Vacation on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: Terranea

Located just minutes from Los Angeles, the new Terranea resort was built in 2009 but already feels like a natural part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The resort is located on land inhabited by the Marineland sea life park from 1954 to 1987, but it took another 20 years to finally get everything in place to build the resort.

The location is pretty stunning, including a pretty clear view of Catalina island. Add that to the blue waters and the hillside above, and there are moments where you can imagine being in Hawai'i. (Well, except for the slightly chilly winds that sometimes come in via the Pacific. Bring a jacket for early mornings or late nights.)

The 582-room Terranea, built on 102 acres, includes a collection of residential bungalows, casitas and villas. The resort also features a 9-hole par 3 golf course, the Spa at Terranea, three ocean view pools and a collection of eight restaurants, bars, cafés and lounges.

Terranea plays down the Marineland aspect of the site -- perhaps because it's still such a sore subject for the area, as locals and Angelenos to this day are upset over how the park was abruptly shut down by new owners (who then shipped off beloved killer whales Corky and Orky to their signature Sea World in San Diego). Instead, Terranea embraces the area's history as a popular site for Hollywood productions -- most notably, the long-running Lloyd Bridges series "Sea Hunt." The resort's ocean front eatery Nelson's is named after Bridges' character, Mike Nelson, and is decorated with images from the show.

We spent four days there last month, and as you saw from our posts last week, made it a mini-vacation -- exploring the nearby sites but never leaving the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The kids would have been happy spending all day, every day, at the pool, which includes a major water slide, a splash zone and two hot tubs. (The pool is slightly heated, because it does get chilly at times there on the coast.) If you're looking for a getaway without actually spending the money to fly somewhere, Terranea is a pretty good substitute.

Some pics:











PREVIOUSLY ON FRANKLIN AVENUE:

Vacation on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: View from the Coast

Vacation on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: The Point Fermin Lighthouse

Vacation on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: Point Vicente and Marineland Memories

Vacation on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: The Wayfarers Chapel

Vacation on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: View from the Coast

Palos Verdes Peninsula was inhabited for thousands of years by the Tongva-Gabrieliño Native Americans and later visited by Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo in 1542. In modern times, the peninsula is home to the cities of Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates. The hill that makes up the peninsula makes for stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the sprawling Los Angeles metropolis.

As we continue our look at our "staycation" in Palos Verdes, here are some pics of the view from above.








View of Catalina Island in the distance


Malaga Cove Shopping center (late 1920s)


King Neptune Fountain which is a copy of a famous statue in Bologna, Italy that was presented as a gift to the City of Palos Verdes Estates

Vacation on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: Point Vicente and Marineland Memories

Nearly 25 years after Marineland was unceremoniously shut down by its new owners (who also happened to own San Diego's Sea World, and were looking to eliminate a competitor and take its killer whales -- read the 1987 Los Angeles Times piece here), Rancho Palos Verdes still mourns the loss of its signature attraction.

The Terranea resort, which opened in 2009, finally brought the old Marineland site back to life, after 20 years of neglect. But thousands of Angelenos still remember the sea life park -- opened in 1954, a year before Disneyland. And that's why the Point Vicente Interpretive Center, which is primarily focused on illustrating the peninsula's unique environment, has found much success with an exhibit dedicated toward Marineland.

The exhibit includes plenty of old Marineland memorabilia -- such as one of the killer whale statues that sat outside the park. (By the way, check out some old Marineland ads and videos from a Retro Friday post we did last February here.)

Located next to the Point Vicente lighthouse (built in 1926), the Point Vicente Interpretive Center is also a great location to do a bit of whale watching. Details:

The almost 10,000 square foot newly expanded Interpretive Center, re-opened on July 15, 2006, features exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Peninsula, with a special emphasis on the Pacific gray whale. This premier whale watch site provides spectacular opportunities to view the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale, from December through April.

Point Vicente Interpretive Center
31501 Palos Verdes Drive West
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
(310) 377-5370

Some pics from the center's Marineland exhibit, as well as the nearby lighthouse:

Vacation on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: The Wayfarers Chapel

Rather than brave a lengthy road trip or pay for exorbitant plane tix, for our vacation this year we kept it local. Palos Verdes Peninsula, if you imagine hard enough, could very well be the coast of a Hawaiian island. (You've got the topography, the blue waters and the island in the distance -- in this case, Catalina.) There are the sites and attractions in nearby San Pedro to visit; a pair of lighthouses to check out (more on those in future posts) and the brand-new Terranea resort.

