Overview
Torrance is a city in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, in Southern California. Even though it is one of the larger suburbs of Los Angeles (147,000 residents in 2020), it is overlooked by the throngs of tourists that visit LA. Torrance is often called "Japan's 48th Prefecture" due to its large Japanese population, and large Korean and other immigrant populations give the city a very global feel. Visitors wanting a quieter Los Angeles experience will do well to visit Torrance.
5 sights · 3 things to do · 4 places to eat · 7 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Torrance
Torrance High School
A must for television fans. In Beverly Hills, 90210, it served as the fictional West Beverly High. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it was Sunnydale High. It also served as the backdrop for other movies such as Fast Times At…
Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center
The Madrona Marsh Preserve is a seasonal wetland with vernal pools that is believed to be one of the last remaining vernal freshwater marshes in Los Angeles County. The 43 acres site was used for oil production from 1924…
Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge
The Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge or Southern Pacific Railroad Bridge now officially named the "Pacific Electric Railway- El Prado Bridge" is a historic double-tracked arch bridge spanning Torrance Boulevard at Bow St…
Columbia Park
Columbia Park (formally Columbia Regional Park) is a 52 acre recreational urban regional park that provides the community with soccer fields, baseball diamonds, bocce ball courts, community gardening beds, walking paths,…
Torrance Beach
Neither glamorous nor fancy, this clean, large, busy beach attracts thousands from the surrounding area. Parking is limited but nowhere near as poor as nearby Hermosa Beach or Venice Beach. Just due south of Torrance Bea…
Del Amo Financial Center
The Del Amo Financial Center is located adjacent to the Del Amo Mall on Hawthorne Blvd and has the tallest building in the beach cities located within it.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jan–Dec. Summer highs reach about 78°F; winter lows dip to about 49°F. Wettest: Feb and Jan. (climate data from nearby Hawthorne)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- HHR Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport, Hawthorne — 6 mi away. Directions
- LAX Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles — 8 mi away (major hub). Directions
Torrance is just a couple of miles south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Interstate 405 (San Diego Freeway). Take the 42A exit and go south on State Route 107 (Hawthorne Boulevard). While traveling south on SR 107/Hawthorne Blvd., look for the Del Amo Fashion Center (see "Buy" below) on the left. In terms of public transit, Line 8 of Torrance Transit offers service from the airport.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Torrance High School, Wilson Park, Del Amo Financial Center
- Lunch Taco Sinaloa #3
- Afternoon Western Museum of Flight, Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge
- Dinner King's Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant
Day 2
- Morning Torrance Beach, Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center
- Lunch Iccho
- Afternoon Columbia Park
- Dinner Umenoya Ramen
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
Torrance is just a couple of miles south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Interstate 405 (San Diego Freeway). Take the 42A exit and go south on State Route 107 (Hawthorne Boulevard). While traveling south on SR 107/Hawthorne Blvd., look for the Del Amo Fashion Center (see "Buy" below) on the left. In terms of public transit, Line 8 of Torrance Transit offers service from the airport.
Torrance is also accessible from several other exits from the 405, including Redondo Beach Blvd., Artesia Blvd., Crenshaw Blvd., and Western Blvd. From the 110 south of the 405, heading west on Torrance Blvd., Carson St., 223rd St., Sepulveda Blvd., or Pacific Coast Highway will also land you in Torrance.
If you have a personal airplane or helicopter, you can land at TOA. It is a public airport open to private aircraft (no commercial flights). Call ahead to schedule a landing and to rent a hangar or other dock.
Get around
Torrance is served by LA Metro, Torrance Transit, and GTrans, all of which are integrated with the TAP card payment system. See metro.net's South Bay and Gateway Cities map. However, public transportation is uncommon in Torrance. Better ways to travel would be ridesharing, such as Uber or Lyft, or car rental.
See
See Torrance Beach
Neither glamorous nor fancy, this clean, large, busy beach attracts thousands from the surrounding area. Parking is limited but nowhere near as poor as nearby Hermosa Beach or Venice Beach. Just due south of Torrance Beach is RAT Beach (Right After Torrance), which can only be accessed from Torrance Beach.
See Torrance High School
A must for television fans. In Beverly Hills, 90210, it served as the fictional West Beverly High. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it was Sunnydale High. It also served as the backdrop for other movies such as Fast Times At Ridgemont High, The Wild Life, Not Another Teen Movie, Bring It On, Whatever It Takes, Cursed, Wild Things 3, Bruce Almighty, and Less Than Zero. The building can be viewed from the outside but is not open to visits by the general public because it is a functioning school.
