What to Do in Redondo Beach, CA
Best Luxury Hotel, Activities and Restaurant in a Low-Key Beach Town
May 26, 2008
The Southern California coastline is known for its beauty and diversity. From the crowded beaches of Santa Monica, Los Angeles and Malibu, to the famous surf sites in San Mateo and San Diego, there's a lot of discover for the ocean-loving California tourist. One beach town between LA and Huntington Beach, often overlooked, is Redondo Beach. What is chosen to do there defines the quality of a vacation.
A luxury vacation is comparatively affordable in Redondo Beach. However, truly upscale travel activities can be hard to ferret out. Most of the action here is on the pier and beach, and cheap eats are everywhere. The good news is that, since Redondo Beach is not as high-end as its neighboring beach towns, even a relatively luxurious vacation here can be easily budgeted.
How to Have a Luxury Vacation in Redondo Beach, California
- Stay at the Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club. It's the nicest hotel in town, with each room offering views of either the ocean, boat channel, or the marina. Everything is new, and the comfortable yet elegant interior feels just right for an upscale stay by the water. There is a huge Crowne Plaza across the street, but it's the Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club that gets high marks for both location and sophisticated luxury accommodations. The other nicest rated Redondo Beach hotels are both Best Westerns.
- Eat breakfast and/or lunch at the Baleen Restaurant. It is the Portofino's on-site restaurant, and fittingly relaxed (this IS Southern California, after all) while still well-appointed. Baleen is the signature restaurant of members of the of Noble House family, and for good reason: The entrees are immensely creative and satisfying, beautifully presented, and delicious. The views of the cool Pacific Ocean outside provide a nice counterpoint to the crackling fire, candles, and cushioned furniture in the upstairs lounge. Dinner here is excellent, too.
- Eat dinner at Chez Melange. This is the restaurant affiliated with the Palos Verdes Inn, a Redondo Beach hotel that is only average. As befits the overall feel of the town, it's comfortable and casual, but definitely elegant as well. The menu is always changing, but with the mix of Mexican, French and American fare, it can loosely be considered California Cuisine. If travel plans include staying through Sunday, don't miss the weekend brunch at Chez Melange. With a distinct French flavor, it's a great meal for people who take their Sunday brunch seriously.
- See a play or some musical theater at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. Its resident companies include the Civic Light Opera Group of South Bay Cities, a Distinguished Speaker Series, and the Los Angeles Ballet too. A vacation here is close enough to Los Angeles that the quality of the talent and the shows are of a notably high caliber.
- The Redondo pier has its share of grubby beer joints and t-shirt selling tourist traps. Avoid these, but go to Mie Pearl at 112 Fisherman's Wharf (that's the name of the pier). There, for around 12 dollars you pick out your own live oyster, and the guy who works there cracks it open. There is a guaranteed pearl in there - sometimes two, and sometimes, even three! The group that Luxury Travel tried this with received single black pearls, doubles, and even triple white pearls. It's pretty exciting, and not the gamble that similar "pick your pearl" type storefronts offer. There is a lovely jewelry store behind this walk-up pearl finding fun, and the temptation to purchase earrings to set new-found pearls in is hard to resist.
- Check out Harvelle's Jazz Club, also on the pier. This is a pretty nice jazz club with an atmosphere (and approving audience) that attracts local, national and international musicians. The New Starboard Attitude also has live music; loud blues bands playing in a bar make for a great evening of entertainment.
Redondo Beach epitomizes low-key Southern California beach towns. It's not pretentious, but relaxed and casual. A luxury vacation here is affordable, easy to budget, and recommended.
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