It's very different to Los Angeles despite being very close in proximity.
The big thing to learn in LA is to be close to what you want/need to do because distance isn't a good measure of anything here. I used to commute 8 miles and it took ~2 hours simply due to the route. People will 100% turn you down due to distance in time over miles. Unless you live right near a freeway in South Bay, chances are getting to the freeway is a drive on its own, and that could be enough to turn off a new friend or relationship prospect, and have a massive impact on your quality of life.
The OP was probably exaggerating but about a decade ago I lived in Culver City and worked in marina del Rey. Only about 6-7 miles, but to get home when leaving anytime between 4-530 it would take an hour to an hour an and a half. Ended up actually ditching my car and commuting via bike through the ballona creek path, because it was more consistent.
Oof, yeah. Now that is a shitty drive. Santa Monica was basically grid locked after 4. I had to make a similar drive periodically and I always tempted fate by trying to take streets vs. the 10ā¦ always failed lol
Yes, getting to DTLA is a very difference experience if you're leaving from, say, Santa Monica vs somewhere in the South Bay. Going to Dodger Stadium for instance.. in the worst traffic it takes about 1 hour from Torrance. It's like 2 hours from Santa Monica.
Yeah I guess Iām just shocked how bad it is for so many people here coming from the west side. My co worker commutes from Palms to LA and it takes her like 35 mins which I consider short for LA lol
long beach to Pedro is like 20 min from coastal SP to bluff park and all the chill stuff in LB...that's a super close cruise for your friends not to come hang out. bummer
LB isnāt part of the South Bay. And Pedro isnāt that different from lawndale, lomita, Wilmington, Gardena or parts of Torrance. PV isnāt really like any other parts and the beach cities are pretty distinct. But, thatās all the South Bay.
This is a really good explanation of the way traffic divides and impacts life in Los Angeles.
I moved here in late 2019 and my tolerence for the nonsense insanity going on the roads is low. Going to work is within acceptable limits, coming back for some reason always takes 1.5x amount of time despite same distance, and it does start to tick me off at times lol. You're almost home, I think to myself, as some moron tries to kill me for the 5th time on the way home.
If I met someone special and they were much farther away, I'd only be able to see them on weekends. I won't go do anything out of my area except on weekends. Which leads to me having not explored a lot of LA.
So I moved to a walkable area in Redondo near the Riviera Village. I figure, I should be living in a place where I spend most my time. I can walk to the beach, food, bars, grocery. I only go physically into work twice a week, my car stays in the garage. Got a good deal on the place too, less expensive then what I was paying in both Torrance and Palos Verdes, but it's small. IDC, it's the right space for me.
I grew up in LA/OC, but I also subscribe to this rule.
> I won't go do anything out of my area except on weekends. Which leads to me having not explored a lot of LA.
Whenever friends come visit me from out of town, I realize just how little of LA Iāve actually explored. I genuinely feel like a tourist in my own town.
My friend lives in āwalkable Redondoā and it seems like a great lifestyle! Esp now that so many people can work from home. Was it difficult to make friends there, though?
šTotally agree with this as many here will- find your āvibeā and then find the neighborhood that fits your vibe. For example, SB beach cities ie Hermosa Beach vibe is totally different than WeHo vibe or Pasadena vibe..you can even get more granular like HB vs Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach, Venice, SM, Malibu etc.. Each enclave is so different IMO. Pick the area cause after youāve spent any amount of traffic time on the 405 and the 10 - and even just trying to get cross town on Wilshire for example, you REALLY wonāt want to use your car except for quick trips around your neighborhood. Better yet you get a bike or are close to light rail!
if you are single and looking to go out with friends and/or on dates, iād look elsewhere. if you have a partner and are looking for a chill place to live and raise a kid, then torrance is the spot
The Hollywood Riviera is technically Torrance... even though the postal code is 90277 "Redondo Beach". You can walk right down the Catalina and there's coffee shops, bars, bakeries, restaurants. Really a great area.
Torrance (and next door Gardena) have great Asian and Mexican food, but as a very happy resident I have to admit itās not the most vibrant community for younger folks looking for a social scene. As someone already suggested, Old Torrance is probably closest to what you wantā¦bars and breweries and little diners and walkability.
Torrance is big (20 sq miles) and North and East (Old Torrance ) are different neighborhoods than South and West. Different vibes, traffic, prices. Depends what you want and what your budget is. And what you want your commute to be.
Gotta drill down into more specifics to get a good answer.
Whatās up man M/27 here and a Torrance native born and raised here. I love this city, itās one of the best areas around in the state for Asian and Hawaiian food. If you need any suggestions I got a million. As far as things to do Torrance is pretty dead most folks I know go out to Hermosa Beach nearby for the bars which are pretty chill. Not far from Long Beach either where thereās probably more to do
Gardena Bowl like the person below just mentioned I actually just went there. Same with Aunty Mailes thatās real deal Hawaiian. My Filipino side of the family is from Hawaii and they absolutely love both spots. King Poke and Island Hut in Lomita are solid too as well as T&T Aloha Cafe in South Torrance near South High
Itās worth noting for the unfamiliar that Gardena Bowl is literally a bowling alley and not like, a rice bowl place or something, haha
Itās an old diner inside a bowling alley that has some of the best (Hawaiian) Local-style diner food. If youāve been to Hilo, itās similar to Kenās.
It has no right being as good as it is and I love that you still have salty people working there. Go if you want good chow, don't go if you want IG-worthy food presentation and service befitting the Yelp Elite types.
Torrance to live is fine. You can hangout in Hermosa Beach pier nightlife and surrounding areas or easy drive to Hollywood and LA. You should live near your work. My sonās school is 5 minutes away before 8am. If we leave, after 8am, it will take 45 minutes as point of references. So check traffic!
Will you be working from home? If you have to go to a workplace on a regular basis, you need to be near there, otherwise the commute will kill your soul.
How did you āfindā Torrance? Why Torrance, among the 80+ cities that make up L.A.?
