Blog
100 Things To Do In Torrance
100 Things to Do in Torrance
Torrance is a diverse, growing and thriving community in Southern, California with no shortage of fun things to do. You could even say the vast array of activities to do in Torrance is unbelievable. But it’s all true! Here, you can stroll on the beach, go surfing, grab a pint, kickback poolside at one of our 15 hotels, explore a vibrant art scene and much, much more.
To help you find your fun, we’ve compiled a list of the 100 best things to do in Torrance.
1. Go to the best Farmers’ Market in the South Bay – open every Tuesday and Saturday, 8am – 1pm. It’s located at Wilson Park, so you can grab a bite to eat and then relax parkside.
2. Break out your binoculars and bird watch at the peaceful Madrona Marsh Nature Preserve. This area also provides monthly guided nature walks.
3. See and touch airplanes that have made aviation history at the Western Museum of Flight. The spot also has monthly events with former and current aviation pioneers.
4. See the Kent Twitchell mural, Six Los Angeles Artists, on the backside of the EDD building.
5. Take a selfie in front of Torrance High School – alma mater to Louis Zamperini, and Sunnydale High School in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Beverly Hills High in Beverly Hills, 90210.
6. Overlook the entire City from Los Arboles (Rocketship) Park where there’s an iconic four-level metal rocket and lunar module replica in true 1960’s style.
7. Visit the Veterans’ Memorial Wallat the Torrance Civic Center and pay your respects to the Torrance service personnel who gave their lives in U.S. military actions.
8. Shop ‘til you drop in one of the largest malls in America, the three-story Del Amo Fashion Center with 200+ stores and restaurants.
9. Stroll along the 1.5 mile stretch of pristine, uncrowded Torrance Beach.
10. Ride your bike on the 22-mile Strand Bike Trail – it starts at Torrance Beach and ends at Will Rogers State Beach in Malibu. There are a few spots to rent bikes in Torrance, with Torrance Bikes being a convenient option.
11. Climb on the Annenberg Tree House at Wilson Park – the first universally-accessible tree house in a public space in California with 2,500 sq. ft. of room to play.
12. Burn a few calories at one of the fitness stations in the Fitness Zone located in Wilson Park.
13. Visit the original site of the Jared Sidney Torrance Memorial Hospital – 1425 Engracia Ave., Old Torrance – across from the Torrance Woman’s Club.
14. Batter up and get your swing on at the Torrance Batting Cages at Wilson Park.
15. Take your tots to Dig It at Del Amo Fashion Center. This 8,000 sq. ft. interactive indoor construction-themed play space is inspired by real-life construction sites.
16. Play a round at the 9-hole, executive golf course – Sea Aire Golf Course.
17. Plan your next Torrance getaway at the California Welcome Center at the Del Amo Fashion Center – Main Level, Entrance 1 – between Express and UniQlo.
18. Visit Destination: Art and gaze upon the work of local artists. They have several rotating exhibits every year, including several in-house artists with several inspiring pieces for viewing and purchase. And offer classes as well.
19. Shop vintage at the Antique Street Faire held on the 4th Sunday of every month in Old Torrance.
20. Visit the Ted Tanouye Memorial at Torrance High School (located in front of the school). Technical Sergeant Ted T. is the only citizen of the City of Torrance to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
21. Tour movie locations filmed in Torrance for films like Scarface, The Longest Yard, Bruce Almighty, She’s All That, Bad Santa, Horrible Bosses and Gone in 60 Seconds.
22. Explore the Torrance Historical Society & Museum – 1345 Post Ave., Torrance, CA 90501. They offer a free walking tour every 4th Sunday from May – October at 1:30 PM that lasts about an hour and a half, covering 8 blocks and several historical landmarks.
23. Explore Historic Old Torrance – the original one-mile square footprint of the City. The area is full of eclectic foodie hot spots like La Capilla, Red Car Brewery, Marsatta Chocolate and Torrance Bakery.
24. Tour our Mecca of craft breweries one sip at a time – we’ve got 10, and counting.
25. Slurp your way through the Ramen Capital of Southern California with our Ramen Trail Map.
26. Relax in the Pine Wind Japanese Garden (Sho Fu En) at the Torrance Civic Center and enjoy authentic Japanese landscaping and architecture, two waterfalls and a koi pond.
27. Play Bocce Ball at Columbia Park – free lessons available, too
28. Watch planes take off and land from the Viewing Deck at Zamperini Field.
29. Drive down Torrance Blvd., Madrona and Carson St. and admire the display of Hometown Heroes banners (May – July).
30. Plan your next event at one of our 6 unique venues. Turn group time into a good time for an unbelievable event.
31. Stroll through the first park in Torrance – El Prado Park (1912 – designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., Landscape Architect, Olmsted Brothers).
32. Drive beneath the iconic Pacific Electric Railway – El Prado Bridge – designed in 1913 by the renowned Dominguez Land Corp.’s in-house architect, Irving Gill.
