Explore These 6 Free Outdoor South Bay Hidden Treasures
The “South Bay” is a designation for a sprawling swath of land both along the coastline and inland, to the south of what might be considered Central Los Angeles.
From the “Beach Cities” (Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo) to LAX-adjacent communities (Inglewood, El Segundo, Westchester), and the Palos Verdes Peninsula to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the South Bay is as diverse as Los Angeles itself.
But its outdoor treasures aren’t only defined by their proximity to the Pacific Ocean or the beach.
Whether you’ve never ventured to this area or you think you’re pretty familiar with it, the South Bay has got some surprises in store for you.
From salvaged architectural relics to a 100-year-old park and former industrial sites that have returned “back to nature,” here’s where you can explore the most unexpected outdoor gems of the South Bay.
Even better — they’re all free!
1. Wilmington Waterfront Park, Wilmington
One of the newest additions to the South Bay’s outdoor spaces is the $54-million Wilmington Waterfront Park — part of the City of Los Angeles’s “One Billion Dollar Investment in the L.A. Waterfront.” a 30-acre recreational area that opened to the public in 2011. Located near Banning’s Landing (named for the "Father of Los Angeles Harbor," Phineas Banning), the new park space is essentially a greenbelt that runs along Harry Bridges Boulevard just east of the 110 Freeway and features a nine-block-long pedestrian and bicycle promenade (which links to the California Coastal Trail).
Its award-winning design comes from Sasaki Associates, which completely transformed an industrial site into a buffer zone between the Wilmington residential community and the hubbub of the harbor — with open fields, an amphitheater, playgrounds, picnic areas, a splash pad and other fountains and more. Because the park was elevated from its natural landform (providing somewhat of a sound barrier for the nearby residents), it also provides a great view of the Port of Los Angeles.
Parking can be found in a surface lot off of King Avenue (which runs under one of the pedestrian bridges) or along West C Street to the north. Look for it to be part of an overhaul of the entire area, with ground broken on the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade project in 2020.
2. Averill Park, San Pedro
Located less than a mile and a half from White Point Beach and less than a quarter-mile east of Western Avenue, Averill Park is a welcome oasis in the South Bay community of San Pedro. A neighborhood treasure featuring a gazebo, a waterfall, a natural gully, a duck pond and a charming stone bridge with faux bois railings, it’s no wonder this is a popular spot for weddings and bridal photo shoots. And fortunately, it’s as-yet mostly undiscovered by tourists or visitors from environs north.
Located near a natural feature once known as “Stingaree Gulch,” the entire plot was donated to the City of Los Angeles (of which San Pedro is a part) in 1920 by the Averill Weymouth Company. Its namesake, Herbert O. Averill, developed the surrounding area — once owned by Rudecinda Sepulveda de Dodson — as “Vista del Oro.” (Harry Lee Weymouth was Averill’s brother-in-law.)
For closest access to the ducks (and perhaps even a rogue rooster), enter the park from the corner of West Averill Park Drive and South Weymouth Avenue. The stairs at South Weymouth and West 13th Street will get you to the gazebo; the entrance at South Weymouth and Le Grande Terrace will take you through an allée of tall palm trees. Street parking only. Open daily dawn to dusk. Free.
3. Ocean Trails Reserve, Palos Verdes Nature Preserve, Rancho Palos Verdes
Among the lands conserved by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy is the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve, whose 1,400 acres are owned by the City of Rancho Palos Verdes but managed by the PVPLC. It includes the 119-acre Ocean Trails Reserve, located south of Palos Verdes Drive and adjacent to the Trump International Golf Course.
Its coastal sage scrub habitat is home to bird species like the California gnatcatcher (hence the Gnatcatcher Trail along the eastern bluff, in the former Shoreline Park) and the cactus wren, as well as 250,000 local native plants. Along its 8 miles of trails, you can find the uncommon Dudleya virens (which also gets its own trail named after it), plus desert thorn and purple fiddlenecks. And the view of the Pacific Ocean is so good (with several trails allowing beach access), you might even spot a gray whale out there.
