Palos Verdes is a place of leisure where residents and visitors are known to linger over delicious food, good conversation and beautiful scenery. And who can blame them? Perched atop the cliffs with sweeping views of the Pacific, the Palos Verdes Peninsula is hardly a place that goes unnoticed or unappreciated.
Aside from unobstructed views of the ocean, Catalina Island and the other South Bay coastal cities, Palos Verdes also maintains a pristine landscape that can be described as both lush and historic. The area has been known as a green haven since the Spanish arrived in the late 18th century. It was originally part of the Rancho San Pedro land grant, but became known as Rancho de los Palos Verdes, or ranch of the green trees, in 1827 when it was obtained by Jose Dolores Sepulveda. The area’s rustic feel was also appreciated by a group of New York investors, who eventually purchased the land and turned it into the master-planned community that it is now, complete with horse trails, golf courses and beautifully designed neighborhoods.
Other interesting facets of the Palos Verdes’ landscape include the two fountains that welcome visitors into the area’s main retail centers. A majestic fountain featuring King Neptune, the Roman sea god, presides over the entrance to Malaga Cove Plaza, while a fountain that depicts children playing, named La Fuente de los Ninos, or Fountain of the Children, is located on a median along Palos Verdes Drive West in front of Lunada Bay Plaza.
While this area tends to rely on nearby cities for much of its recreational shopping needs, residents don’t have to look any further than their own front yards to fulfill their actual recreational needs. According to the Horse-Report, the peninsula contains more than 90 miles of riding trails, many of which are also ideal for hikers, runners, bird watchers and bikers. Experienced surfers will appreciate Lunada Bay, a spot along the Western tip of the peninsula that is often compared to Hawaii’s Sunset Beach. For those who prefer a calmer activity, Point Vicente Lighthouse provides hours of entertainment as visitors can watch gray whales travel to and from Baja, California.
Club life is also a huge part of the peninsula experience, as the Los Verdes Golf Course and Country Club, Trump National Golf Course, Palos Verdes Beach and Athletic Club, Palos Verdes Golf Club and Palos Verdes Tennis Club are all close by.
Interestingly, all this leisurely activity doesn’t seem to have a negative effect on the residents’ work ethic. Schools within the Palos Verdes Unified School District regularly achieve some of the highest test scores in California. In fact, Palos Verdes High School and Palos Verdes Peninsula High School were listed among the top Los Angeles public high schools in 2008 in Los Angeles magazine. Palos Verdes parents are just as successful as their children. In 2007, the median household income was $104,002, meaning that Palos Verdes residents earned 42% more than the median California household, according to City-Data.com.
Palos Verdes is a place of leisure where residents and visitors are known to linger over delicious food, good conversation and beautiful scenery. And who can blame them? Perched atop the cliffs with sweeping views of the Pacific, the Palos Verdes Peninsula is hardly a place that goes unnoticed or unappreciated.
Aside from unobstructed views of the ocean, Catalina Island and the other South Bay coastal cities, Palos Verdes also maintains a pristine landscape that can be described as both lush and historic. The area has been known as a green haven since the Spanish arrived in the late 18th century. It was originally part of the Rancho San Pedro land grant, but became known as Rancho de los Palos Verdes, or ranch of the green trees, in 1827 when it was obtained by Jose Dolores Sepulveda. The area’s rustic feel was also appreciated by a group of New York investors, who eventually purchased the land and turned it into the master-planned community that it is now, complete with horse trails, golf courses and beautifully designed neighborhoods.
Other interesting facets of the Palos Verdes’ landscape include the two fountains that welcome visitors into the area’s main retail centers. A majestic fountain featuring King Neptune, the Roman sea god, presides over the entrance to Malaga Cove Plaza, while a fountain that depicts children playing, named La Fuente de los Ninos, or Fountain of the Children, is located on a median along Palos Verdes Drive West in front of Lunada Bay Plaza.
While this area tends to rely on nearby cities for much of its recreational shopping needs, residents don’t have to look any further than their own front yards to fulfill their actual recreational needs. According to the Horse-Report, the peninsula contains more than 90 miles of riding trails, many of which are also ideal for hikers, runners, bird watchers and bikers. Experienced surfers will appreciate Lunada Bay, a spot along the Western tip of the peninsula that is often compared to Hawaii’s Sunset Beach. For those who prefer a calmer activity, Point Vicente Lighthouse provides hours of entertainment as visitors can watch gray whales travel to and from Baja, California.
Club life is also a huge part of the peninsula experience, as the Los Verdes Golf Course and Country Club, Trump National Golf Course, Palos Verdes Beach and Athletic Club, Palos Verdes Golf Club and Palos Verdes Tennis Club are all close by.
Interestingly, all this leisurely activity doesn’t seem to have a negative effect on the residents’ work ethic. Schools within the Palos Verdes Unified School District regularly achieve some of the highest test scores in California. In fact, Palos Verdes High School and Palos Verdes Peninsula High School were listed among the top Los Angeles public high schools in 2008 in Los Angeles magazine. Palos Verdes parents are just as successful as their children. In 2007, the median household income was $104,002, meaning that Palos Verdes residents earned 42% more than the median California household, according to City-Data.com
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PV’s Botanic Garden Acts as Water-Saving Inspiration to Homeowners
It’s warm in Southern California, and we all know what that means: water-rationing. Whether mandated by the government or by the household bill-payer, hotter temperatures mean we all have to do what we can to conserve our resources and save money. That’s why Pedra Furmall, an expert gardener at the peninsula’s South Coast Botanic Garden, recently shared the strategies and techniques she uses to keep the grounds healthy and the water rationed with the National Fuchsia Society’s local branch.... [Read more...]
Palos Verdes High School has One of the Highest CAHSEE Passage Rates
Palos Verdes High School is known for its tough academics and well-performing student body. These attributes were recently reinforced when the preliminary results of the CAHSEE were released. CAHSEE, which stands for California High School Exit Examination, is a standardized test that contains sections in English–language arts (ELA) and mathematics. High school students initially take the test during their sophomore years. They must achieve passing scores on both sections, which can each be taken... [Read more...]
Palos Verdes Home Prices Rise in July
Waterfront Property ~ Palos Verdes, CA The South Bay housing market is becoming more stable by the month as analysts forecast that an end to the recession may be in sight. Evidence of this can be found on the peninsula where two cities, Palos Verdes Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, were listed among the 10 California cities with the highest median home prices. Palos Verdes Estates came in with a median home price of $1.13 million in July, while Rancho Palos Verdes boasted a median of $945,000.... [Read more...]
