Torrance

Torrance is just a couple of miles south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Interstate 405 (San Diego Freeway). Take the 42A exit and go south on State Route 107 (Hawthorne Boulevard). While traveling south on SR 107/Hawthorne Blvd., look for the Del Amo Fashion Center (see "Buy" below) on the left. In terms of public transit, Line 8 of Torrance Transit offers service from the airport.
Torrance is also accessible from several other exits from the 405, including Redondo Beach Blvd., Artesia Blvd., Crenshaw Blvd., and Western Blvd. From the 110 south of the 405, heading west on Torrance Blvd., Carson St., 223rd St., Sepulveda Blvd., or Pacific Coast Highway will also land you in Torrance.

Torrance is served by LA Metro and Torrance Transit, although public transportation is uncommon in Torrance. Better ways to travel would be ridesharing, such as Uber or Lyft, or car rental.

• Torrance BeachNeither glamorous nor fancy, this clean, large, busy beach attracts thousands from the surrounding area. Parking is limited but nowhere near as poor as nearby Hermosa Beach or Venice Beach.

• Torrance High School

  address: 2200 W Carson St
  A must for television fans. In Beverly Hills, 90210, it served as the fictional West Beverly High. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it was Sunnydale High. It also served as the backdrop for other movies such as Fast Times At Ridgemont High, The Wild Life, Not Another Teen Movie, Bring It On, Whatever It Takes, Cursed, Wild Things 3, Bruce Almighty, and Less Than Zero. The building can be viewed from the outside but is not open to visits by the general public because it is a functioning school.

• Del Amo Mall (Del Amo Fashion Square)

  phone: +1 310 542-8525
  address: 3525 W Carson St
  This mall has been used to film commercials, television shows and movies. Reno 911! regularly utilized the parking lots around the mall, and Jackie Brown was filmed in the International Food Court located in the mall.

• Del Amo Financial Center

  phone: +1 310 540-9300
  address: 21515 Hawthorne Blvd
  The Del Amo Financial Center is located adjacent to the Del Amo Mall on Hawthorne Blvd and has the tallest building in the beach cities located within it.

• Alpine Village

  phone: +1 310 329-4748
  address: 833 Torrance Blvd

• Del Amo Fashion Square (Del Amo Mall)

  phone: +1 310 542-8525
  address: 3525 W Carson St
  Once billed as the largest mall in the world, the Del Amo Fashion Center had in recent years become a sort of a "D" grade shopping center due to old age. However, Del Amo has renovated the north section of the mall into a beautiful outdoor promenade, with a new AMC and a Lucky Strike Bowling Alley, great stores (such as Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters) and decent restaurants like PF Changs China Bistro.

• Cho Dang Tofu

  phone: +1 310 373-7055
  address: 22549 Hawthorne Blvd
  The main item on the menu are the tofu soups - which come your choice of a variety of vegetables, meats, or seafood in a broiling hot soup and served with a small, hot stone pot full of rice and six side dishes of seaweed, kimchi, and other pickled dishes. The kalbi beef is also a great option, if you don't like tofu.

• Curry House

  phone: +1 310 540-8980
  address: 21215 Hawthorne Blvd
  As opposed to Indian curry, Japanese curry is brown and thick. Owned by international food distributor, House Foods, this restaurant has several locations throughout Greater Los Angeles. Order the curry with vegetables or meat mixed in with the curry and pour it on top of rice or spaghetti. Try the corn soup as an appetizer.

• King's Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant

  phone: +1 310 530-0050
  address: 2808 Sepulveda Blvd
  Famous for their sweet Hawaiian Bread - this restaurant is owned by the same company. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Make sure to take home some fresh breads and cookies from the bakery.

• Moo's Chinese Restaurant

  phone: +1 310 371-9282
  address: 4817 Torrance Blvd
  This Mandarin Chinese restaurant offers large dinner portions - one order is more than enough to feed two people. The lunch specials include eggrolls, soup, and an entree for $4-$7 per dish.

• Iccho

  phone: +1 310 325-7273
  address: 25310 Crenshaw Blvd
  A Japanese restaurant that is open late serving decent food at reasonable prices to a bustling crowd. The sushi is uninspiring although not bad, the sake is good and reasonably priced ($6.25 for a large bottle), and the Japanese dishes are relatively good at prices between $4 and $10 per item.

• Taco Sinaloa #3

  phone: +1 310 328-4208
  address: 1647 W Carson St
  A cheap and cheerful authentic Mexican taco restaurant, that serves one of the best tacos and burritos in Los Angeles. The atmosphere is a bit grungy, but most items are under $5 and they serve cervezas till 2AM. One of the perks is that they are open 24 hours a day. Beware of the hot sauce, most people think they can handle it- but usually they're wrong.

• Umenoya Ramen

  address: 24222 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
  Torrance is known for many Japanese restaurants, there is numerous ramen restaurants scattered around the city. However this place stands out amongst the bunch, big bowls of delicious soup and noodles are fairly priced and ALWAYS consistently delicious.

• Courtyard Los Angeles Torrance/Palos Verdes

  phone: +1 310 533-8000
  address: 2633 Sepulveda Blvd

• Courtyard Los Angeles Torrance/South Bay

  phone: +1 310 532-1722
  address: 1925 W 190th St

• Holiday Inn

  phone: +1 310 781-9100
  address: 19800 S Vermont Ave

• Miyako Hybrid Hotel

  address: 21381 S Western Ave
  Miyako Hybrid Hotel in Torrance, California offers 208 Japanese-style lodging accommodations and 12 suites, 3 meeting rooms and restaurant, sushi bar, and lounge Gonpachi, near local attractions.

• Residence Inn Los Angeles Torrance/Redondo Beach

  phone: +1 310 543-4566
  address: 3701 Torrance Blvd

• Staybridge Suites

  phone: +1 310 371-8525
  address: 19901 Prairie Ave

• Torrance Marriott

  phone: +1 310 316-3636
  address: 3635 Fashion Way

Torrance is a safe city with a low crime rate. Del Amo Mall has experienced some violent crime in the recent years, but you are unlikely to be assaulted, as long as you don't make anyone mad. Eastern Torrance is not as safe as the rest of Torrance, but again, you are unlikely to fall victim to any crime. Be careful on the Anza Ave. and Halison St. intersection. Accidents involving students from nearby middle school happen once or twice a year. Accidents are also fairly frequent on Hawthorne Boulevard, but are usually collisions with cars, and pedestrians are rarely if not never hit.

• San Pedro
• Palos Verdes
• Long Beach