The most calming of attractions on the peninsula? It's easily the Lloyd Wright-designed Wayfarers Chapel.

The Wayfarers Chapel is a popular spot for small Southern California weddings, but it's much more than that -- including, of course, a house of worship. Here's some history from the chapel's website:

When the Chapel was built in 1951 it stood alone like a precious jewel on a deserted dusty knoll overlooking the blue Pacific. It was soon to be known as “the glass church” after its most prominent architectural feature.

The completed Chapel was dedicated as a memorial to Emanual Swedenborg, theologian and scientist from the 1700’s. His spiritual illumination of the Bible is the basis for its sponsoring Christian denomination, the Swedenborgian Church.

Today, what you are looking at is not a glass church but a “tree chapel.” Chapel architect Lloyd Wright, son of the renowned American architectural pioneer Frank Lloyd Wright, had been inspired by the cathedral-like majesty of the redwood trees in northern California. The redwood trees that surround the Chapel are forming living walls and roof. Since its dedication in May 1951, millions of visitors have toured the Wayfarers Chapel and its surrounding gardens.

Like so much of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the views are stunning from the Wayfarers Chapel. A new Visitor's Center provides more history and a gift shop, while the grounds are free to roam.

Some pics from the Wayfarers Chapel:

Retro Friday: Marineland of the Pacific

Remember Marineland of the Pacific? It's been nearly 25 years since the attraction, located on the Palos Verde Peninsula, was shut down by new owners Sea World (which moved its killer whales to San Diego. Many of the buildings remained, abandoned, until five years ago, when the land was cleared to make way for the Terranea resort.


Cheesy 1981 ad featuring Willie Aames


"L.A.'s Own Marineland"


Video shot of Marineland's ruins.

Read more about the history of Marineland here.

Once Again, Southern California is Ablaze

We spent much of tonight watching the mountains above us, several miles away (thankfully), as they quickly became engulfed in flames. The so-called "Station" fire is inching closer to homes in La Cañada Flintridge, where at least 500 houses have already been evacuated.

Most threatened so far in the Station fire was the Angeles Crest Ranger Station, a familiar sight to anyone driving up the Angeles Crest Highway (the 2) into the mountains.

Above, you could already see the flames at around 7 p.m.; as it got darker, the flames spread and started heading down the mountain. The Blogger Preschooler, of course, is alternately fascinated and freaked out; but again, we're several miles away and in no danger.

Meanwhile, local L.A. TV stations began breaking into programming later in primetime, particularly after another fire -- this one in Rancho Palos Verde -- quickly grew out of control.

KCAL/9, which normally runs primetime news, and KTTV/11 were the first to offer wall-to-wall coverage, with others gradually following. KCAL continued breaking for commercials early on, which led to one awkward moment, when coverage of the fire cut to an ad for El Pollo Loco -- featuring an illustration of big flames. (To signify the flame-broiled chicken, of course.) On KTLA, anchors were talking when suddenly the automated system cut to a promo for "90210" as Leila Feinstein was in mid-sentence; someone realized the error and switched it back. A map on KTLA also contained a few spelling errors -- it's "Wilmington," not "Wilminton."

KNBC and KABC continued covering the fires even after their normal late news sign-off time at 11:35, pre-empting "Tonight Show" and "Nightline," respectively. (KNBC dropped out by 11:55, followed by KABC at 12:06, however.) KCAL also continued coverage, which allowed sister station KCBS to return to normal programming ("Late Show"). KTLA and KTTV had also returned to regular programming by 11:30.

Here's more from the L.A. Times:

At least 1,700 firefighters were battling fires in Portuguese Bend on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, in Hemet, just north of La Cañada Flintridge and above Azusa. In each case, the fires were fueled by dense, dry vegetation and record high temperatures, according to authorities.

In the Portuguese Bend area, the fast-moving fire charred at least 80 acres, knocked out power and prompted an unspecified number of evacuations, beginning in at least three neighborhoods: on Portuguese Bend Road, Amber Sky Drive and Crest Road, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

In La Cañada Flintridge, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, evacuations of about 500 homes were ordered around 10 p.m. in the neighborhoods along Vista del Valle Road, and an evacuation center was set up at Crescenta Valley High School.

According to KABC/7, it's gonna be even hotter tomorrow: 104 degrees in La Canada Flintridge. Yikes.