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El Segundo is along the Pacific Ocean, just south of LAX in the South Bay of Los Angeles.

Understand

El Segundo is one of the oldest cities in the Los Angeles area. It is generally accepted that the city is named after the second (el segundo in Spanish) Standard Oil refinery on the West Coast, built in 1911.

El Segundo is two cities in one. The coastal portion is a residential suburb with a charming Main Street which looks frozen in time. Locals both affectionately and derisively call it "Mayberry By The Sea", referring to the sleepy fictional town which was the setting for the American television show "The Andy Griffith Show" in the early 1960s.

The "inland portion" of El Segundo is a thriving business district. Many large aerospace companies have facilities in El Segundo, including Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and The Aerospace Corporation, which is headquartered there. It is also home to the Los Angeles Air Force Base and the Space and Missile Systems Center and Toy Manufacturer Mattel.

El Segundo is also home to the blue butterfly, now an endangered species.These butterflies which once used to reside in the sand dunes of El Segundo over an area of 4.5 square miles have now been pushed into three small areas of what is left of those dunes.

Get in

El Segundo is immediately south of LAX and most hotels offer free shuttle transfers to and from the airport.

The Metro Green Line runs along the eastern edge of El Segundo, with both Mariposa/Nash and El Segundo/Nash stations within city limits.

Get around

El Segundo is nice quiet place to stay if you want to roam around in the rest of LA during the day. With LAX airport in close proximity it is quite a comfortable place to stay.

See

Do

  • Dockweiler State Beach, 12000 Vista del Mar. Located partially in El Segundo, including the only RV park on the beach in California. 
  • Toyota Sports Center (formerly Health South Training Center). A public skating facility located at the corner of Nash Street and Mariposa Avenue, adjacent to the LA Metro station. The facilities include an Olympic sized ice rink, NHL sized hockey rink, indoor in-line hockey rink, indoor basketball court, cafe serving hot food and drinks, gymnasium for professional athletes, skate rental shop, fully stocked skate and hockey pro shop, and locker and shower facilities. This is the official training facility for the Lakers NBA basketball team and the Los Angeles Kings NHL hockey team. The TSC is also home to the Angel City Derby Girls, LA's only flat track roller derby league. The TSC also houses the 7th largest organized adult ice hockey league in the nation. 
  • The Lakes Golf Course, 400 South Sepulveda Blvd., ☏ +1 310-322-0202, fax: +1 310-322-5290. 6AM-11PM. This nine hole, par 29, 1,327-yard municipal course won't be hosting any PGA tour events anytime soon, but it's an excellent course for beginners or those with an extended layover at LAX. There is also a double-deck driving range and a large putting area. $11 green fee on weekday, $13 on weekends and holidays. 

Buy

Eat

  • The Hummus Factory, 204 E. Grand Ave, ☏ +1 310-322-1000. M-F 11AM-8PM, closed weekends. An unassuming Lebanese restaurant located in a strip-mall near downtown El Segundo, the Hummus Factory is generally packed at lunch times. The menu offers a small selection of simple yet well-prepared dishes including kabobs, falafel, and of course numerous hummus choices. Ordering is done from a counter, and the staff then prepares your meal and brings it out to you. $6-$15. 
  • Hummus House, 12211 Hawthorne Blvd (Between W. 120th and W. 124th Sts), ☏ +1 310-675-3400. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F 11AM-10PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su closed. Unusually delicious Levantine food, pleasant decor (part of the restaurant looks like a tent) and very nice service. The combo plates, such as the vegetarian plate and the two kabob combinations, are great values. Not surprisingly, the restaurant specializes in hummus and makes several different varieties, but while you absolutely should take the opportunity to enjoy some hummus, don't miss their lentil soup, which just might redefine your conception of what lentil soup is. 

Drink

  • The Tavern on Main, 123 Main St., ☏ +1 310-322-3645. Well, it's a tavern, and it's located on Main. Live bands on weekends, happy hour on weekdays from 11AM (yes, 11AM) until 6:30PM, and free wireless internet for those who like their web surfing with a beer buzz. 
  • The Purple Orchid, 221 Richmond St (at Grande), ☏ +1 310-322-5829. This bar is tiki-themed with a small stage that sees local bands playing regularly. It is often described as one of the best tiki-themed bars in Southern California, but even for the most demanding critics, if it's a tiki bar you want this place won't disappoint. Drinks are somewhat on the pricey side, with cocktails averaging about $8.50. 
  • 1 Paul Martin's American Bistro, 2361 Rosecrans Ave. (10 Minutes South of LAX), ☏ +1 310-643-9300. M-T 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-11PM, Sat 12PM-11PM, Su 10AM-9PM. “Eat organic. Believe in sustainable. Buy local. Love fresh” is the mantra of Paul Martin’s American Bistro. As much as possible, that’s what Paul Martin’s aims to deliver, and at accessible prices, with plates priced mostly between $10 and $22. Under $30. 

Sleep

  • America's Best Value Inn & Suites- LAX/El Segundo, 4501 W. Imperial Hwy, ☏ +1 310-671-6017. The immediate area may be gritty, and the building may not be attractive, but the rooms are pretty spacious and perfectly OK, especially for the price. If you have a lot of time to spend in LA, you might want to be somewhere where planes bound for LAX don't pass close enough for you to smell the exhaust, but if you want to be close to LAX and pay as little as possible for a decent value, consider this hotel. Plenty of free parking for hotel guests, good complimentary Wi-Fi. No smoking and no outside guests allowed to visit your room after 9PM. Free shuttle to and from LAX available. Front desk manned 24 hours/day. $70 plus tax for a room with 1 king-sized bed, en suite bathroom. 

Go next

  • Los Angeles - The nation's second most populous city offers various entertainment options, fine museums, restaurants, and shopping. Also see the popular Venice Beach.
  • Playa del Rey - Located north of El Segundo and adjacent to LAX, Playa del Rey is home to extensive beaches and a variety of dining options.
  • Manhattan Beach - El Segundo's neighbor to the South is home to a state beach as well as several upscale restaurants and shopping opportunties.
  • Inglewood - A slightly rough city to the east of El Segundo, Inglewood has numerous lodging options for those wishing to stay close to the airport.
Routes through El Segundo
END ←  W  E  → Hawthorne → South Central LA
Santa Monica ← Westchester ←  N  S  → Manhattan Beach → Long Beach
END ←  W  E  → Hawthorne → South Central LA



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