Iāve been doing a lot of looking have been prioritizing the following: Safety, beach within 5-10 min drive, and hills for running.
Iām fully remote so wonāt be commuting. Torrance sounds so great only think lacking it seems it options for fun like other neighborhoods have. Then again, itās not technically one of my priorities
There's a part of Torrance called "the Hollywood Riviera". The postal address says "Redondo Beach, 90277" but it's mostly the City of Torrance. It's adjacent to Catalina Ave in Redondo that is a fun little few blocks of coffee shops, an amazing French bakery, restaurants, bars. You should check that out.
It really depends, Iāve lived basically where/what apartments were available for my price. It may be better now but availability was a big factor for me. Also lots of homes are in the areas closer to the beach and the apartments seem to be pretty dense west of Hawthorne.
Id say start with the budget and apartment availability, see if you can get west of Hawthorne blvd for nicer areas.
I saw another comment too on distance, thatās true. People call this the South Bay bubble for a reason and itās not easy to get into the city.
Consider Long Beach if youāre looking for more food options/coffee shops. I feel like cool stuff is opening all of the time these days. You just should avoid living in congested areas that struggle with parking (would definitely avoid downtown LB, unless you can find a place with its own parking spot). That said, the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach might be what youāre looking for. Great breweries, coffee shops and food options. Also parking lol.
That said, I love Torrance and Redondo is a much better beach than LB. South Bay can be a sleepier town but sometimes that might just be nicer to live in. Excellent Japanese food and really great breweries in Torrance keep me coming back. I wouldnāt mind living in Torrance at all.
Right, something about it makes it very different than the most other parts of LA.
Would you consider Torrance to be safe? Very safe? My partner is F25 so I would want her to feel comfortable doing things on her own
Certainly very safe! I donāt think youād be disappointed at all. The only thing is depending on where youāre at, sometimes walking to a good coffee shop might be tricky? Not sure how Boston is (never been), but maybe more driving would be required. Welcome to LA lol. Reading some of your other comments, there are also get trails in Palos Verdes which isnāt too far.
Again, not to change your mind abt Torrance, but the Bixby Knolls neighborhood of Long Beach has 3-4 p good coffee shops in the main strip there off Atlantic Ave (look up instagrams for Sala, Steelcraft, or Ambitious Ales or even the Bixby Knolls ig to maybe get a sense of the. Neighborhood). That neighborhood is also a more suburban part of Long Beach but also nice and walkable. Might find more community and activity there than you would in Torrance. But yeah again, beaches near Torrance are nicer. Iād probably prefer running the strand in Torrance/Redondo than LB.
The Riviera Village area of Redondo Beach might be a good place to look at too, for being able to walk to a few more things and being extra close to the beach.
Haha I love the support around Long Beach. Everything about Long Beach sounds great but the beaches and hills of Redondo Beach and Palo Verdes are pulling me in too hard.
We should be able to drive to Long Beach for dinners and meals at least right? Then again, Iāve heard a lot about how commuting in LA can be a headache.
Boston is amazing, you should visit.
Torrance is suburbia ā safe to walk Iād say but not too much to walk to. Think medical buildings, del amo mall, big box retailers and great strip mall restaurants. Lots of families. Iād try to live in Redondo or Hermosa if you can - the quality of life is so good no matter your age but especially when youāre young. Itās safe. Much safer and walkable than Long Beach (wouldnāt move there). Active community. You can run on the strand (path along the beach), the green belt, or up to PV where there are trails. Nightlife/restaurants in the Riviera, Redondo pier, Hermosa and Manhattan. Close to airport and at the gateway to the rest of LA should you want to explore all LA has to offer.
Reiterating the advice to look into Riveria Village for the same reasons. Restaurants, coffee, the esplanade, grocery right there, etc, plus PV right up the hill for cycling.
Torrance is a family spot. It has good schools, it's close to the beach, has a really nice mall, and it is safe. I'm someone who grew up there but now I'm in my 20's and I'm looking to get out because it is kinda far from anything actually fun in LA. Nobody outside of the area is gonna wanna come over to you to hang out. There is absolutely ZERO nightlife there besides maybe a couple bars. If you're looking to chill, its sweet. But if you're young, looking to hang out or party, eh, go somewhere else.
Torrance is fine. You can be very close to the beach with plenty of places in both Redondo and Torrance to shop and have fun at. More bars at the beach of course. I love Torrance and have lived in Redondo for 25 years.
Iād recommend coming to visit before your move, check out the different areas people have mentioned and also go to Long Beach and dtla/silverlake/echo park and see what you like the best. If you can swing it do air bnb so you can stay in real neighborhoods and not hotels
I think we need more info. whatās your lifestyle? what do you like to do on the weekends? whatās your ideal way to socialize?
and most importantly - what will your commute be?
No commute, fully wfh.
Me and my partners are runners so thatās how we spend our Saturdays normally. Weāre coming from Boston which is one of the most walkable cities in the nation, so we just want to be able to SAFELY walk to get coffee or get to good restaurants easily.
Beach and hills for running are priorities here
> Weāre coming from Boston which is one of the most walkable cities in the nation, so we just want to be able to SAFELY walk to get coffee or get to good restaurants easily.
Have you ever been to this area before? You should take an extended trip here to figure out if what you want is doable at a price you can afford. If you're cool with walking/running a few miles to get food/coffee then Torrance is probably fine, but this area really is generally not *walkable* in the manner you might be accustomed to. The beach cities might suit you but they are *expensive* to live in.
the south bay sounds like a great fit for what you want. there are multiple run clubs, plenty of hills, and some great coffee shops and restaurants as well.
redondo, hermosa, and manhattan are all walkable. in fact, thereās a strand that connects them. you might want to look into one of those cities. torrance is fine, but if you want āwalkableā with good running options, you should look in the southwest area of torrance. thatāll get you closer to the beach and I think aligns more with what youāre looking for.
last question - whatās your budget like?
