A Weekend in Redondo Beach
My third trip to California, I was entering new territory—Redondo Beach. I've spent most of my time in SoCal around Beverly Hills, downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Laguna Beach, so the coastal cities just outside of Los Angeles were unexplored territory. I was stoked to discover our gem of a hotel, The Redondo Beach Hotel, was right across the street from the beach. As soon as we pulled in to the parking lot, exhaustion from the flight was gone and my sister and I were ready for adventure.
Riding around on cruisers along the beach was the warmest welcome to Redondo Beach. I would know, I got sunburn all across my face! Elyse and I rode down to Captain Kidd's legendary fish market, where you can order basically any seafood you want, cooked any way you want. We had corn on the cob and French fries on the side with a cold beer to wash it down—I have never been more blissed out in my life. Biking there and back was the best way to wake up after a long flight!
Our bikes from The Redondo Beach Hotel were super comfortable, and cost just a few dollars to take out for a couple hours. After lunch, we headed over to explore the bustling Redondo Beach pier. Everyone was out eating ice cream, churros, iced coffee and cotton candy. Elyse and I got gelato to keep our energy up before our next leg of cycling.
The ride to Hermosa Beach is about eight minutes up the coast. I had just seen La La Land for the first time and recognized a ton of filming locations from the movie, which was an unexpected surprise. After a few hours of exploring, we zipped back to the hotel for their free Thursday happy hour. It takes place Monday-Thursday and includes free beer and wine, as well as snacks like trail mix, cheeses, charcuterie, hummus, and fruits!
There's nothing like a beach day to remind you that you're in California, so that was the plan for our next day in Redondo Beach. We packed up umbrellas, beach blankets, a few games to pass the time, and grabbed two of our best SoCal buds, Mik and Spencer, to spend the day with! The sand and waves in Redondo Beach are just about unmatched, and it was the perfect setting to spend some time with friends. Afterwards, we were so exhausted we headed back to the hotel to nap by the pool after stocking up on snacks and drinks.
Long days in the sun always leave my stomach rumbling, and Elyse and I were craving pizza like crazy. After looking up the best places nearby, we decided on Locale90 and watched the sun set just beyond our patio chairs. I've seen a lot of sunsets, and the one this night was the absolute most spectacular I've ever seen. The full spectrum of Roy G. Biv was in there. It was stunning!
For our last morning in Redondo, we enjoyed the hotel's continental breakfast at a lovely patio table. It was one of the better ones I've ever had—bagels, yogurt, waffles, cold cereals, oatmeal, fresh fruit...and don't forget, lots of hot coffee. However, we still had to visit the very popular ROMANAROMA cafe up the street...and let me tell you, it is not to be missed. I ordered an espresso con panna off the menu (just ask for a single espresso with ice and whipped cream on top!), and it was everything I wanted. They have a gorgeous and shaded patio space outside the light and bright interior, where Elyse and I finished our coffee before one last bike ride to the hotel to check out. I even made it on their Instagram page!
Some places have the power to truly transport you away from the doldrums of everyday life, and The Redondo Beach Hotel is one of them. The staff there is helpful and cheery, and a huge part of what makes it feel like such a home away from home! Although I don't normally get to wake up to balcony views of palm trees, a dazzling marina, and endless waves, The Redondo Beach Hotel makes it extra special.
Thank you to The Redondo Beach Hotel for hosting our stay.