Welcome to Pamela’s Area Guide of the Palos Verdes Peninsula 

The Palos Verdes Peninsula is surrounded on three sides by the sea. It sits on bluffs above and removed from the nearby Los Angeles Basin – with its focus to the Pacific Ocean. Today the Palos Verdes Peninsula comprises of four cities: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, Rolling Hills and Rancho Palos Verdes.  

Palos Verdes offers you a choice of an Ocean-view Villa or an equestrian estate or a Golf Community or a penthouse above the clouds on top of “the Hill”, Pacific Ocean Views, white water, coastline and coves as well as snow capped mountains and sparkling city lights below! There is something for everyone in this paradise called the Palos Verdes Peninsula. 

Click here to read more about the Palos Verdes Peninsula’s Local History. 

The City of Palos Verdes Estates

Palos Verdes Estates is clustered with three other small cities on the beautiful, pastoral Palos Verdes Peninsula west of Long Beach. The other communities are: Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates.

They comprise one of the richest and most scenic sections of the Los Angeles County. All are residential communities with homes ranging from moderate to opulent. School rankings are very high and crime is low. The population is approximately: 13,340.

The peninsula has two large shopping centers located near peninsula center in Rolling Hills Estates but no hotels, hospitals or major industry. In Palos Verdes Estates, there are 2 mini commercial areas located in Malaga Cove and Lunada Bay, confined primarily to banks, restaurants, and real estate offices. Each is separate, legal cities in control of their planning, zoning, and civic affairs.

In Palos Verdes Estates, there are approximate 5,161 single family homes, 35 single attached homes and 363 multiple residential units, all under the jurisdiction of the Palos Verdes Art Jury which strictly controls development and growth. The Art Jury strictly enforces the C.C. & R's which were established at the time of the city's incorporation in the 1920's.

Although Palos Verdes Estates has its mansions, much of the housing consists of older, well-maintained single-family homes limited to 30% lot coverage. Many of the homes have spectacular ocean views. Moving back from the awesome bluffs above the Pacific, the town rises into gentle, rolling hills. Horse trails meander from the city owned stable and near Malaga Cove, can be found the city owned golf course, tennis club and swim club.

Approximately 850 acres have designated as permanent park land; including the bluffs along the coastline. The city's population has been steadily decreasing since the 1970's. Fewer than 50 lots are available for residential development. As a result, there is a lot of demolition of old homes as well as remodeling.

The city is served by the Palos Verdes Unified School District which is known nationwide for its excellent school scores. In recent state tests, all schools scored above the 90th percentile, the highest in the state, and several scored in the 98th percentile.

Palos Verdes has a very low crime rate and is the only city on the Peninsula to have its own police force and jail. The 3 other cities contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department for police protection. All 4 Peninsula cities contract with the Los Angeles County Fire Department for fire protection. There are 3 fire stations located on the Peninsula.

Cultural activities revolve around the Norris Center for the Performing Arts and the Palos Verdes Art Association. Both offer numerous events and classes. Frequently, in Malaga Cove Plaza there are art shows on the weekends which make for a wonderfully relaxing afternoon.

The City of Rolling Hills Estates

Originally planned as an equestrian community, Rolling Hills Estates is one of four prestigious communities on the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula. It is frequently confused with its neighboring equestrian city: Rolling Hills which is a self-contained gated community. Rolling Hills Estates winds through and around the 3 other communities of Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills. All are known for their strict building and development codes with limited lot coverage.

The city has approximately 3,000 residential housing units: 2,272 single family homes (many are located on the minimum ½ acre lot), 600 single attached residential units, and 38 multiple residential units. Rolling Hills Estates got its building boom in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. Since the 1990's, only about 50 homes have been built and there is virtually no available land for residential building. Like the other Peninsula cities, Rolling Hills Estates has witnessed a revival in teardowns and remodeling, in some cases to take advantage of the large lots.

Rolling Hills Estates differs from its sister communities in one major aspect: It has retail stores, a shopping mall with an ice skating rink, small shopping centers, office buildings, restaurants movie theatres, banks, and boutiques. This commercial area, gives Rolling Hills Estates what the other cities lack: a tax base to fund local amenities. The commercial area is very low scale and is buffered from the surrounding homes. With the shopping, restaurants, Norris Theater for the Performing Arts, Palos Verdes Art Center and movie theaters, the commercial area functions as the social and business center of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Rolling Hills Estates is served by the renowned Palos Verdes Unified School District, known for its school scores in the high 90+ percentile (the highest in the state with the largest number of National Merit scholars in the country). Education is a priority with the residents, who recently overwhelmingly approved a bond issue for updating and remodeling the schools.

