El Segundo is a city in Los Angeles County that doesn’t play second-fiddle to other cities in Southern California.
It’s a beachfront gem that has thrived since 1911, when Standard Oil of California (later renamed Chevron) established its second refinery in this city.
Incorporated in 1917, El Segundo (Spanish for “second”) drew its name from this refinery.
The 5.5-square-mile area of the city henceforth welcomed many Fortune 500 companies, including leaders in bioscience, IT, aerospace and defense, and mass media.
Host to the Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo also takes pride in being home to the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Kings.
Besides the epicenter of South California sports, the city boasts a public beach and three public pools.
El Segundo offers visitors a vibrant downtown with shopping hubs and chef-driven restaurants.
Here are the best things to do in El Segundo, CA:
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This mall flaunts 115,000 square feet of retail and dining space at Rosecrans Avenue and the Pacific Coast Highway.
The Point opened in 2015 and has drawn many commercial establishments, including Lululemon, Tocaya Organica, Evereve, Little Sister, Madewell, North Italia, True Food Kitchen, Warby Parker, SoulCycle, and Outerknown.
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Every restaurant at The Point offers patio seating, ideal for enjoying the sunny California weather.
The mall also provides an expansive outdoor plaza perfect for summer events like concerts, family-friendly parties, and outdoor movies.
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This museum boasts a rotating exhibit of 130 antique and classic automobiles.
On Sundays, docent drivers at the Automobile Driving Museum can take visitors for a ride in the antique car of their choice.
The museum’s Sunday visitors can also touch and sit in the cars on display.
The Automobile Driving Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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Two long-time automobile collectors, Earl Rubenstein and Stanley Zimmerman, founded this museum in 2001.
Its objective is to offer the public an opportunity to experience classic and special-interest automobiles.
They also maintain and preserve phased-out vehicles like Packard, Stutz, Studebaker, and Nash AMC at the museum.
Occupying over an acre of land, the Automobile Driving Museum has 40,000 square feet for automobile display, storage, repair, and restoration.
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Affectionately called ESMoA, this museum on Main Street is an “art laboratory” offering “Experiences” three times a year.
A variety of media are presented in these Experiences, including painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, and performances.
These presentations are conceptual and thematic, with their key elements being trans-disciplinary, dynamic, open, and international.
Seeing the exhibits of ESMoA is free, and you can also join educational activities for students, adults, and families.
These activities include drawing workshops, lectures, art talks, school programs, family days, yoga and dance classes, cooking, movie nights, etc.
This music hall is a unique entertainment venue on Richmond Street located in the 188-seat El Segundo State Theater, constructed in 1921.
Among the presentations at Old Town Music Hall are silent films screened to the accompaniment of live organ music.
A 1925 wind-powered pipe organ, the massive Mighty Wurlitzer, plays the background music for these movies.
The meticulously preserved organ consists of more than 2,600 pipes operated via a console with four keyboards, 260 switches, plus an array of pedals and controls.
Through the console, the organist controls the pipes and many percussive instruments, like a piano, a xylophone, a marimba, drums, and cymbals.
A 10-HP Spencer Turbine Orgoblo air-powers the entire pipe organ system initially used in the Fox West Theater in Long Beach.
Besides silent movies, the Old Town Music Hall hosts jazz and ragtime concerts.
Off the Pacific Coast Highway, this public golf facility integrates traditional and non-traditional golfing.
Tradition rules in the par 3, 10-hole golf course of Lakes of El Segundo, which stretches over 1,060 yards.
Lighted for night play, this layout has received a boost from Topgolf Entertainment, a global driving range operator.
Next to the Lakes of El Segundo course, Topgolf set up a driving range with 102 outdoor hitting bays.
Topgolf equipped this venue with its Toptracer ball-tracking technology, enabling players to enjoy an interactive experience with favorite games like Angry Birds and Jewel Jam.
Besides this signature feature of Topgolf, its El Segundo location also flaunts brand-new ball dispenser units, a giant TV wall, and large HD screens in the outfield.
This Topgolf El Segundo attraction also features a restaurant and sports bar with a chef-inspired menu, top-shelf drinks, and year-round music programming.
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Drive along the scenic Vista del Mar corridor of El Segundo on South California’s Pacific Coast.
You can stop at the corner of Grand Avenue, where there’s a parking lot and access to El Segundo Beach.
