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Suggest a Feature →El Segundo & the South Bay
The Space Force nerve center. El Segundo on the Pacific, right next to LAX.
Los Angeles Space Force Base (formerly Los Angeles Air Force Base) in El Segundo is the headquarters of Space Systems Command — the primary acquisition and program management organization for US military satellites and space launch systems. This is the nerve center of the Space Force acquisition enterprise, with billions in program responsibility.
El Segundo is a small city of 16,000 south of Los Angeles immediately adjacent to LAX. Despite the industrial character (Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Aerospace Corporation all have major facilities here), El Segundo has an excellent small-city downtown with craft breweries, genuine restaurants, and an active local community.
The South Bay gives access to some of the best urban beach living in Southern California. The Strand (a paved bike and pedestrian path) runs continuously from Pacific Palisades to Torrance Beach. Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach are each distinct communities with their own character.
Must Eat
The spots worth eating at before you PCS out.
The Proud Bird
"An aviation-themed restaurant near LAX with runway views. Genuinely good food."
A 1967 restaurant with an aviation museum and views of the LAX runways — planes take off over your table during dinner. The food is actually excellent: prime rib, steaks, and a good bar program. The setting is unique to the South Bay.
Book a table on the western terrace for the best plane-watching during your meal.
El Segundo Brewing Company
"The South Bay brewery. Good beers and a genuine neighborhood feel."
A locally-owned craft brewery in downtown El Segundo with a taproom serving rotating IPAs and seasonals alongside a food program that exceeds most brewery kitchens. The Blue House Blonde is the easy-drinking standard. The Space Force community is a significant part of the regular customer base.
Manhattan Beach Post
"The MB destination restaurant. Creative small plates and a bar that delivers."
David LeFevre's Manhattan Beach Post is one of the best casual dining restaurants in the South Bay — creative small plates built on quality ingredients, a strong cocktail program, and an energy that is distinctly beach-adjacent without being a beach bar. Reserve in advance on weekends.
Outdoor
Get outside. The land around military installations is usually the best reason to be there.
Palos Verdes Peninsula
"Dramatic sea cliffs and tide pools 15 minutes south of the base."
The Palos Verdes Peninsula rises 1,400 feet from the ocean south of the South Bay — the Portuguese Bend landslide, the Point Vicente Lighthouse, and the Korean Friendship Bell mark a dramatically beautiful stretch of coast. The Palos Verdes Nature Preserve has 64 miles of hiking trails along the coastal bluffs.
Manhattan Beach Volleyball & Pier
"The birthplace of beach volleyball. The best beach scene in the South Bay."
Manhattan Beach has a round pier, excellent surf, and the beach volleyball courts where the sport was essentially invented. The town has a strong community and an excellent Main Street. The annual AVP volleyball tournament draws professional players every summer.
Griffith Observatory & Mount Hollywood
"The best view of LA. The planetarium. The Rebel Without a Cause location."
Twenty minutes north, Griffith Observatory on the south slope of Mount Hollywood has the best panoramic view of the LA basin — from the Pacific to downtown to the San Gabriel Mountains. Planetarium shows, a public telescope on Friday and Saturday evenings, and the full Southern California cultural experience.
Culture & History
Places with stories. Most military towns sit on deep history — dig in.
Museum of Flight (El Segundo / Hawthorne)
"Space Shuttle Endeavour at California Science Center. 10 miles north."
The California Science Center in Exposition Park has Space Shuttle Endeavour displayed vertically in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center — the shuttle is being displayed in its launch configuration with the external tank and solid rocket boosters. For Space Force personnel, seeing this is obligatory.
Hermosa Beach
"The most laid-back of the South Bay beach cities. Pier Avenue on a Saturday."
Hermosa Beach has the most relaxed character of the three beach cities — Pier Avenue on a warm Saturday evening, with the Strand cyclists and the beach bar crowd and the volleyball players, is quintessential Southern California beach culture without Manhattan Beach's wealth signaling.
Family
Stuff to do with the kids. Rated by people who have brought actual children.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
"A free aquarium in San Pedro with world-class gray whale programming."
A small but excellent aquarium in San Pedro (near the Port of LA) that is free admission and focuses on Southern California marine ecosystems. The annual gray whale watch boat tours (January–April) are among the best accessible whale watching in LA County.
Redondo Beach Pier
"A horseshoe pier with restaurants, fishing, and harbor views."
The Redondo Beach Horseshoe Pier is a working fishing pier with fish markets, restaurants, and watercraft rentals. The inner harbor is calmer than the open beach and good for kayaking. The pier farmers' market on Thursdays is one of the better produce markets in the South Bay.
Day Trips
When you need to remember there's a world outside the gate.
"An island 22 miles off the coast. Ferry from Long Beach or San Pedro."
The Catalina Express departs from San Pedro (near the Port) for Avalon — a 45-minute crossing to a Mediterranean-style island. Snorkeling, kayaking, hiking to the interior with bison (yes, bison), and the famous Art Deco Casino. Day trip or overnight.
"World-class bouldering and desert night skies. Two hours east."
Two hours east on I-10, Joshua Tree has the best bouldering in Southern California, iconic Joshua tree forests, and some of the darkest night skies within reach of LA. The difference in landscape between the Mojave (north) and Sonoran (south) desert sections of the park is dramatic.
"The American Riviera. Spanish architecture and wine country."
Ninety minutes north on US-101, Santa Barbara has the finest Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in California, a beautiful harbor and beach, and immediate access to the Santa Ynez wine country. The Channel Islands National Park departs from Ventura Harbor just south.
LAX noise is constant and directional — the flight paths rotate based on wind. El Segundo is directly under the departure corridor during certain wind conditions. Know this before renting.
The South Bay has a genuinely strong tech/aerospace professional community — beyond the military and defense contractor community, El Segundo hosts SpaceX, Boeing Space, and others. Networking opportunities are excellent.
The Commuter Express buses connect El Segundo to downtown LA and the Westside. For those working downtown or traveling frequently, the express buses can beat driving and parking significantly.
The South Bay is expensive and getting more so. BAH covers much of the cost but family housing at reasonable prices requires looking east toward Hawthorne, Lawndale, or Gardena rather than the beachside cities. LAX noise is a genuine quality-of-life issue in El Segundo and Westchester. Traffic on the 105 and 405 freeways is among the worst in the LA basin.
This guide is built by people who've been stationed here. If there's a spot we got wrong or a gem we missed, tell us.