Rancho Palos Verdes

Rancho Palos Verdes is a coastal city in Los Angeles County, California, that spreads across the cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The municipality includes residential neighborhoods scattered along steep hillsides, along with several parks and nature preserves overlooking the Pacific.

A New York financier purchased large sections of the peninsula in the early 20th century and planned a residential development that later divided into several municipalities. The city itself incorporated in the mid-1970s when residents decided to separate from neighboring administrative areas.

The name combines Spanish words referring to the green hills of the peninsula, visible today on signs along the winding coastal roads. Many residents use the public hiking trails that thread across the bluffs and provide access to the nature preserves.

Roads wind along the coastal hills, so visitors should expect curving routes and steep sections. Parking at trailheads can fill quickly on weekends and holidays.

One area in the southern part of the city moves continuously and has warped roads and homes over decades, forcing engineers to make constant repairs. Geologists study the layers to better understand the landslides that have occurred for thousands of years.

Location: Los Angeles County

Inception: 1973

Elevation above the sea: 67 m

Shares border with: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, Rolling Hills, San Pedro

Website: https://rpvca.gov

GPS coordinates: 33.75833,-118.36417

Latest update: December 13, 2025 15:47