This beach, from which you can see the Chevron refinery, is less crowded than other nearby beaches like Manhattan Beach.
El Segundo Beach is famous among surfers flocking to the waters off Lifeguard Tower 61.
Other water-based recreational activities on this beach include swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, and body surfing.
You can try sunbathing, walking, running, and biking on El Segundo Beach.
You can also quickly move to its neighbors, El Porto Beach to the south and Dockweiler Beach to the north.
You can try ice skating in this winter sports facility on North Nash Street on the Grand Avenue Corporate Center grounds.
The Toyota Sports Center opened its 135,000-square-foot space on March 5, 2000, and it has drawn a million guests annually since then.
The center offers three public ice rinks–NHR size, Olympic size, and a smaller ice rink.
The ice rinks host several youths and amateur hockey leagues throughout the year.
The Toyota Sports Center is also the training and practice facility of the Los Angeles Kings and the Ontario Reign.
Visit the mixed-use development of Elevon at Campus El Segundo, home of the training facility and team shop of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Located on North Douglas Street, the Lakers Team Shop exclusively sells authentic jerseys, training pants, and other items of the iconic NBA team.
The Lakers also have a training center on a five-acre site near this shop at the northwest corner of Mariposa Avenue and North Douglas Street.
You can also drop by the sprawling Campus El Segundo Athletic Fields west of this block.
It features two full-sized synthetic multipurpose fields suited for soccer, football, lacrosse, and a snack bar area and restrooms.
Located on East Grand Avenue corner Duley Road, this aquatics center opened in 2019.
It hosts local varsity swimming and water polo tournaments while also offering recreational swimming to the public.
The main feature of the El Segundo Aquatics Center is a ten-lane, 53.2-meter competition pool.
Its setup is flexible and can accommodate a variety of aquatics programs.
The pool’s moveable bulkheads and an expanded shallow entry area allow these programs to happen.
The aquatics center provides seating for over 500 spectators, sports lighting, a scoreboard, and a timing system.
In addition to the main competition pool, the aquatics center also has a smaller 25-yard, four-lane pool for swim lessons, fitness classes, and other recreational programs.
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At 18.5 acres, this community center of El Segundo is one of the largest among the city’s 15-plus public parks.
Recreation Park is just east of Downtown El Segundo, bordered by Eucalyptus Drive on the west and Pine Street on the north.
It provides a slew of facilities for various sports, such as tennis, basketball, softball, volleyball, roller hockey, racquetball, lawn bowling, shuffleboard, ping pong, and pickleball.
The other facilities in this park include horseshoe pits, a grass play area, picnic tables, a BBQ grill, a fire pit, water fountains, and restrooms.
This farmers’ market opens every Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Main Street in downtown El Segundo.
A visit to this local market constitutes a community get-together, shopping spree, and culinary adventure rolled into one.
Here, you can buy an array of organic produce, farm-fresh fruits, and vegetables.
You will also see enticing picks of artisanal baked goods, ready-to-eat snacks, cheeses, crafts, gifts, and jewelry, with live music in the background.
The chance to socialize and buy directly from growers and producers is a bonus in the friendly hometown atmosphere of El Segundo Farmers’ Market.
This distillery on East El Segundo Boulevard takes pride in producing Los Angeles’ first bourbon.
Opened in 2014, the spirits served at the tasting room of R6 Distillery are freshly drawn from its onsite 5,900-square-foot facility.
Visitors of the Prohibition-speakeasy-themed tasting room of R6 Distillery can also enjoy a live cabaret show.
An award-winning bourbon is the primary product of R6 Distillery, which also produces blue-corn vodka, whisky, and gin.
It also manufactures private-label spirits and canned drinks for brands or celebrities without their distillery.
This watering hole on Main Street is the flagship and original location of the Rock & Brews chain, which has a presence in several other markets.
Offering more than 100 craft beers since its launching in 2010, Rock & Brews stamps its class as a top rock ‘n’ roll-themed beer garden in El Segundo.
Visitors flock here not only for its broad selection of craft beers but also for energized yet affordable dining and entertainment.
The picks in Rock & Brews’ menu include fresh, quality American comfort food, such as salads, burgers, sandwiches, wings, and pizza.
It also offers a variety of healthy and gluten-free options for the diet-conscious,
This antique shop on Richmond Street is where you can find not only a wide variety of antiques but also old-school vinyl records.