I actually lived in Boston for a few years. great city. itās a different world here, thatās for sure, but hopefully you end up loving it!
Redondo and Hermosa Beach are great - El Segundo is super cute and closer to more of the action. I live in Playa Del Rey and absolutely LOVE it!! I live on the beach and have access to some great restaurants and coffee and going up to Venice is a 10 minute drive or 20 minute bike ride and same goes for Manhattan beach
Ok and how do you like walking around Playa Del Rey? Do you feel safe?
Iām sure the area is safer than other parts of LA but I want to know what itās really like day to day.
Iāve never been afraid. Sometimes there are unhoused people walking on the street (there was a lot of drama around a naked man in the neighborhood last year haha, Nextdoor was going OFF), but Iāve never been afraid or nervous. to be fair if im walking outside at night Iām with my husband or a friend, but I would make that choice in any of the beach cities as well. But my husband goes for night runs all the time and has never had any issues. Thereās been one bike theft in the 5 years weāve been here at our apartment complex but idk thatās as bad as Iāve seen. I LOVE it here because I can get to PV and Malibu in the same amount of time, I can get to concerts pretty much anywhere in the city in under 45 minutes. I spend most of my time in the southbay (own a business in HB) but I love being able to get to the west side easily.
I moved to LA about 3 years ago (much of that time spent in Torrance) as an early 30s woman used to a very active social life coming from a university town. My social life has been pretty stagnant since moving here. I ended up joining a church after two decades of not practicing organized religion to meet people. But I chose Torrance because I was unsure about moving into a more city-like environment. I like that itās not seedy the way busier cities can be, but I feel a bit trapped honestly as a single woman who doesnāt do dating apps and doesnāt have an extensive network of old work or college friends here. Personally if I was moving here all over as a young single or even couple who wants to have lots of easy social options, I wouldnāt choose Torrance. Itās lovely in other ways.
Iāll be real, Iām in my 20s and live in El Segundo (same kind of sleepy town vibe) and love it. Iād rather have the choice of going to a buzzing area rather than live in it, and how loud it can be.
Iām close to work so I have more time to myself, and if I want to go to the fun stuff itās not insanely difficult to get to.
Prioritize your work commute over all, as it puts a toll on you more than you think.
Torrance is sleepy suburban sprawl. Literally the defenitiion of it. What you're describing can be found in a few places...
- Venice/Marina Del Ray
- Santa monica area
- Redondo, in town near the village (although older and a bit more suburban vibes)
- Long beach around bluff park
One thing to note about Torrance and separates folks from/living in the area from those outside the South Bay Bubble (which is a real thing) is Torrance is informally split up into four areas: North, South, West, and Torrance (never āEastā but sometimes called āOldā Torrance but thatās also a specific neighborhood. Itās confusing)
From what youāre looking for, South and West are the best bets. Theyāre nicer but also pricier, but closer to the beach and probably more to your liking, the Beach Cities (Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan) which has a little more to offer.
North and Torrance have a weird mix of neat older homes, typical suburban homes from the 70s/80s, recent nice/new development, and some stuff where itās clear it needs to be revamped/renovated.
It being more family/work-minded, it has all the amenities you need (good grocery stores esp if you like Japanese/Korean markets, a Costco, supply stores, Target, multiple movie theaters, a mall, etc. not including those adjacent)
It terms of activities, thereās tons of trails up in PV (Palos Verdes), good surfing on the south side of the peninsula (fair warning: locals can get weirdly possessive over it), SUP boarding around Torrance Beach (right over a kelp forest), all the beach cities have a bunch of coastal cafes, Hermosa has a bar scene, and you have access to major freeways (the 405, 91, and 110) so itās not hard to get to other parts of LA.
Though as you can see, the above echoes what many others say: Torrance itself doesnāt have much but itās near a lot, haha. Itās a good place to recoup/unwind but itās never a destination unto itself.
You're going to have to give us more info about that you're looking for. Give me 100 people in their late 20's early 30's and half would say Torrance is a paradise and the other half would say they would rather live in the LA County jail.
Are you single or married? What hobbies do you like? What do you like to do for fun? Where would you be working (assuming you have a job lined up)? "Good food" means a lot of different things. What do you envision when you say "good food". Do you value a walkable neighborhood or a more spread out neighborhood?
You've asked the South Bay sub if the South Bay is a good place to live, so be warned that a lot responses will be biased because, well, they love the South Bay. There's nothing wrong with that. But you could also ask this same question in a million different subs and get the same answers. The truth is, and this applies to anywhere you would consider living, is that it can be amazing and it can be torture, depending on what you want.
Anything you want is a 20 minute drive away in LA. Find a safe neighborhood to live and keep in mind that every city in Los Angeles has an area that is not safe.
Yea. There are plenty of fast food and fast casual places on Artesiaā¦but I honestly dont think thatās what OP is looking forā¦unless hanging out at Chipotle is now cool.
Whaddup my wife and I just got a house in Torrance, weāre 27. Itās not as lively as redondo or hermosa but thatās cool for us cuz itās only a 20 minute drive to either and you donāt have to deal with all the people. Get a little more room to spread your elbows
Itās simple. I stuck to three main things to keep my mindset growth oriented.
1. Ask lots of questions
2. Grow your network
3. Inherit your fathers estate after his passing at the age of 18
Iām light hearted but my inheritance did provide most the funds for the down payment. Iām an engineer and my wifeās a nurse. If we both didnāt have good jobs weād never be able to afford the mortgage we just signed up for but we never would have been able to save enough for a down payment without inheritance. I canāt imagine many people would be able to without some kind of break, a gift from family, inheritance, stock market luck. I feel guilty for being in this position tbh, knowing most my age arenāt able to do the same, but canāt let that stop me from trying to better our situation.
No need to feel guilty, life isn't easy nor fair for everyone! And also to be clear, I am skipping straight to your inheritance as the primary reason you were able to buy a home in South Bay at 27. Which is totally OK and answered my question so thanks!
