The Esplanade, Redondo Beach, CA

The Esplanade runs along the top of the bluff in Redondo Beach, south from the pier, and almost every home on it looks straight out at the Pacific. Sunsets here come with Catalina Island on the horizon on clear evenings. Homes along The Esplanade are mostly condos and townhouses, including a handful of the few high-rise buildings in the South Bay. Buildings sit shoulder to shoulder facing the water, and most units put their living space on the ocean side. The beach below stretches more than one and a half miles between the pier and the Torrance Beach line, with volleyball nets, showers and lifeguards on duty during the day. The Esplanade walkway itself is the neighborhood's main path, busy with runners, strollers and people heading to the stairs at Avenue F for a workout. For food and coffee, the closest spots are on PCH a block or two inland. Klatch Coffee in Alta Vista roasts its beans to order, and Wildflower Cafe on PCH serves breakfast and lunch on a covered patio. Daily errands need a short drive. Trader Joe's is in Riviera Village and Whole Foods is in King Harbor, each a few minutes away. The Strand bike path along the sand connects the pier and the harbor for anyone who would rather ride. The tradeoff is the crowd. Summer weekends bring beachgoers who fill the street parking along the bluff, and the walkway gets busy. Once the sun drops, though, the people left on the rail are mostly neighbors watching the light go orange over the water.