilities. Making this an equestrian’s dream with 23 miles of horse trails and three community riding rings. Its three entrances with guarded gates to these areas , providing the Rolling Hills residents and their guests, access to the many private roads traversing the city’s hills and canyons.

Most of the homes in Rolling Hills are of the ranch single family style and most sit on large parcels of land.  There are no apartments, condominiums or commercial buildings,  accented by breathtaking panoramic views of the Los Angeles basin, from Malibu to Newport Beach, some even breathtaking views across the bay to Catalina Island. Privacy and serenity are highly prized in this exclusive city. It is truly a wonderful place to live and work and raise a family.