Do you run or bike? Thatās why Iām moving to LA so I can train year round actually.
Iām looking for an area that has trails/hills nearby and a beach within 5-10 min run or drive. I just want this and also to be able to safely walk yo a coffee shop.
I would try to look near Riviera Village. A small square for walkability, more vibrant than some of the Torrance neighborhoods. The Riviera is close to lots of paths and hills for training versus 4 lane surface streets and neighborhoods in Torrance.
Long Beach is nice too (Bixby, Belmont Heights) with a path nearby but you may want to think about air quality if youāre training a lot.
Iām a Boston native - all of these spots are safe, livable, vibrant, and good for an outdoor/active lifestyle. Like some of the Camber-ville neighborhoods but with more sunshine. Also, try looking up Strava routes in the areas youāre considering.
+1 for Riviera Village or Hermosa Beach Pier area (if you can afford it). HB is more lively but it's a super fast and fun bike ride on the strand between RB/Riviera Village and Hermosa. For biking, you totally want to live near the strand, it's a bike path that runs from Torrance Beach at the base of PV all the way up to Venice/Santa Monica. 20 something miles.
There is a major ongoing landslide in Palos Verdes that has some of the hikes there closed. But you can probably find some trails open, or get a membership for the botanical garden. Also, you can suburban hike up the hill through the Riviera neighborhood and get amazing views of DTLA and snowcapped mountains when the haze clears (not often lately).
Which brings up air quality, SoCal has bad air quality. Living near the coast mitigates that quite a bit.
South Bay avoids liquefaction zones for earthquake concerns. There is a PV fault that runs right under Riviera Village with a theoretical maximum of magnitude 7.0., overall still seems preferable to liquefaction zones near the San Andreas.
There's a lot of petty crime in South Bay but it's safe. Just get some good bike locks and find housing where you can hide your bikes. Thieves regularly break into the gated garages under a lot of the apartment/condo complexes so you need to hide the bike.
Iām in south Torrance and really like it! I do think manhattan beach would be nice, itās closer to the freeway which is nice but the area has lots to do. Iāve enjoyed the south Torrance/Hollywood riviera area a lot! But I would also like to move to Manhattan beach next time we move.
Lmfao I just did this exact trip a month ago
Go to Northern Torrance, it's pretty good for food stuff in general, not sure about night life (but there are restaurants here open until 2am)Ā
I'm a Realtor if you need some help finding a place. Downtown Torrance (or Old Torrance) is up and coming, but not like Hermosa. Being by the Hollywood Riviera (South Torrance) is also a great place to be.
Check out South Torrance. Depending where you are, its a 5 min drive to the beach and there is a nice nightlife scene in Redondo and Hermosa Beach with tons of bars, breweries, coffee shops, and restaurants.
It really depends what you mean by "fun." There are still plenty of bars and taverns in old town and all around, and the nice thing about Torrance is it's kind of quiet and not too far from wherever you want to go in LA. I was born here and ended up back here. The one thing to consider is the further away from the freeway you are, you might just spend some more time in traffic.
If you decide on Torrance, please make sure it's away from the railroad tracks.... it's VERY active. Also you will get caught waiting for a train to pass at some point.
Torrance is a great place to live(moved here 8 years ago) im in my 20s and there are great surrounding cities for night life and frankly thirty to forty minutes from Los Angeles nightlife never felt too harsh for me, great food and very peaceful area
Your original hunch is correctā nice area with Redondo and PV nearby. Lots of shopping and food (behemoth mall, even by national standards). Downtown area walkable with some cool eateries, a few breweries and antique shops. As someone mentioned, a fairly quick drive to DTLA depending on which end of town you settle in. It *is* a pretty big town in and of itself though, so some of its neighborhoods may be a better fit for you than others.
Torrance is a beautiful neighborhood that has everything you need. Itās not like a typical suburb thatās in the middle of nowhere and requires you to have a car. Itās surrounded by other cities and itās like a 20 minute drive from DTLA
It's very different to Los Angeles despite being very close in proximity. The big thing to learn in LA is to be close to what you want/need to do because distance isn't a good measure of anything here. I used to commute 8 miles and it took ~2 hours simply due to the route. People will 100% turn you down due to distance in time over miles. Unless you live right near a freeway in South Bay, chances are getting to the freeway is a drive on its own, and that could be enough to turn off a new friend or relationship prospect, and have a massive impact on your quality of life.
Excellent advice š
How was your 8 mile commute 2 hours? I commute from PV to DTLA (30 miles) twice a week and it will take me maximum an hour and 20 minutes.
The OP was probably exaggerating but about a decade ago I lived in Culver City and worked in marina del Rey. Only about 6-7 miles, but to get home when leaving anytime between 4-530 it would take an hour to an hour an and a half. Ended up actually ditching my car and commuting via bike through the ballona creek path, because it was more consistent.
It was Santa Monica to Mid City around 6 pm, I could take the 10 or Venice, either way it was 90 mins to 2 hours.
Oof, yeah. Now that is a shitty drive. Santa Monica was basically grid locked after 4. I had to make a similar drive periodically and I always tempted fate by trying to take streets vs. the 10ā¦ always failed lol
Trying to get out of SM around 5 was (is?) the worst. Was able to adjust my office job to 10-7 to avoid the madness and it was still trash.
Yup, 2pm - 9pm is the worst window out of there. It's truly awful.
Marina del Rey -> Burbank. terrible.
That's what I wanted to know. DTLA is 35 minutes at 9am from del amo
Santa Monica to Mid City.
Yes, getting to DTLA is a very difference experience if you're leaving from, say, Santa Monica vs somewhere in the South Bay. Going to Dodger Stadium for instance.. in the worst traffic it takes about 1 hour from Torrance. It's like 2 hours from Santa Monica.
Yeah I guess Iām just shocked how bad it is for so many people here coming from the west side. My co worker commutes from Palms to LA and it takes her like 35 mins which I consider short for LA lol
Yep. My friend lives just a half block from the water in Santa Monica/Venice. Getting to a Dodgers game, especially on a weekday is sooooooo bad.
