Cabrillo Beach, Public beach in San Pedro, Los Angeles, United States
Cabrillo Beach is a public beach at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro, on the eastern point of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Its inner beach lies inside the San Pedro Breakwater, where the water is calm, while the outer beach faces open ocean surf. The site covers 370 acres and includes a fishing pier built in 1969.
The beach was named after Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, the Spanish navigator who explored the California coast in 1542. His expedition marked one of the first European explorations of this coastal region.
Cabrillo Beach is nicknamed "Hurricane Gulch" by windsurfers and turn-of-the-century sailors because of its steady westerly winds. The Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse, built in 1932 and restored in 2002, keeps its Mediterranean-style structure and now holds a snack bar and an upstairs community meeting room. Each summer, lifeguards and San Pedro residents hold the Angel's Gate Lighthouse Swim at the breakwater's end.
The beach has parking facilities with hourly fees and is easy to walk on level ground. Visitors should expect direct sun exposure and bring sunscreen during warmer months.
An adjacent marine aquarium displays local ocean species and offers views of the Pacific. This facility enriches the beach experience with insights into the region's marine life.
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