In Torrance, visitors will find one of the largest shopping malls in the country - the Del Amo Fashion Center - as well as a lovely beachfront perfect for sunbathing and swimming. One of the best weekend getaways in Los Angeles County, Torrance is home to unique museums, family fun centers, breweries, and street fairs.
Del Amo Fashion Center
At the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, customers can experience the height of luxury by browsing through one of the biggest shopping malls in the US. With 3 stories and over 2.6 million square feet of retail space, Del Amo Fashion Center is more than just a mall, it’s a landmark in its own right. Visitors will find a food court, movie theater, gym, and plenty of retail shops, including major anchor stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom as well as other shops from H&M and TJ Maxx to Kate Spade New York and Uniqlo. Shopaholics can browse and hunt for deals to their heart’s content, because Del Amo Fashion Center has both budget-friendly and high end luxury shops under its room.
3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503
Torrance Cultural Arts Center
The tall glass windows that greet visitors to the Torrance Cultural Arts Center are grand and inviting, and the interior of the center is just as exciting. The multi-purpose building and complex that is known as the Torrance Cultural Arts Center has a large ballroom that is used for banquets, weddings, and other events, and performing arts studios for the visual arts, including the James Armstrong Theater, which can accommodate over five hundred people. The beautiful Japanese Garden is another major attraction at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center, as are the lovely outdoor plaza areas. A full schedule of events and performances can be found on the Torrance Cultural Arts Center’s website.
3330 Civic Center Dr, Torrance, CA 90503, Phone: 310-781-7150
Western Museum of Flight
The Western Museum of Flight is committed to educating its guests about the history of aircraft and aviation, as well as the preservation of aircraft and other artifacts to do with the industry. The Western Museum of Flight is a great destination for families, because inside the Air Museum, kids and adults alike can see and even touch or interact with some of the historic aircraft that made flight and innovation possible. The collection at the museum includes many types of aircraft, including military and commercial airplane components, many fully in tact, historic airplanes and drones, and components and accessories such as ejection seats, tools and instruments that date back to World War II, and more.
3315 Airport Dr, Torrance, CA 90505
Madrona Marsh
A vernal marsh is a pool of water that collects temporarily, serving as a habitat for certain animal and plant life, and Madrona Marsh is an excellent example of one of these rare ecosystems. Vernal marshes like Madrona Marsh have been slowly disappearing over the centuries since European settlers first came to California. Visitors to Madrona Marsh can explore some of the 43 acres of marshland to spot birds and other animals that are usually very rare in urbanized regions. Madrona Marsh is open to visitors on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, as well as weekends, and offers many organized hikes, lectures, nature walks, and bird watching walks.
Madrona Marsh, 3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance, CA 90503, Phone: 310-782-3989
Chen Art Gallery
The Chen Art Gallery is more than just a gallery, it is an art museum that contains a huge collection of Chinese Art. The collection was once owned by Dr. Tei Fu Chen, a prominent pharmacist and herbalist. The collection of the Chen Art Gallery contains over a thousand amazing artifacts, which include works that span five thousand years of history in China. From pottery to jade carvings, and Buddhist statues to a complete bedroom from the Ming dynasty, the Chen Art Gallery provides an in depth and intimate look at Chinese art and history. Visitors to the gallery will be led on a tour by an experienced guide so they can best appreciate everything they see. Admission to the gallery is free, but visitors should call ahead to schedule their visit.
1625 Abalone Ave, Torrance, CA 90501, Phone: 310-781-3808
Torrance Certified Farmers' Market
The Torrance Certified Farmers' Market has been providing an excellent venue for merchants since 1985, when it was open on Tuesdays. The Tuesday market still exists, but now has expanded to include another day of business each week on Saturdays. The market, which is sometimes referred to as the Community Meeting Place, runs from 8am to 1pm, and it’s a spectacular place to support local farmers and producers while doing some grocery shopping, or purchase fresh herbs, good coffee, or homemade pasta. Visitors can purchase some fresh flowers to take with them, a fresh baked good to munch on throughout the day, or a pot of local honey to take home as a souvenir.
2200 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501, Phone: 310-781-7520
Torrance Art Museum
Art spans time and cultures, an expression of creativity that often reflects the culture and personal experiences of the artist. That in mind, the Torrance Art Museum focuses on artists from Southern California, particularly modern and contemporary works. With two gallery spaces and a number of events and educational programs, the Torrance Art Museum is dedicated to educating the public about modern art and its influence upon the world. Exhibitions change seasonally, and most aim to challenge the way that viewers look at art and life in general.