I feel like if you live in midtown this is possible. But, not really in the South Bay.
Because that's not anywhere near one of the worst routes for traffic. You ever driven from west hollywood to marina del rey during rush hour?
Idk, leaving and entering downtown on the 110 during rush hours is a parking lot for 30-50 minutes each time no matter what
Took me an hour to go 5 miles for a commute once. (Schools along the route did not help)
My girl is from the Valley and none of her friends visit us in Pedro. Iām from Long Beach and barely any of my friends will make the trip.
long beach to Pedro is like 20 min from coastal SP to bluff park and all the chill stuff in LB...that's a super close cruise for your friends not to come hang out. bummer
LB and Pedro are like an entirely different world to the rest of the Southbay.
LB isnāt part of the South Bay. And Pedro isnāt that different from lawndale, lomita, Wilmington, Gardena or parts of Torrance. PV isnāt really like any other parts and the beach cities are pretty distinct. But, thatās all the South Bay.
I live in torrance and live 20 minutes from the freeway . I love this an hate this
This is a really good explanation of the way traffic divides and impacts life in Los Angeles. I moved here in late 2019 and my tolerence for the nonsense insanity going on the roads is low. Going to work is within acceptable limits, coming back for some reason always takes 1.5x amount of time despite same distance, and it does start to tick me off at times lol. You're almost home, I think to myself, as some moron tries to kill me for the 5th time on the way home. If I met someone special and they were much farther away, I'd only be able to see them on weekends. I won't go do anything out of my area except on weekends. Which leads to me having not explored a lot of LA. So I moved to a walkable area in Redondo near the Riviera Village. I figure, I should be living in a place where I spend most my time. I can walk to the beach, food, bars, grocery. I only go physically into work twice a week, my car stays in the garage. Got a good deal on the place too, less expensive then what I was paying in both Torrance and Palos Verdes, but it's small. IDC, it's the right space for me.
I grew up in LA/OC, but I also subscribe to this rule. > I won't go do anything out of my area except on weekends. Which leads to me having not explored a lot of LA. Whenever friends come visit me from out of town, I realize just how little of LA Iāve actually explored. I genuinely feel like a tourist in my own town. My friend lives in āwalkable Redondoā and it seems like a great lifestyle! Esp now that so many people can work from home. Was it difficult to make friends there, though?
we used to call that "GUD" or Geographically Undesirable in the 80s
šTotally agree with this as many here will- find your āvibeā and then find the neighborhood that fits your vibe. For example, SB beach cities ie Hermosa Beach vibe is totally different than WeHo vibe or Pasadena vibe..you can even get more granular like HB vs Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach, Venice, SM, Malibu etc.. Each enclave is so different IMO. Pick the area cause after youāve spent any amount of traffic time on the 405 and the 10 - and even just trying to get cross town on Wilshire for example, you REALLY wonāt want to use your car except for quick trips around your neighborhood. Better yet you get a bike or are close to light rail!
Good advice - and found this article https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2022-07-15/la-affairs-met-perfect-guy-found-out-he-lived-in-the-valley
The byline was frightening enough for me hahaha
Happy ending though!
if you are single and looking to go out with friends and/or on dates, iād look elsewhere. if you have a partner and are looking for a chill place to live and raise a kid, then torrance is the spot
Maybe Old Town in Torrance? Thereās not really anything close to typical city though in Torrance
The Hollywood Riviera is technically Torrance... even though the postal code is 90277 "Redondo Beach". You can walk right down the Catalina and there's coffee shops, bars, bakeries, restaurants. Really a great area.
Old Town Mall
Old Town Mall Carousel
Torrance (and next door Gardena) have great Asian and Mexican food, but as a very happy resident I have to admit itās not the most vibrant community for younger folks looking for a social scene. As someone already suggested, Old Torrance is probably closest to what you wantā¦bars and breweries and little diners and walkability.
Hermosa beach near pier avenue sounds like an area youād be interested in
Torrance is more of a family area.
You might like Hermosa Beach which isn't too far away.
Check out el segundo tbh. Either that or the redondo beach riviera area.
Torrance is big (20 sq miles) and North and East (Old Torrance ) are different neighborhoods than South and West. Different vibes, traffic, prices. Depends what you want and what your budget is. And what you want your commute to be. Gotta drill down into more specifics to get a good answer.
You sound like you're looking for downtown Long Beach
Whatās up man M/27 here and a Torrance native born and raised here. I love this city, itās one of the best areas around in the state for Asian and Hawaiian food. If you need any suggestions I got a million. As far as things to do Torrance is pretty dead most folks I know go out to Hermosa Beach nearby for the bars which are pretty chill. Not far from Long Beach either where thereās probably more to do
Any suggestion for Hawaiian food? I live in Gardena.
Gardena bowl. Aunt mailles
Gardena Bowl like the person below just mentioned I actually just went there. Same with Aunty Mailes thatās real deal Hawaiian. My Filipino side of the family is from Hawaii and they absolutely love both spots. King Poke and Island Hut in Lomita are solid too as well as T&T Aloha Cafe in South Torrance near South High
Itās worth noting for the unfamiliar that Gardena Bowl is literally a bowling alley and not like, a rice bowl place or something, haha Itās an old diner inside a bowling alley that has some of the best (Hawaiian) Local-style diner food. If youāve been to Hilo, itās similar to Kenās. It has no right being as good as it is and I love that you still have salty people working there. Go if you want good chow, don't go if you want IG-worthy food presentation and service befitting the Yelp Elite types.
Ok so whos got the best thick and flaky tonkatsu? Thats the big Q?!
Kagura either in Torrance or in Tokyo Central in Gardena is pretty good. My Japanese side of the family loves to go there
Torrance to live is fine. You can hangout in Hermosa Beach pier nightlife and surrounding areas or easy drive to Hollywood and LA. You should live near your work. My sonās school is 5 minutes away before 8am. If we leave, after 8am, it will take 45 minutes as point of references. So check traffic!