Its music records include LPs, 45s, 78s, cassettes, or anything musical from the past.
This shop is also well known for its unique decorative items or pieces of furniture that many shoppers look for to express their personality.
Other wares at Studio Antiques include vintage mirrors, artwork, ironwork, stained glass, and more.
You can check this store’s show, “Baggage Battles,” which airs on Travel Channel, for buying picks early on.
This cinema on East Franklin Avenue offers the unique experience of watching a movie outdoors amid the city’s picturesque skyline.
This movie house opens early before its nighttime screening for a good reason.
This way, you can enjoy all the elements of the golden hour of sunset and dusk to set the tone for a beautiful evening.
Rooftop Cinema Club offers an immersive movie viewing with a cutting-edge LED screen.
You’ll also receive state-of-the-art wireless headphones for excellent movie viewing.
This cinema’s movie programming ranges from classics and new releases to cult and indie films.
Plaza El Segundo is a premier shopping and dining destination located in the heart of El Segundo.
This shopping mall is a great place to bring the family for a day of fun and frolic, as shopping for souvenirs to take home.
Visitors can browse various stores, including national retailers, local specialty shops, and popular restaurants.
You can choose from various stores, such as popular department stores, clothing boutiques, gift shops, and jewelry stores.
Plaza El Segundo offers various dining options if you ever get hungry during your shopping spree.
Choose between casual cafe eateries, gourmet restaurants, and grab-and-go food stalls.
The plaza hosts regular events and activities, including live music performances, arts and crafts workshops, local contests, and seasonal festivals.
Plaza El Segundo is the perfect place for a shopping spree or an evening out with friends and family. Stop by for an unforgettable experience!
Take the kids out for a day of play at Scooter’s Jungle of El Segundo.
Scooter’s Jungle is a fun-filled indoor playground for kids of all ages.
The jungle-themed facility features inflatable play structures, slides, obstacle courses, and more, as well as private party rooms and a snack bar,
It’s also a great place to host a birthday party or other special events for kids.
With friendly staff and a clean and safe environment, Scooter’s Jungle is a favorite destination for families and kids.
So, if you ever want to explore El Segundo yet you’re looking for a place to keep the kids busy, make sure Scooter’s Jungle of El Segundo is your number one option.
Sometimes, you just want to chill in a peaceful space and read a good book.
If that’s what you want in El Segundo, visit the city’s public library.
The El Segundo Public Library is a modern facility that offers a variety of educational resources and services.
Visitors can browse various books, newspapers, magazines, and audiobooks on multiple topics.
You can also enjoy free amenities such as Wi-Fi and computer access.
The library also hosts a range of programs and events throughout the year—some of these events include book signings, author talks, clubs, and storytime for kids.
With a welcoming atmosphere and accommodating staff, the El Segundo Public Library is a great place to enjoy peace and quiet while reading a good book.
Kids aren’t the only ones who love to shop for toys—even adults can have fun browsing the wide selection at the Mattel Toy Store in El Segundo.
The Mattel Toy Store is a must-visit destination for toy enthusiasts of all ages.
Visitors can browse exclusive merchandise and limited-edition items that are not available elsewhere.
The store is known for its knowledgeable staff, who are always ready to help customers find the perfect toy.
In addition to toys, the store also offers a range of books, games, and other fun products.
With its fun and colorful interior, the Mattel Toy Store is a must-visit destination for anyone who loves toys and games.
Clutter’s Park is a spacious outdoor recreation area in El Segundo.
The park is known for its sports fields, including baseball and soccer, making it a popular destination for sports enthusiasts or people who want to break a sweat during their trip.
Visitors can also enjoy picnic areas, playgrounds, walking paths, and scenic views of the surrounding area.
The park’s open space and beautiful surroundings make it an excellent place for a stroll or an outdoor picnic with family and friends.
With plenty of space to run and play, Clutter’s Park is a favorite destination for families and anyone looking to enjoy the great outdoors.
Whether you want to play sports, enjoy a picnic, or relax and enjoy the scenery, Clutter’s Park has something for everyone.
El Segundo deserves to be a priority destination when visiting Southern California.
This city has a beautiful coastal setting and a vibrant community with many points of interest filled with exciting things to do any time of the year.
Likewise, El Segundo is well-located, making it an ideal base or jump-off point to other charming Southern California destinations.
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