The Palos Verdes Peninsula is a big block of hills pushing out into the Pacific at the south-western corner of Los Angeles, and Rancho Palos Verdes wraps around its southern edge. The coast road here, Palos Verdes Drive South and its continuation west, is about as scenic as a short ride in the LA basin gets: bluffs dropping to the sea, coves, kelp beds, and on a clear day the long grey shape of Santa Catalina Island floating on the horizon.
The land here is restless. Around Portuguese Bend, the peninsula is slowly sliding towards the ocean, part of an ancient landslide complex that reactivated in the mid-twentieth century and has accelerated dramatically in recent years. The road through the slide zone ripples and buckles, is patched constantly and can be rough, with sudden dips and uneven surfaces; slow down and stay alert. The movement famously claimed the Wayfarers Chapel, a glass church designed by Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright, which had to close in 2024 and be taken apart.
The more stable parts of the coast are lovely. Point Vicente has a lighthouse and an interpretive centre on the cliffs, and from December to April it is one of the best places on the Southern California coast to watch grey whales migrating between Alaska and Mexico. Abalone Cove and the tide pools below the bluffs are worth a scramble if you have time and decent boots. The peninsula is green, full of eucalyptus, pines and coastal sage, and the air smells of salt and flowers.
For a scenic stop, park at one of the pull-offs and watch the sun go down over the Pacific, ideally on a weekday when the traffic is lighter. Weekend afternoons bring crowds of cyclists, sightseers and residents, and parking can be tight. Fuel and groceries are available in Rancho Palos Verdes and the neighbouring towns of the South Bay. The ride back towards Los Angeles can be slow in rush hour, so time your departure carefully.