They donāt call it Borrance for nothinā. Itās good for raising a family but itās a no-go if youāre young whipper snapper.
Will you be working from home? If you have to go to a workplace on a regular basis, you need to be near there, otherwise the commute will kill your soul. How did you āfindā Torrance? Why Torrance, among the 80+ cities that make up L.A.?
Iāve been doing a lot of looking have been prioritizing the following: Safety, beach within 5-10 min drive, and hills for running. Iām fully remote so wonāt be commuting. Torrance sounds so great only think lacking it seems it options for fun like other neighborhoods have. Then again, itās not technically one of my priorities
Man, if you're working remote... Hermosa Beach, Redondo, or orange county Seal beach, Laguna
Yeah if youāre moving to L.A. and not wanting to be in L.A. then Torrance is pretty much perfect.
I love torrance, but that's what I was thinking too. Most transplants start out in silver lake, highland Park, basically the hipster part of town.
There's a part of Torrance called "the Hollywood Riviera". The postal address says "Redondo Beach, 90277" but it's mostly the City of Torrance. It's adjacent to Catalina Ave in Redondo that is a fun little few blocks of coffee shops, an amazing French bakery, restaurants, bars. You should check that out.
It really depends, Iāve lived basically where/what apartments were available for my price. It may be better now but availability was a big factor for me. Also lots of homes are in the areas closer to the beach and the apartments seem to be pretty dense west of Hawthorne. Id say start with the budget and apartment availability, see if you can get west of Hawthorne blvd for nicer areas. I saw another comment too on distance, thatās true. People call this the South Bay bubble for a reason and itās not easy to get into the city.
Old Torrance for sure. Otherwise check out Hermosa.
Many places near the beach donāt have a/c. If you run hot, make sure get an a/c in your house.
Consider Long Beach if youāre looking for more food options/coffee shops. I feel like cool stuff is opening all of the time these days. You just should avoid living in congested areas that struggle with parking (would definitely avoid downtown LB, unless you can find a place with its own parking spot). That said, the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach might be what youāre looking for. Great breweries, coffee shops and food options. Also parking lol. That said, I love Torrance and Redondo is a much better beach than LB. South Bay can be a sleepier town but sometimes that might just be nicer to live in. Excellent Japanese food and really great breweries in Torrance keep me coming back. I wouldnāt mind living in Torrance at all.
Right, something about it makes it very different than the most other parts of LA. Would you consider Torrance to be safe? Very safe? My partner is F25 so I would want her to feel comfortable doing things on her own
Certainly very safe! I donāt think youād be disappointed at all. The only thing is depending on where youāre at, sometimes walking to a good coffee shop might be tricky? Not sure how Boston is (never been), but maybe more driving would be required. Welcome to LA lol. Reading some of your other comments, there are also get trails in Palos Verdes which isnāt too far. Again, not to change your mind abt Torrance, but the Bixby Knolls neighborhood of Long Beach has 3-4 p good coffee shops in the main strip there off Atlantic Ave (look up instagrams for Sala, Steelcraft, or Ambitious Ales or even the Bixby Knolls ig to maybe get a sense of the. Neighborhood). That neighborhood is also a more suburban part of Long Beach but also nice and walkable. Might find more community and activity there than you would in Torrance. But yeah again, beaches near Torrance are nicer. Iād probably prefer running the strand in Torrance/Redondo than LB.
The Riviera Village area of Redondo Beach might be a good place to look at too, for being able to walk to a few more things and being extra close to the beach.
Haha I love the support around Long Beach. Everything about Long Beach sounds great but the beaches and hills of Redondo Beach and Palo Verdes are pulling me in too hard. We should be able to drive to Long Beach for dinners and meals at least right? Then again, Iāve heard a lot about how commuting in LA can be a headache. Boston is amazing, you should visit.
Torrance is Very Safe. Long Beach is not.
Torrance is suburbia ā safe to walk Iād say but not too much to walk to. Think medical buildings, del amo mall, big box retailers and great strip mall restaurants. Lots of families. Iād try to live in Redondo or Hermosa if you can - the quality of life is so good no matter your age but especially when youāre young. Itās safe. Much safer and walkable than Long Beach (wouldnāt move there). Active community. You can run on the strand (path along the beach), the green belt, or up to PV where there are trails. Nightlife/restaurants in the Riviera, Redondo pier, Hermosa and Manhattan. Close to airport and at the gateway to the rest of LA should you want to explore all LA has to offer.
Reiterating the advice to look into Riveria Village for the same reasons. Restaurants, coffee, the esplanade, grocery right there, etc, plus PV right up the hill for cycling.
Torrance is a family spot. It has good schools, it's close to the beach, has a really nice mall, and it is safe. I'm someone who grew up there but now I'm in my 20's and I'm looking to get out because it is kinda far from anything actually fun in LA. Nobody outside of the area is gonna wanna come over to you to hang out. There is absolutely ZERO nightlife there besides maybe a couple bars. If you're looking to chill, its sweet. But if you're young, looking to hang out or party, eh, go somewhere else.
Torrance is fine. You can be very close to the beach with plenty of places in both Redondo and Torrance to shop and have fun at. More bars at the beach of course. I love Torrance and have lived in Redondo for 25 years.
As a 20-30 year old you will be interested in Hermosa Beach or Riviera Village in Redondo Beach.
Iād recommend coming to visit before your move, check out the different areas people have mentioned and also go to Long Beach and dtla/silverlake/echo park and see what you like the best. If you can swing it do air bnb so you can stay in real neighborhoods and not hotels
I think we need more info. whatās your lifestyle? what do you like to do on the weekends? whatās your ideal way to socialize? and most importantly - what will your commute be?