33. Build a custom Torrance Itinerary with our Plan Your Visit tool or you can download the Discover Torrance app (available for Android and Apple devices).
34. Take a cooking class at The Depot with the infamous Chef Shafer in its historic 1912 building that was once a train station for LA’s Red Car Line. Each month, the cooking class has a different theme including bacon, holiday entertaining and cooking with garlic.
35. Tour all 33 parks in Torrance and see for yourself why Torrance is a designated “City of Trees”.
36. Experience the echo and reverberation beneath your feet as you stand on the lid of the time capsule in the center of Centennial Plaza and shout, “I LOVE Torrance!”
37. Get to know a few local businesses in Discover Torrance’s podcast series.
38. Stop by the LA Galaxy Sports Complex, where the LA Galaxy team practices. The venue is also home to year-round soccer, football, lacrosse and rugby.
39. Take your tastebuds on a tropical trip to Hawaii at the one-and-only King’s Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant.
40. Plan a vacation or a staycation at one of our 15 hotels. Many offer pools to cool down year-round.
41. Head to a local surfing hotspot Right After Torrance (RAT) Beach.
42. Get game ready. During NFL season, take Torrance Transit directly to SoFi Stadium for only $2 one-way or $4 round-trip.
43. Take a lap at the Torrance Plunge – morning, noon, or night – reservations required.
44. View spectacular live music and dance performances at Torrance Cultural Arts (TOCA)
45. Enjoy the global cuisines of Torrance from Japanese to Brazilian, Polynesian to Halal. In fact, Torrance is home to 400+ restaurants.
46. Play a game of pickleball at Wilson Park, Walteria Park or Sur La Brea Park.
47. Take a selfie with our larger-than-life Hometown Hero, Louis Zamperini (on the side of the parking structure tucked behind the Torrance office building – 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance).
48. Enjoy over-the-top food at Slater’s 50/50 in Del Amo Fashion Center. They have mile-high burgers like “The Whale”, a full pound of Australian Wagyu beef, tempura-fried lobster tail, truffle cheese, garlic aioli, bacon jam, arugula and gold-dusted candied billionaire bacon on a gold-dusted brioche bun.
49. Mail a postcard in the historic 1936 Post Office.
50. Take a peek at the beautiful stained-glass windows inside Nativity Church – open sunrise to sunset.
51. Introduce yourself to Jared Sidney Torrance, the founder of our City – his bust resides on the front lawn of the Torrance Historical Society & Museum.
52. Pay your respects to the John F. Kennedy Memorial donated by Celia Pons, who fled Nazi Germany before the start of WWII, and wanted to build a memorial to express her gratitude for what America did her.
53. Take a Sunday drive past the first house built (1928) in the Hollywood Riviera for a curbside view of the nearly 7000-square-foot mansion (124 Via Monte De Oro, Hollywood Riviera) – original owner, Clifford F. Reid, Developer of the Hollywood Riviera 90277.
54. Get your steps in, and a workout, too, at Delthorne Park along their .5 mile rubberized Fitness Course.
55. Try one of the 50 varieties of desserts at 85°C Bakery Cafe.
56. Sip suds in the Red Car Brewery & Restaurant – the very first microbrewery that kicked-off the craft brew craze in Torrance.
57. Torrance is a nextdoor neighbor to Dignity Health Sports Park, located in Carson. the complex is home to the LA Galaxy soccer team and also hosts events like live concerts and boxing competitions.
58. Soak up the inspiration of the ever-changing galleries at the Torrance Art Museum (TAM).
59. Check out Madre, an Oaxacan restaurant and Mezcaleria. The restaurant has over 100 varieties of Mezcal available to try.
60. Plan a Torrance trip just for the kiddos. This itinerary has all the main spots that are perfect for tots to teenagers.
61. Drive by and see the largest American flag flying in the City (15’x25’) – Ron’s Body Shop.
62. Mark your calendar for the Annual Torrance Beer Run, usually taking place in September. The event comes with a stamp passport that, when completed with a stop at each Torrance brewery, includes a prize.
63. See if you can find the 142+ subtle hand-painted illusions in the scenic mural painted on the 180–foot brick wall in the parking lot of Bluestem Hotel showcasing local wildlife, costal landscape, and landmarks.
64. Look to the skies as the Tiger Squadron, a precision formation flying and aircraft display team based out of Torrance Airport, will perform a flyover tribute in honor of the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces at a variety of events.
65. Plan on attending the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Torino Plaza outside the Torrance Cultural Arts Center (TOCA). The event is celebrated each spring (usually April).
66. Witness a piece of music history with a drive-by of 1327 Cabrillo Avenue, the building where rap group N.W.A. created its landmark Straight Outta Compton album.
67. Visit Smog City or sister-spot Smog City West. The famous Torrance brewery might look familiar to Disneyland goers: the Smog City Sabre-Toothed Squirrel Hoppy American Amber Ale is one of the only beer options served in the original Disneyland park (at the River belle Terrace).
