Redondo Beach definitely has a maritime passion. Fishing off the pier, kayaking, whale watching, feeding sharks at the Sea Laboratory, scuba diving, yachting, sailing, speed boating and swimming in the salt water-fed Seaside Lagoon are all activities that are commonly and enthusiastically undertaken in the city. Being such as a hub of oceanic activity, it’s also natural that Redondo Beach has some of the freshest, most delicious seafood in the region.
Visitors can sample a variety of underwater cuisine at restaurants along the Redondo Beach Pier, International Boardwalk and King Harbor Marina. They can also catch their own dinners have them cooked up at one of the pier’s popular fish markets, which also sell live sea urchins, clams and crabs, among other items.
Redondo’s maritime history dates back to early Native Americans who flocked to this city because it was so easy to live off the land; ev
en though that “land” was actually an ocean. However, Redondo Beach was soon bundled with many other South Bay cities and granted to a Spanish soldier in 1784. The 43,000-acre Dominguez Rancho was utilized as farmland for approximately 100 years until Redondo, which is Spanish for round, was incorporated in 1892. Its railways and harbor allowed the city to enjoy a long run in the shipping and lumber industries until the Port of Los Angeles opened and World War II ended. Commerce picked back up again in the ‘50s, ushering in the laid-back, eclectic resort town that we know today.
A lot of this eclectic feel comes from the city’s retail communities. Aside from the tourist shops that line the Redondo Beach Pier and International Boardwalk, South Redondo Beach, which resides along the South side of 190th Street, is also home to Riviera Village.
This six-block, Mediterranean-style shopping district not only contains a number of services, ranging from dentists and ophthalmologists to art galleries and French restaurants, but also a significant portion of South Redondo’s 
multifamily units. Other apartments and condos can be found near the harbor, although single-family units dominate the Strand, as well as the indland neighborhoods. These lots tend to be larger than those in neighboring Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, oftentimes providing adequate space for large backyards, white picket fences and roomy single-story abodes.
As its name suggests, North Redondo Beach is located farther inland. The region’s famous asymmetrical shape means that residents enjoy a close proximity to Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale and Torrance, as well as to the 405 Freeway. Being that the area can easily rely on neighboring cities and their services, North Redondo has dedicated a significant portion of land to housing. 
Aside from the Artesia Corridor, which contains the one-million-square-foot, three-story South Bay Galleria, and a few other sparse pockets of retail, North Redondo is almost entirely housing. Many neighborhoods have been there for decades, providing potential residents with a number of housing options. There are still many historic-looking homes throughout North Redondo, along with a mix of old, new and newly restored dwellings in just about every architectural style imaginable!
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The 14th-Annual Lobster Festival Returns to Redondo
Dive N’Surf’s famous Lobster Festival will once again set its claws down in Redondo Beach’s Seaside Lagoon. Beginning on Friday, Sept. 25, and running through the weekend, this annual event will host approximately 12,000 lobster-loving people who will partake in not just seafood, but tons of family friendly entertainment. Aside from the main attraction, which is more than 10,000 Maine lobsters, patrons can enjoy live music, a beachwear fashion show, karaoke bar, numerous raffles and a professional... [Read more...]
New North Branch Library Set to Open Next Summer
Students living in North Redondo Beach will have an abundance of resources available to them by the start of the next school year. That’s because the new North Branch Library will be open for business. Located on the site of the previous North Branch Library along Artesia Boulevard, the new library will be three times larger, and contain more computers, meeting rooms and books for its reference collection. The old library was torn down in spring 2008. The new one broke ground in August 2009.
Redondo Beach Will Soon Have a New Transit Center
The Redondo Beach City Council recently approved initial design plans and construction schedules for a new transit center. Called the South Bay Regional Intermodal Transit Center, this 3,000-square-foot transportation hub would include a large parking lot, drop-off zone, restrooms, sheriff’s office, drivers’ lounge, ticket office, and 15 bus bays, which would allow these large vehicles to easily enter and exit the center. It will also enjoy a prime location along Kingsdale Avenue near the South... [Read more...]