As with Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills, the city contracts with Los Angeles County for police and fire protection. The crime rate is low with zero homicides. Although, like the other cities, it is located in an area considered a "high" fire area with its thousands of acres of undeveloped rolling hills.

There are six parks, 25 miles of the most beautiful horse trails in Los Angeles County, and 10 miles of bicycle paths. The city hall has a hitching post and the mayor sponsors a breakfast ride each year. There are also a large commercial stable, equestrian parks which are the site of numerous horse shows, as well as public and private tennis clubs, a botanical garden, and a private golf course.

The City of Rolling Hills

The city of Rolling Hills is legally an incorporated city that is subject to the laws and regulations of two governing entities: The city of Rolling Hills and the Rolling Hills Community Association.

Rolling Hills with approximately 685 homes, 1,871 residents and 200 horses is one of only six incorporated U.S. cities with entirely enclosed residential perimeters. The approximate size of this small exclusive city is 3 square miles. There are no sewers (septic systems instead), schools, shops, gas stations, but there are public tennis courts, 23 miles of equestrian trails, and several public riding rings in a city that lives up to its name with gentle, rolling hills.

Behind the three white guard gates restricting entrance into this private equestrian themed city, are eucalyptus and pepper trees lining winding country lanes with the mandatory split rail fence and miles of bridal paths, alongside groves of lemon, orange and avocado orchards.

In this community of multi-million dollar homes with a minimum lot size of 1 acre, some homes command spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, bluffs and coves, Catalina Island and the Los Angeles Harbor. Other homes are situated with a view towards the Santa Monica Bay or downtown Los Angles with views of city lights and the San Gabriel Mountains.

Rolling Hills is consistently ranked by WORTH magazine in the top 10 of the wealthiest communities in the United States. About 70% of the homes, single story ranch style architecture with the mandatory white paint, were built between1950-1980. The Rolling Hills Home Association strictly controls growth, development and remodeling of the existing homes. They also maintain the private roads, trails, riding rings, and tennis facilities. Each homeowner is assessed .20 per thousand of their home sales price as yearly association fee, known as the gate tax.

The city is served by the prestigious Palos Verdes Unified School district, which has some of the highest test scores in the nation. Rolling Hills has one of the lowest crime rates in the state as well as the nation, with many residents never locking their doors. It joins two other Peninsula cities, Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, and contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs department for police service. Security guards at the three entry gates augment the police service. Within the city is the original fire station that is now staffed by the Los Angeles County fire department.

Rolling Hills residents value their privacy and enjoy the beautiful pastoral setting of their community; they try to avoid any publicity or notoriety. There is no truer axiom about this city; then it counts on "whom you know" if you want to pass through the guard gates.

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes

Rancho Palos Verdes is the newest of the 4 cities located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Until approximately 30 years ago, it was under the jurisdiction of Los Angles County as an unincorporated area. The city is known as a bedroom community, although it does have a commercial district along Western Avenue in the East view area of San Pedro. There are no hotels, hospitals or industry.

The city is one of the most scenic areas in Los Angeles County with spectacular ocean views of the bluffs and coves. It is built on top of rolling hills with great views of the Pacific Ocean, Santa Catalina Island and the Los Angeles Harbor. Besides the spectacular ocean views, the city offers upscale residential neighborhoods, fabulous schools, and low crime. The population is approximately: 41,145.

From the beginning, the tract housing built in the early 1960's was aimed at the affluent professionals working in aerospace and other industries. 90% of the housing construction occurred between the 1950's to the 1970's. On some streets, especially with ocean views, there are the newer, large mansions as well as the older neighborhoods with more modest ranch style homes. Some of the newer neighborhoods are gated communities. The terrain is lush and beautiful with 2 lane roads twisting through the hills, with houses sitting on hilltop with ocean and pastoral views. There are approximately 15,700 residential housing units: 12,100 single family homes, 1,110 attached residential units and 2,500 multiple units. All in all this is a lovely place to live; bring money!

Served by the nationally acclaimed Palos Verdes Peninsula School district, the school scores are among the highest in the state. The crime rate is low, with the city contracting with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs department for police protection. Rancho Palos Verdes, like its 3 neighboring cities is a legally incorporated city with an elected city council and city hall. The city imposes strict controls on planning and development. In recent years, it has allowed the development of the prestigious Ocean Trails Golf Course, along the bluff. However, plans to develop the old Marineland site have been stalled for nearly 20 years. This city has beautiful parks providing recreational facilities that include 2 golf courses, horseback riding, kids' sports and play equipment, as well as arts and crafts and whale watching.

What are the best neighborhoods? It's Pamela’s job to know! Tell her more about your move. Or request her Complimentary Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, and Rolling Hills relocation package of information. There's no obligation, please contact Pamela and experience first-hand her world-class customer service, for immediate and direct response call: 310-544-1365.