3320 Civic Center Dr, Torrance, CA 90503, Phone: 310-618-6388
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar
The Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar was born out of the owner’s love for the Rocky Mountains. The restaurant was created to share the unique mountain town vibe with other parts of the world, and in Torrance, that lodge-like, cozy feeling is well replicated, even in the heat of SoCal. Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar serves great comfort food, like burgers piled high with - sometimes very unique - toppings, fish and chips, ribs, steaks, pot pies, and fried chicken dinners. Lazy Dog also serves delicious pizzas, bowls of stir fry, and some delicious pasta dishes. There’s a full brunch menu as well, which includes everything from Bananas Foster French Toast and Rocky Road Pancakes to Country Chicken and Biscuits and Cheesy Eggs with Avocado Toast.
3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503, Phone: 310-921-6080
Torrance Antique Street Faire
Downtown Torrance used to be a central hub of the area during the early 20th century, with shopping and attractions that would draw visitors from neighboring towns on a daily basis. The Torrance Antique Street Faire harkens back to those days, with a monthly event that shows off not just the vendors, but the city of Torrance itself. Every month, hundreds of vendors gather on the streets of downtown Torrance to sell antique furniture, jewelry, house goods, books, toys, collector’s items, and more. If you’re not in town on a market day, then no worries, because Torrance Antique Street Faire also has a storefront retail location that is open all month long.
1317 Sartori Ave, Torrance, CA 90501, Phone: 310-328-6107
Scholb
Scholb Brewery creates bold, hoppy West Coast beers in their Torrance brewery and taproom. A small brewery ensures that guests are drinking the freshest beer possible, and Scholb’s head brewers are all creative and experimental, delivering unique, delicious beers to their clientele. Some of their best known beers include the SoCal Blonde, the Fog Topper Dry Stout, the Pacific Coast Hopway IPA, and the Moontide Pale Ale. Food trucks parked outside the taproom provide delicious snacks to go along with Scholb’s tasty beers, and the dog-friendly, kid-friendly taproom is also host to a variety of events.
2964 Columbia St, Torrance, CA 90503, Phone: 424-350-7303
Armstrong Theater
With its close proximity to all the talent abuzz in Hollywood, it’s no surprise that Torrance is a big proponent of the arts. At the James R. Armstrong Theater in Torrance, which seats 502 guests in a traditional theater setting with plush seats and wonderful acoustic capabilities, visitors to Torrance can sit back and enjoy some spectacular entertainment. The James R. Armstrong Theatre hosts orchestral and symphonic performances, theatrical performances of stage plays and musicals, and more. The theater is equipped with handrails and wheelchair spaces, and the lobby is full of amenities such as food service. A full schedule of events can be found online.
3330 Civic Center Dr, Torrance, CA 90503, Phone: 310-781-7171
Destination: Art
Destination: Art opened in 2014 with a mission to elevate the value of artists in the community and to encourage everyone to find their inner artist. Destination: Art stages regular exhibitions to showcase the talents of their core group of local artists who work in a variety of mediums including watercolor, oils, pastels, collage and mixed media. The center also provides studio space where artists can collaboratively work together and be inspired by each other’s creativity. A selection of in-person and on-line art instruction courses, lectures and workshops are hosted as well as weekly paint-in days where artists are invited to stop by and make art with their own materials.
Destination: Art, 1815 W. 213th Street, Suite 135, Torrance, CA 90501, 310 742 3192
Gaetano's Restaurant
When Gaetano's Restaurant first opened in 1993, it was a deli, with fresh bread baked in house, delicious sandwiches, salads, and pastries, as well as a pizza oven. The place was family run, and every part of the family - aunts, uncles, cousins, friends - had a hand in helping it to succeed. Soon, the deli grew into a restaurant, which grew into Gaetano’s as it is known today. This family run, spectacular Italian restaurant serves some of the best Italian food in Torrance. Guests can start their meal with a plate of bruschetta or arancini, enjoy a pasta dish of risotto alla zucca linguini and clams, or baked mostaccioli, and for a main course, choose items like scallops sorrento or a tuscan lamb chop to really whet the appetite. Gaetano’s also serves pizza, delicious desserts, and a full list of wines.
2731 Pacific Coast Hwy, Torrance, CA 90505, Phone: 310-326-3354
Smog City Brewing
Since 2011, Smog City Brewing has been crafting and distributing delicious beers to the Los Angeles County area. Their beers can be found at SteelCraft - a food hall in Long Beach - and at their taproom and brewery located in Torrance. Some of their flagship beers include Smog City IPA, Little Bo Pils, Sabre Toothed Squirrel nutty amber ale, and Smog City’s Coffee Porter. They also feature plenty of amazing seasonal varieties, which change throughout the year and can be found at the taproom, and an extensive repertoire of sour beers.
1901 Del Amo Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501, Phone: 310-320-7664
