El Segundo

El Segundo is one of the oldest cities in the Los Angeles area. It is generally accepted that the city is named after the second (el segundo in Spanish) Standard Oil refinery on the West Coast, built in 1911.
El Segundo is two cities in one. The coastal portion is a residential suburb with a charming Main Street which looks frozen in time. Locals both affectionately and derisively call it "Mayberry By The Sea", referring to the sleepy fictional town which was the setting for the American television show "The Andy Griffith Show" in the early 1960s.
The "inland portion" of El Segundo is a thriving business district. Many large aerospace companies have facilities in El Segundo, including Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and The Aerospace Corporation, which is headquartered there. It is also home to the Los Angeles Air Force Base and the Space and Missile Systems Center and Toy Manufacturer Mattel.
El Segundo is also home to the blue butterfly, now an endangered species.These butterflies, which once used to reside in the sand dunes of El Segundo over an area of 4.5 square miles, have now been pushed into three small areas of what is left of those dunes.

El Segundo is immediately south of LAX and most hotels offer free shuttle transfers to and from the airport. The east-west Century Freeway (I-105) runs along the northern edge of El Segundo, exiting onto the Imperial Highway and terminating at the ocean. I-405 runs north-south just east of El Segundo with a couple of convenient exits at Rosecrans Avenue and El Segundo Boulevard. CA-1, the Pacific Coast Highway, passes north-south through the heart of El Segundo as Sepulveda Boulevard.
The Metro Green Line runs along the eastern edge of El Segundo, with both Mariposa/Nash and El Segundo/Nash stations within city limits.

El Segundo is nice quiet place to stay if you want to roam around in the rest of LA during the day. With LAX airport in close proximity it is quite a comfortable place to stay.

• Dockweiler State Beach

  address: 12000 Vista del Mar
  Located partially in El Segundo, including the only RV park on the beach in California.

• Toyota Sports CenterA public skating facility located at the corner of Nash Street and Mariposa Avenue, adjacent to the LA Metro station. The facilities include an Olympic sized ice rink, NHL sized hockey rink, indoor in-line hockey rink, indoor basketball court, cafe serving hot food and drinks, gymnasium for professional athletes, skate rental shop, fully stocked skate and hockey pro shop, and locker and shower facilities. This is the official training facility for the Los Angeles Kings NHL hockey team and its affiliate in the second-level American Hockey League, the Ontario Reign. It also previously served as the practice facility for the Lakers NBA basketball team, but that team now practices in the nearby UCLA Health Training Center. The TSC is also home to the Angel City Derby Girls, LA's only flat track roller derby league. The TSC also houses the 7th largest organized adult ice hockey league in the nation.

• UCLA Health Training Center

  address: 2275 E. Mariposa Ave.
  Opened in 2017 as the new practice facility for the Los Angeles Lakers. Closed to the public except when hosting games of the Lakers' affiliate in the NBA G League, the South Bay Lakers.

• The Lakes Golf Course

  phone: +1 310-322-0202
  address: 400 South Sepulveda Blvd.
  This nine hole, par 29, 1,327-yard municipal course won't be hosting any PGA tour events anytime soon, but it's an excellent course for beginners or those with an extended layover at LAX. There is also a double-deck driving range and a large putting area.

• Automobile Driving Museum

  phone: +1-310-909-0950
  address: 610 Lairport Street
  Large collection of vintage and antique cars, primarily American. On Sundays, offers rides in 3 cars from their collection. Definitely worth a short trip if you're in the area, especially for the Sunday rides.

• Sausal

  phone: +1 310-322-2721
  address: 219 Main St
  Named after Rancho Sausal Redondo ("Round Willow Ranch"), which once encompassed most of the South Bay. The upscale restaurant features Hispanic cuisine prepared fresh using traditional ingredients. Homemade salsas, unique salads, and mains that are inspired by Mexican cuisine but definitely have a unique spin. Worth a visit if you don't mind paying a bit more for a different take on Mexican food.

• The Tavern on Main

  phone: +1 310-322-3645
  address: 123 Main St.
  Well, it's a tavern, and it's located on Main. Live bands on weekends, happy hour on weekdays from 11AM (yes, 11AM) until 6:30PM, and free wireless internet for those who like their web surfing with a beer buzz.

• The Office Downtown

  phone: +1 310-648-3131
  address: 206 E. Grand Ave

• The Purple Orchid

  phone: +1 310-322-5829
  address: 221 Richmond St
  This bar is tiki-themed with a small stage that sees local bands playing regularly. It is often described as one of the best tiki-themed bars in Southern California, but even for the most demanding critics, if it's a tiki bar you want this place won't disappoint. Drinks are somewhat on the pricey side, with cocktails averaging about $8.50.

• Paul Martin's American Bistro

  phone: +1 310-643-9300
  address: 2361 Rosecrans Ave.
  “Eat organic. Believe in sustainable. Buy local. Love fresh” is the mantra of Paul Martin’s American Bistro. As much as possible, that’s what Paul Martin’s aims to deliver, and at accessible prices, with plates priced mostly between $10 and $22.

• America's Best Value Inn & Suites- LAX/El Segundo

  phone: +1 310-671-6017
  address: 4501 W. Imperial Hwy
  The immediate area may be gritty, and the building may not be attractive, but the rooms are pretty spacious and perfectly OK, especially for the price. If you have a lot of time to spend in LA, you might want to be somewhere where planes bound for LAX don't pass close enough for you to smell the exhaust, but if you want to be close to LAX and pay as little as possible for a decent value, consider this hotel. Plenty of free parking for hotel guests, good complimentary Wi-Fi. No smoking and no outside guests allowed to visit your room after 9PM. Free shuttle to and from LAX available. Front desk manned 24 hours/day.

• Concord Hotel

  phone: +1 310-322-6116
  address: 221 Concord St
  Weekly rates, not often available. Common bathrooms. WiFi available, free and FON.com

• Courtyard Los Angeles LAX/El Segundo

  phone: +1 310-322-0700
  address: 2000 East Mariposa Ave
  Free shuttle rides from LAX and free Wi-Fi. Rooms are fairly big and equipped with balconies and free Internet. Facilities include outdoor pool, indoor whirlpool, and a (very minimal) fitness center.

• Hyatt Summerfield Suites

  phone: +1 310-725-0100
  address: 810 South Douglas St

• Residence Inn Los Angeles LAX/El Segundo

  phone: +1 310-333-0888
  address: 2135 East El Segundo Blvd.

• Los Angeles - The nation's second most populous city offers various entertainment options, fine museums, restaurants, and shopping. Also see the popular Venice Beach.
• Playa del Rey - Located north of El Segundo and adjacent to LAX, Playa del Rey is home to extensive beaches and a variety of dining options.
• Manhattan Beach - El Segundo's neighbor to the South is home to a state beach as well as several upscale restaurants and shopping opportunties.
• Inglewood - A slightly rough city to the east of El Segundo, Inglewood has numerous lodging options for those wishing to stay close to the airport.