California Gold: Redondo Beach Day Date

Vivi is ready for the Boardwalk.

Text and photos by Jason McKenney (except where noted)

Escape to the Coast

We're married. We have a young child. Date nights are now few and far between. We have no extended family nearby. Going out for dinner at night is out of the question. So my wife and I put together plans for a day date. I took the day off from work. My wife, Vivi, works part time from home and can ditch work for a day easy. We dropped off our daughter Frankie at the daycare and made our way to the Redondo Beach Boardwalk in hopes of experiencing as much as the humble harbor has to offer.

Moving out towards the breakwater.

We live in an apartment right on the beach, and we are very familiar with the Boardwalk. We stop in to get gelato on most Fridays. We have eaten at many of the restaurants. We've played the arcades and we've walked along the pier enjoying the picture-perfect sunsets. I've even cast a few lines at Fisherman's Wharf, pulling in small mackeral and large weeds. What we hoped to accomplish on this day was a few of the water-based excursions and a few of the food joints that we had yet to experience.

Our first stop at ten in the morning was the Fast Kayak dock to rent stand-up paddle-boards (SUP) for an hour. There are days when the water off Redondo Beach can be very calm. Like a giant duck pond. There are spots near some of the breakwaters that generate waves and attract surfers, but for the most part, SUP is very popular here due to the controlled conditions.

"You can only paddle around the harbor," the pretty girl working the station told us. "Please do not go beyond the breakwater."

Stand-up Paddle-boarding.
Image from Surfari SUP and Surf.

The harbor along the International Boardwalk is protected by a man-made breakwater of large boulders that help keep the water calm and provide great toilets for the albatrosses and pelicans. Pushing off into the shimmering bay, it took me a few beats to get up on my feet. SUP boarding is good exercise for the core and for the upper legs. You're constantly balancing yourself. You also feel closer to nature. You're standing on a floating ironing board atop the sea like a Son of Neptune. The fishes look up to you in ah. The fresh ocean air circulates through your nostrils and lungs. The sun is perched right above your shoulder. You're on top of the world.

A SUP teacher paddled by me leading two girls on their own boards. They were scared. Tentative in their paddling. I turned to see how Vivi was doing on her board. She was paddling into the bay, but she was yet to stand up.

View of the harbor from the water.

"Don't be chicken," I told her. "Up on both feet at the same time. Use those thighs."

"I'm too scared!" she said with a self-effacing giggle.

SUP'n can be tricky the first time. It requires strength and balance, and just like climbing a tall building, you should never look down. At least not until you have learned to embrace the challenge. Enjoy it. Laugh at the dark waters below.

I paddled my way out across the harbor, soaking in the gorgeous day. I paddled back, passing the two girls on their first lesson. The world slowed down. I noticed the fish trolleys out near the horizon, being followed by a cloud of hungry birds, probably on its way back home. A weekday before noon

From a pedal boat, looking towards
Palos Verdes.

in the harbor is quiet, drowsy. Lovely.

Moving closer to the dock I noticed Vivi was already there, putting her shoes back on. Tacking in a boat to a dock can be tricky. Moving in a SUP board is similar. Left here, right there, just a touch, and . . . KER-SPLASH! In the water I went. I zigged when I should've zagged maybe. Lost my balance like an amateur.

I have to admit, it felt liberating to fall into that bath. Giving in to gravity. Submerging into the void. The girl helming the rental station tried hard not to laugh. Vivi just bust loose. The only problem was I was wearing my only clothes, including my t-shirt. I would have to find new clothes if this day date was to continue successfully.

A New Set of Clothes

Approaching Polly's Cafe.

I was soaked. We ducked into one of the small clothing shops along the Boardwalk that smells like incense and is full of beach trinkets. I picked up a Redondo Beach t-shirt and a pair of board shorts. I was a new man. I threw my wet clothes in a shopping bag and we were ready for lunch. We walked to the end of the Boardwalk where the R10 Social House stands. They specialize in seasonal, farm-to-table offerings inside a trendy, bistro-like setting. The view of the harbor is gorgeous. The buffalo sliders are amazing. I had a local lager to wash down the saltwater I imbibed when I fell in the drink, not knowing we would soon be experiencing more local beer than I could have expected.

Boat rides along the coast run daily
most of the year.

Whether its a day trip or a week-long vacation, there is a fine balance between scheduling everything out to make sure you don't miss what you want, and just exploring off the seat of your pants in hopes of finding things you never anticipated. On this day, I had a thumbnail sketch of what I hoped to accomplish: SUP, eat, pedal boats, eat, boat ride, eat. I didn't want to plan too much detail. I wanted to remain open to any surprises that might pop up. Falling into the water off the SUP board is an example. I obviously hadn't planned that (at least not consciously), but being forced to buy some RB surfer clothes was a great tangent. It's great to have a plan when you travel, but being open to happy accidents and modifications is a useful skill. These are the moments that we usually remember with the most fondness.

After lunch we returned to the Fast Kayak dock and rented a pedal boat to take out into the bay. It was an over-sized toy. Similar to those you might see in small Midwestern park with a lake. Good exercise. Me legs were sore the next day. We pedaled out towards the breakwater, said hello to the gulls, and slowly approached Polly's Restaurant from beyond the pier. We turned around and glided gently to the middle of the bay, soaking in the beautiful California sun. The air was clean. The breeze gentle. The ocean air made me thirsty.

Wrapping It Up

The Sampler. The Swirly is the foamy
one on the right.

Every time I visit the ocean I get a craving for fish n'chips and beer. I was still full from R10 when we left the pedal boats, but I was now craving something cold and hoppy. When we left Fast Kayak I spotted a recently opened King Harbor Brewery location on the Boardwalk. King Harbor is one of the newest (and finest) additions to the South Bay micro brewery scene and their location in the harbor is a great place to visit.

Vivi and I each ordered a sampler set which included 4 small glasses of some of their best contributions. These included an IPA, a lemony lager, a sweet ale, and what they refer to as a Swirly which is a chocolaty stout with a hint of vanilla. All were delicious.

We capped the date off with a sightseeing boat ride out of the harbor and out along the coast towards Palos Verdes. Redondo Beach is probably the quietest member of the South Bay beach cities. Regal Manhattan Beach is home to several LA sports stars. Hectic Hermosa Beach caters well to the young
party crowd. Redondo is more laid back. More dive bars than night clubs. More family eateries than posh restaurants. Home to more senior citizens than young singles. But it still has a lot to offer both on the water or along the Boardwalk.

View of the harbor from R10. Image from R10's website.