68. Be transported to the heart of Japan in Mitsuwa Marketplace with fresh Japanese grocery products, a large food court featuring authentic Japanese cuisine such as ramen noodles, donburi, sushi, sashimi, bento, plus shops with authentic trinkets. Mitsuwa is a local destination for experiencing Japanese culture and the best of Los Angeles’ Japanese cuisine.
69. Eat ice cream in a new way with liquid-nitrogen crafted treats at Creamistry.
70. Pinky’s up – enjoy Afternoon Tea at Chado Tea, the only tearoom in Torrance – hat and gloves, optional.
71. Stop by Absolution Brewing Co. They always have creative beers on tap, some that are even paired with the Dodgers.
72. Get the authentic taste of Randy’s Donuts right here in Torrance without driving to Los Angeles.
73. Book a Torrance hotel room at the California Welcome Center and receive a complimentary Overnight Kit.
74. Flip your calendar forward to December and make a note to see one of the biggest holiday lights displays in the South Bay – Sleepy Hollow Holiday Lights Extravaganza.
75. Visit Miramar Park and say, “Hello!” to the beloved dolphin statue and kiss the bronze, 42-inch high, 300-pound whimsical frog sculptor to see if it turns into a prince.
76. Experience authentic sushi at the Miyako Hybrid Hotel’s own sushi restaurant, Ise-Shima.
77. Be a part of history, and sign-up to decorate the next Torrance Rose Float with the Torrance Rose Float Association. You’re guaranteed to come our smelling like a rose!
78. Add Chen Art Gallery to your itinerary. The museum is host to the most Chinese artifacts outside of China.
79. Visit in the summer and enjoy the Free Torrance Summer Nights at Wilson Park featuring live music, movies in the park and more.
80. Check out Red Car #4601 on display at the east end of Wilson Park near the entrance of the Southern California Live Steamers. Red Cars were the main mode of transportation when the City was founded in 1912. Pacific Electric tracks crisscrossed the southland carrying passengers and freight on the famous Red Cars for over three decades.
81. If you’re visiting in the spring, you’ll have to add the World Rugby HSBC SVNS Games to your calendar. Not only will you see a rotating series of rugby games, you can also enjoy live music, a beach club, international cuisine and more.
82. Banter & Bliss, located in Del Amo Fashion Center, offers a unique experience in candlemaking. Make your own or be part of a workshop.
83. Catch a movie at your AMC Rolling Hills 20 Theatre. Just buy a few tickets, reserve a screening for your family movie night or host up to 20 guests.
84. Torrance is truly a one-of-a-kind homebase for all LA sporting events. LA is set to host the FIFA Wold Cup in 2026, the NFL Super Bowl in 2027 and the Summer Olympics in 2028.
85. Torrance is also a dumpling destination. Explore the many options the city has to offer.
86. Meander through the Garden of the Senses, Children’s Garden, Water-Wise Garden and many other specialty gardens in the South Coast Botanic Garden, an 87-acre garden that has been called “The Jewel of the Peninsula”.
87. Ready to travel back in time and solve a mystery in just 60 minutes that will allow you to escape the room? Back in Time Escape Room is ready for exploring at the Del Amo Fashion Center.
88. Nearby Redondo Beach hosts the BeachLife Festival every May and the BeachLife Ranch Festival in September. Make Torrance your homebase for both.
89. Explore diverse breakfast spots in this blog.
90. Not sure what time of year to visit Torrance? Just pick your season. We put together a list of a full year of Torrance activities to help you decide at a glance.
91. Wondering what cool things to do in Torrance are coming up next? Check out the City’s calendar for a full list of performances, classes and other community events.
92. Dust off your dancing shoes – group classes (and private lessons) are happening at the Monarch Ballroom – come solo, with a partner, or friends.
93. Torrance is proudly diverse, and home to a vibrant Japanese community. Learn about ways to celebrate Torrance’s AAPI heritage here.
95. Let the stars do all the planning. In this blog, you can shape your itinerary based on your Zodiac sign.
96. Picture yourself lying on Torrance Beach or sunbathing poolside upon your very own, everyone-wants-one Torrance Beach Towel. Get yours from the California Welcome Center, today!
97. Think you are a master of eating spicy ramen? Take the Ko Ryu Spicy Ramen Challenge at Ko Ryu Ramen restaurant and see if you have what it takes to get free toppings for life! You may find yourself next to other some-like-it-hot brave souls on the Legends Challenge Wall of Fame.
98. Drop anchor in front of the 18-foot, 16-ton ship’s anchor that has been dry-docked on the corner of Carson St. and Del Amo Circle East for over three decades. You must go there to solve the mystery, as to which ship it once belonged.
99. Learn how you can help keep Torrance green with our sustainability tips.
100. Bring Fido for some fun with our pet-friendly activities ideas.
With so many things to do in Torrance, you’ll need more than a day to do it all. Book your stay in Torrance today!