See Del Amo Financial Center
The Del Amo Financial Center is located adjacent to the Del Amo Mall on Hawthorne Blvd and has the tallest building in the beach cities located within it.
See Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center
The Madrona Marsh Preserve is a seasonal wetland with vernal pools that is believed to be one of the last remaining vernal freshwater marshes in Los Angeles County. The 43 acres site was used for oil production from 1924 to 2003 before the oil wells were removed and it was protected by the city as a nature preserve. Visitors can enjoy a walk through the preserve, and there is also an 8000 ft2 nature center located across from the marsh that offers exhibits about the nature and history of the marsh, including several live animals. The area is also great for birdwatchers, with more than 275 native and 50 non-native species of birds observed at the marsh since 1980.
See Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge
The Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge or Southern Pacific Railroad Bridge now officially named the "Pacific Electric Railway- El Prado Bridge" is a historic double-tracked arch bridge spanning Torrance Boulevard at Bow Street, a short distance west of Western Avenue. It was once part of the north/south Torrance to San Pedro spur line of the Pacific Electric Railway, that agency's first interurban line to San Pedro.
Do
Do Columbia Park
Columbia Park (formally Columbia Regional Park) is a 52 acre recreational urban regional park that provides the community with soccer fields, baseball diamonds, bocce ball courts, community gardening beds, walking paths, and a jogging—competitive cross country running trail. It is one of thirty parks in the Torrance Parks system.
Do Wilson Park
City park with universally accessible treehouse-themed play structure. In addition to the playground, there are picnic tables and facilities for basketball, horseshoes, sand volleyball, softball, roller hockey, and tennis. Splash pad for water play is open from April to December. Site of the farmers' market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, 8AM–1PM. Wheelchair accessible. Restrooms.
Buy
Shop Del Amo Fashion Square (Del Amo Mall)
Once billed as the largest mall in the world (and still #5 in the US), the Del Amo Fashion Center a beautiful outdoor promenade, with an AMC and a Lucky Strike Bowling Alley, stores like Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters, and decent restaurants like PF Chang's China Bistro. This mall has been used to film commercials, television shows and movies. Reno 911! regularly utilized the parking lots around the mall, and Jackie Brown was filmed in the International Food Court located in the mall.
Eat
Eat King's Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant
Famous for their sweet Hawaiian Bread - this restaurant is owned by the same company. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Make sure to take home some fresh breads and cookies from the bakery.
Eat Iccho
A Japanese restaurant that is open late serving decent food at reasonable prices to a bustling crowd. The sushi is uninspiring although not bad, the sake is good and reasonably priced ($6.25 for a large bottle), and the Japanese dishes are relatively good at prices between $4 and $10 per item.
Eat Taco Sinaloa #3
A cheap and cheerful authentic Mexican taco restaurant, that serves one of the best tacos and burritos in Los Angeles. The atmosphere is a bit grungy, but most items are under $5 and they serve cervezas till 2AM. One of the perks is that they are open 24 hours a day. Beware of the hot sauce, most people think they can handle it- but usually they're wrong.
Eat Umenoya Ramen
Torrance is known for many Japanese restaurants, there is numerous ramen restaurants scattered around the city. However this place stands out amongst the bunch, big bowls of delicious soup and noodles are fairly priced and consistently delicious.
Sleep
Stay safe
Torrance is a safe city with a low crime rate. Del Amo Mall has experienced some violent crime, but you are unlikely to be assaulted, as long as you don't make anyone mad. Eastern Torrance is not as safe as the rest of Torrance, but again, you are unlikely to fall victim to any crime. Be careful on the Anza Ave. and Halison St. intersection. Accidents involving students from nearby middle school happen once or twice a year. Accidents are also fairly frequent on Hawthorne Boulevard, but are usually collisions with cars, and pedestrians are rarely if not never hit.
Generally, crime in Torrance is related to property, and usually is either in the form of shoplifting or break-ins.
Nearby
Redondo Beach
City / town · 22 listings · 3 mi away
Carson
City / town · 9 listings · 3 mi away
Lawndale
City / town · 2 listings · 4 mi away
Hermosa Beach
City / town · 12 listings · 4 mi away
Gardena
City / town · 9 listings · 5 mi away
Manhattan Beach
City / town · 23 listings · 5 mi away
Palos Verdes
Rural area · 20 listings · 5 mi away
Hawthorne
City / town · 9 listings · 6 mi away
My experience
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