Tell Me About Ranchos Palos Verdes (Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates: condos, home, schools)

[zdg]

I've been to LA probably 50 times in my life, but have never been to RPV. For whatever reason, I've just never ventured down below the 405 in that area.

If you had to describe the area, the schools, the people, the climate, the traffic, the culture, and food to someone who had never been there, what would you tell them?

I'd appreciate pros and cons.

[Panamajack78]

Affluent, expensive, fantastic schools. The weather is typical coastal Southern California, so the same as all other beach areas. Traffic is non-existent. It's mostly a residential area with a few pockets of businesses and shops around RPV, Rolling Hills Estates and Palos Verdes Estates. We recently moved to Palos Verdes Estates from the Westside and we are very happy about our decision. We often feel like we're on vacation.

A pro and a con is that it is somewhat isolated, which is a good thing and a bad thing. It's a good thing because it is quiet, safe, clean, a great area to raise a family. It's a bad thing because it can take a while to get to the freeway. It really depends on where in the hill you live.

It's a really beautiful place, anywhere you go there are endless ocean vistas. The air is clean and the streets are lush. Lots of great hiking.

[IM90046]

Palos Verdes Peninsula is a wealthy and gorgeous area of the South Bay. Has an "old money" feel especially when compared to the "new money" beach cities. Many elderly folk. Almost completely single family residences except for a few condos in RPV, there is also the Peninsula Mall at the top of the hill, a sleepy mall with an ice skating rink. Great views of the LA Basin all around.

The peninsula is home to four independent cities: Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates. With the exception of Palos Verdes Estates the other 3 are equestrian cities with many trails. The foliage varies between woods, costal and desert succulents, depending on the location. The LA Sheriff department serves the equestrian cities and PVE has its own police department. Rolling Hills is the wealthiest and is gated. The whole peninsula is served by PVPUSD one of the top districts in the state. PV is also home to the Prestigious Chadwick school. They also have a great library district serving the 4 cities.

The coast along the whole peninsula is very rocky and inaccessible. The waters immediately off PV coast are popular Grey whale watching destinations. In addition the costal areas have a somewhat large peacock population and you can often hear them squawk throughout the day. A last year, somebody was murdering them, he was dubbed the peacock serial killer, it was a big issue amongst the community members.

End Rant