Pico Rivera, CA

Pico Rivera is a city of long boulevards, and a newcomer learns this southeast Los Angeles County town by driving them. Washington, Whittier, Slauson, Beverly and Rosemead each carry their own mix of restaurants, markets and shops, and between them lie quiet residential grids that run right up to the river levees on either side. Homes are mostly one-story stucco and wood-sided houses from the postwar decades, set on regular lots with driveways, lawns and, often, a patio added out back. Along Washington Boulevard, the land where Ford once built cars and Northrop later did aerospace work now holds the city's largest shopping center. Food is a big part of the city's reputation beyond its borders. For special occasions across the Gateway area, the answer is often Dal Rae, a family-owned steakhouse open since 1951 and known for tableside preparations. On Slauson Avenue, Tondero Peruvian Cuisine turns out pollo a la brasa, lomo saltado and ceviche made with seafood bought daily. Outdoors, the rivers are the main event. The San Gabriel River Bike Path follows the eastern border and links north toward the Whittier Narrows and south toward Long Beach, and the Rio Hondo levee on the west side offers a second, quieter path. A municipal golf course, a skatepark and several neighborhood parks round out the green space. Supermarkets sit on nearly every major boulevard, while the county library branch and the small historical museum anchor the civic side of town. The 605 skirts the southeast corner, while the 5 and 60 are reached by surface streets. Inside that frame, Pico Rivera stays compact enough that most errands are a short drive and most blocks are a short ride from a river trail.