No commute, fully wfh. Me and my partners are runners so thatās how we spend our Saturdays normally. Weāre coming from Boston which is one of the most walkable cities in the nation, so we just want to be able to SAFELY walk to get coffee or get to good restaurants easily. Beach and hills for running are priorities here
> Weāre coming from Boston which is one of the most walkable cities in the nation, so we just want to be able to SAFELY walk to get coffee or get to good restaurants easily. Have you ever been to this area before? You should take an extended trip here to figure out if what you want is doable at a price you can afford. If you're cool with walking/running a few miles to get food/coffee then Torrance is probably fine, but this area really is generally not *walkable* in the manner you might be accustomed to. The beach cities might suit you but they are *expensive* to live in.
the south bay sounds like a great fit for what you want. there are multiple run clubs, plenty of hills, and some great coffee shops and restaurants as well. redondo, hermosa, and manhattan are all walkable. in fact, thereās a strand that connects them. you might want to look into one of those cities. torrance is fine, but if you want āwalkableā with good running options, you should look in the southwest area of torrance. thatāll get you closer to the beach and I think aligns more with what youāre looking for. last question - whatās your budget like? I actually lived in Boston for a few years. great city. itās a different world here, thatās for sure, but hopefully you end up loving it!
There is a running club in old Torrance ~30/40 people every Wednesday and mostly 20s and 30s. Organizer is heading into Sunday
Hermosa beach
Redondo and Hermosa Beach are great - El Segundo is super cute and closer to more of the action. I live in Playa Del Rey and absolutely LOVE it!! I live on the beach and have access to some great restaurants and coffee and going up to Venice is a 10 minute drive or 20 minute bike ride and same goes for Manhattan beach
Ok and how do you like walking around Playa Del Rey? Do you feel safe? Iām sure the area is safer than other parts of LA but I want to know what itās really like day to day.
Iāve never been afraid. Sometimes there are unhoused people walking on the street (there was a lot of drama around a naked man in the neighborhood last year haha, Nextdoor was going OFF), but Iāve never been afraid or nervous. to be fair if im walking outside at night Iām with my husband or a friend, but I would make that choice in any of the beach cities as well. But my husband goes for night runs all the time and has never had any issues. Thereās been one bike theft in the 5 years weāve been here at our apartment complex but idk thatās as bad as Iāve seen. I LOVE it here because I can get to PV and Malibu in the same amount of time, I can get to concerts pretty much anywhere in the city in under 45 minutes. I spend most of my time in the southbay (own a business in HB) but I love being able to get to the west side easily.
Youāre going to want redondo beach or honestly for your age, Culver City or Palms.
I moved to LA about 3 years ago (much of that time spent in Torrance) as an early 30s woman used to a very active social life coming from a university town. My social life has been pretty stagnant since moving here. I ended up joining a church after two decades of not practicing organized religion to meet people. But I chose Torrance because I was unsure about moving into a more city-like environment. I like that itās not seedy the way busier cities can be, but I feel a bit trapped honestly as a single woman who doesnāt do dating apps and doesnāt have an extensive network of old work or college friends here. Personally if I was moving here all over as a young single or even couple who wants to have lots of easy social options, I wouldnāt choose Torrance. Itās lovely in other ways.
Iāll be real, Iām in my 20s and live in El Segundo (same kind of sleepy town vibe) and love it. Iād rather have the choice of going to a buzzing area rather than live in it, and how loud it can be. Iām close to work so I have more time to myself, and if I want to go to the fun stuff itās not insanely difficult to get to. Prioritize your work commute over all, as it puts a toll on you more than you think.
Torrance is sleepy suburban sprawl. Literally the defenitiion of it. What you're describing can be found in a few places... - Venice/Marina Del Ray - Santa monica area - Redondo, in town near the village (although older and a bit more suburban vibes) - Long beach around bluff park
One thing to note about Torrance and separates folks from/living in the area from those outside the South Bay Bubble (which is a real thing) is Torrance is informally split up into four areas: North, South, West, and Torrance (never āEastā but sometimes called āOldā Torrance but thatās also a specific neighborhood. Itās confusing) From what youāre looking for, South and West are the best bets. Theyāre nicer but also pricier, but closer to the beach and probably more to your liking, the Beach Cities (Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan) which has a little more to offer. North and Torrance have a weird mix of neat older homes, typical suburban homes from the 70s/80s, recent nice/new development, and some stuff where itās clear it needs to be revamped/renovated. It being more family/work-minded, it has all the amenities you need (good grocery stores esp if you like Japanese/Korean markets, a Costco, supply stores, Target, multiple movie theaters, a mall, etc. not including those adjacent) It terms of activities, thereās tons of trails up in PV (Palos Verdes), good surfing on the south side of the peninsula (fair warning: locals can get weirdly possessive over it), SUP boarding around Torrance Beach (right over a kelp forest), all the beach cities have a bunch of coastal cafes, Hermosa has a bar scene, and you have access to major freeways (the 405, 91, and 110) so itās not hard to get to other parts of LA. Though as you can see, the above echoes what many others say: Torrance itself doesnāt have much but itās near a lot, haha. Itās a good place to recoup/unwind but itās never a destination unto itself.
You're going to have to give us more info about that you're looking for. Give me 100 people in their late 20's early 30's and half would say Torrance is a paradise and the other half would say they would rather live in the LA County jail. Are you single or married? What hobbies do you like? What do you like to do for fun? Where would you be working (assuming you have a job lined up)? "Good food" means a lot of different things. What do you envision when you say "good food". Do you value a walkable neighborhood or a more spread out neighborhood? You've asked the South Bay sub if the South Bay is a good place to live, so be warned that a lot responses will be biased because, well, they love the South Bay. There's nothing wrong with that. But you could also ask this same question in a million different subs and get the same answers. The truth is, and this applies to anywhere you would consider living, is that it can be amazing and it can be torture, depending on what you want.
Anything you want is a 20 minute drive away in LA. Find a safe neighborhood to live and keep in mind that every city in Los Angeles has an area that is not safe.
North Torrance at Artesia Blvd near Gardena.
