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Home » Family Travel » Los Angeles

A Play Day in the South Bay

There are so many things to do in South Bay California, which we've discovered from meeting our "L.A." friends and family over the years.

My first stop is always food.  King's Hawaiian Restaurant is off Sepulveda in Torrance.  If you know about the famous King's Hawaiian bread in the supermarket, you'll just swoon over the bakery!  We stand over the cases and browse pastry items to take home. I always get the King's Breakfast Burrito, because it has their yummy fried rice inside.  You can't go wrong with the French toast, though.

Once your tummy is full, you can head on over to Ernie Howlett Park in Rancho Palos Verdes (25851 Hawthorne Blvd.) where we ran a natural outdoor obstacle course. It has restrooms and a neighboring stable to watch the horses!

Another great stop is the South Coast Botanic Gardens (26300 Crenshaw Blvd), but leave plenty of time for this one!  There are tons of trails to walk and explore and a fabulous children's garden.  I could spend many days photographing the flowers here and the kids didn't even get to do the maze garden!

There are many more parks to explore on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. If you visit them, let me know what you find so I can add the info here!

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About Michele Whiteaker

Writer mom and nature guide promoting play and empowering families to prioritize outside time since 2008. Park information gathered through my personal experiences and provided as a FREE community resource to millions of Orange County families over the past 17 years via blog and social media. Subscribe to my FREE weekly email inspiring you with park tips and play ideas.

"The Park Lady"

My name is Michele Whiteaker and I'd love for you to think of me as your personal Play Concierge. Humbly sharing playful OC outdoor places to fit your tight budget through this unofficial and free community resource filled with time-tested recommendations from parents/caregivers like you.

More about me

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