Occasional free, all-ages hikes are led by Los Serenos de Point Vicente docents. Call the Point Vicente Interpretive Center at 310-544-5260 for more information. Otherwise, the reserve is open one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. It’s closed during inclement weather. There’s a free surface parking lot at the end of La Rotonda Drive, as well as street parking along La Rotonda, Twin Harbors View Drive, and West 25th Street.
4. Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center, Torrance
The Madrona Marsh preserve is hiding in plain sight in the middle of the City of Torrance — literally across the street from Del Amo Fashion Center. This vernal marsh (so named because the temporary freshwater pools are only wet in the spring, thanks to rainwater runoff) gets a nice spring bloom (including some huge California dune poppies) — but all year long, this rare, undeveloped parcel of land (part of which was formerly an oil and gas recovery site) has plenty of vegetation, including some special species of native plants. In fact, Los Angeles County has designated it a Significant Ecological Area.
Throughout the preserve’s 43 acres — which may not be very wet until late winter or spring — keep your eyes open for birds that flock here at all times of the year. Among the reeds and the black willows, you’re likely to see red-winged blackbirds (which look exactly as their name implies) — and out in the open water, mallards, Canadian geese and coots. While you’re looking for birds in this “island habitat,” beware of the harvester anthills that might be underfoot.
Entrance is free, and the nature center across the street hosts monthly bird walks as well as rambles through the marsh with a naturalist. Don’t miss out on the nature center’s interpretive nature trail just outside — where you can spot plenty of birds and enjoy the native plantings.
5. Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve, Gardena
Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve is a hidden oasis in the South Bay city of Gardena, California. Upon entering the 9.4-acre wetland preserve from its entrance in Johnson Park (formerly South Gardena Park), you’ll take the North Loop trail, past laurel sumac and an observation deck enshrouded in overgrowth, and you quickly forget you're anywhere near the 91/110 freeway interchange (or the L.A. metro area for that matter).
This marshland is part of the 110-square-mile Dominguez Watershed — a last remaining bit of the Laguna Dominguez Slough (or "swamp") that’s teeming with life. The water-loving trees (including multiple species of willows), shrubs and other vegetation form tree tunnels and a shady canopy for local critters and visitors alike.
Admission is free to “The Willows,” but it’s currently accessible on the second Sunday of the month (1 to 4 p.m., with guided tours at 1:15 p.m.) and the fourth Saturday of the month (9 a.m. to noon), by advance reservation only.
6. Willmore Heritage Garden, Long Beach
The Willmore Heritage Garden is a pocket park that’s tucked away off West 7th Street in Long Beach, next to an on-ramp for the 710 Freeway. It was created by and is managed by the Willmore City Heritage Association, a community organization that was founded in 1976 as part of the preservation of Long Beach’s first designated historic district — including the original township of Willmore City, named after early city pioneer William E. Willmore, who developed the land in the late 19th century.
At its entrance, you’ll find one of the only remaining bits of the Jergins Trust Building at Ocean and Pine (built in 1917, demolished in 1988) — a pair of Beaux Arts-style pillars that were saved, restored, and relocated to the park in 2012, thanks to a grant from the Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Association. (Much of the rest of the building was sold off in the late 1980s.) These 15-foot-tall pillars create a gateway to the Drake Chavez Greenbelt, which connects Cesar E. Chavez Park in Downtown Long Beach to Drake Park in Willmore City.
Future plans include further beautification of this Los Angeles River-adjacent area, creating an urban wetland with a bioswale that ties in with the Long Beach Municipal Urban Stormwater Treatment project to divert and treat polluted stormwater runoff prior to entering the L.A. River. It’s scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023. In the meantime, the pillars and greenbelt are accessible to the public (and free). Street parking on West 7th Street or Maine Avenue.