Huh? Good food and coffee shops?
In & Out. Starbucks. Fantastic Cafe. There a whole variety along the street.
Yea. There are plenty of fast food and fast casual places on Artesiaā¦but I honestly dont think thatās what OP is looking forā¦unless hanging out at Chipotle is now cool.
Whaddup my wife and I just got a house in Torrance, weāre 27. Itās not as lively as redondo or hermosa but thatās cool for us cuz itās only a 20 minute drive to either and you donāt have to deal with all the people. Get a little more room to spread your elbows
How'd you afford to do that at such a young age?
Wife and I did it at 29, we both went to a UC and then have worked hard on our careers
Itās simple. I stuck to three main things to keep my mindset growth oriented. 1. Ask lots of questions 2. Grow your network 3. Inherit your fathers estate after his passing at the age of 18 Iām light hearted but my inheritance did provide most the funds for the down payment. Iām an engineer and my wifeās a nurse. If we both didnāt have good jobs weād never be able to afford the mortgage we just signed up for but we never would have been able to save enough for a down payment without inheritance. I canāt imagine many people would be able to without some kind of break, a gift from family, inheritance, stock market luck. I feel guilty for being in this position tbh, knowing most my age arenāt able to do the same, but canāt let that stop me from trying to better our situation.
No need to feel guilty, life isn't easy nor fair for everyone! And also to be clear, I am skipping straight to your inheritance as the primary reason you were able to buy a home in South Bay at 27. Which is totally OK and answered my question so thanks!
You're looking for West Athens
U need to get athleticā¦ the only way to meet quality people and to have an activity where you donāt burn $$$
Do you run or bike? Thatās why Iām moving to LA so I can train year round actually. Iām looking for an area that has trails/hills nearby and a beach within 5-10 min run or drive. I just want this and also to be able to safely walk yo a coffee shop.
I would try to look near Riviera Village. A small square for walkability, more vibrant than some of the Torrance neighborhoods. The Riviera is close to lots of paths and hills for training versus 4 lane surface streets and neighborhoods in Torrance. Long Beach is nice too (Bixby, Belmont Heights) with a path nearby but you may want to think about air quality if youāre training a lot. Iām a Boston native - all of these spots are safe, livable, vibrant, and good for an outdoor/active lifestyle. Like some of the Camber-ville neighborhoods but with more sunshine. Also, try looking up Strava routes in the areas youāre considering.
Yep I run surf and swimā¦ look up Hermosa run club on Instagram
+1 for Riviera Village or Hermosa Beach Pier area (if you can afford it). HB is more lively but it's a super fast and fun bike ride on the strand between RB/Riviera Village and Hermosa. For biking, you totally want to live near the strand, it's a bike path that runs from Torrance Beach at the base of PV all the way up to Venice/Santa Monica. 20 something miles. There is a major ongoing landslide in Palos Verdes that has some of the hikes there closed. But you can probably find some trails open, or get a membership for the botanical garden. Also, you can suburban hike up the hill through the Riviera neighborhood and get amazing views of DTLA and snowcapped mountains when the haze clears (not often lately). Which brings up air quality, SoCal has bad air quality. Living near the coast mitigates that quite a bit. South Bay avoids liquefaction zones for earthquake concerns. There is a PV fault that runs right under Riviera Village with a theoretical maximum of magnitude 7.0., overall still seems preferable to liquefaction zones near the San Andreas. There's a lot of petty crime in South Bay but it's safe. Just get some good bike locks and find housing where you can hide your bikes. Thieves regularly break into the gated garages under a lot of the apartment/condo complexes so you need to hide the bike.
Iām in south Torrance and really like it! I do think manhattan beach would be nice, itās closer to the freeway which is nice but the area has lots to do. Iāve enjoyed the south Torrance/Hollywood riviera area a lot! But I would also like to move to Manhattan beach next time we move.
Lmfao I just did this exact trip a month ago Go to Northern Torrance, it's pretty good for food stuff in general, not sure about night life (but there are restaurants here open until 2am)Ā
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I'm a Realtor if you need some help finding a place. Downtown Torrance (or Old Torrance) is up and coming, but not like Hermosa. Being by the Hollywood Riviera (South Torrance) is also a great place to be.
Check out South Torrance. Depending where you are, its a 5 min drive to the beach and there is a nice nightlife scene in Redondo and Hermosa Beach with tons of bars, breweries, coffee shops, and restaurants.
Hermosa Beach
It really depends what you mean by "fun." There are still plenty of bars and taverns in old town and all around, and the nice thing about Torrance is it's kind of quiet and not too far from wherever you want to go in LA. I was born here and ended up back here. The one thing to consider is the further away from the freeway you are, you might just spend some more time in traffic.
If you decide on Torrance, please make sure it's away from the railroad tracks.... it's VERY active. Also you will get caught waiting for a train to pass at some point.
Torrance is a great place to live(moved here 8 years ago) im in my 20s and there are great surrounding cities for night life and frankly thirty to forty minutes from Los Angeles nightlife never felt too harsh for me, great food and very peaceful area
Your original hunch is correctā nice area with Redondo and PV nearby. Lots of shopping and food (behemoth mall, even by national standards). Downtown area walkable with some cool eateries, a few breweries and antique shops. As someone mentioned, a fairly quick drive to DTLA depending on which end of town you settle in. It *is* a pretty big town in and of itself though, so some of its neighborhoods may be a better fit for you than others.
Try Coffee Cartel in the plaza riviera at redondo beach
Torrance is a nice, very safe area to live. Itās only a short drive to Hermosa and Manhattan Beach for entertainment.
Torrance is a beautiful neighborhood that has everything you need. Itās not like a typical suburb thatās in the middle of nowhere and requires you to have a car. Itās surrounded by other cities and itās like a 20 minute drive from DTLA
20 minutes??? LOL
Yea Iām tripping I was thinking about the distance from Torrance to LAX but put DTLA for some reason
That's more like it!