Lunada Bay / Margate

Lunada Bay is the perfect family community. Located in one of the most beautiful spots in the world next to a gorgeous half moon bay with spectacular cliffs, I have not seen many spots in the world I would rather live. I have lived here 28 years and have raised 3 boys. It is a wonderful place for children. The streets are flat making it easy to ride bikes. The three schools in the immediate area, Palos Verdes High, Palos Verdes Intermediate, and Lunada Bay Elementary are all within walking distance, which is unique on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

The local shopping plaza, Lunada Bay Plaza, is small but has almost anything you need without driving off of the hill. There are 5 restaurants, including the Lunada Bayhouse, which has wonderful steak, seafood, and pasta food. Other restaurants include a new Mexican Restaurant, a Japanese restaurant, an Italian sandwich/pizza shop, and a French bakery. Other services include a food market, a hardware store, barber and beauty shops, a pet food store, liquor store and clothing stores.

Lower Lunada Bay homes are a mix of styles, including ranch homes, Mediterranean, Tuscan, and even French Normandy. Upper Lunada Bay homes tend to be more Mediterranean style with tile roofs.

Lunada Bay has a great community spirit and an active Homeowners Association to promote local events. The area is extremely quiet and safe as it is a bit isolated, which local residents like. The area does not have sidewalks and street lights, but the streets are generally very low traffic, and it is nice at night to see the stars at night as the city lights are blocked out by the hills of the Peninsula.. Palos Verdes Estates has its own police department, unlike the rest of the Peninsula which is patrolled by the LA County Sheriffs dept., and has great response times in case of a problem for both police and fire.

The local schools are fantastic and get some of the best test scores in the state. The local high school, Palos Verdes High, is on a block scheduling system, where they have 3 periods a day instead of six, which have longer daily class sessions and is set up more like a college class system spreading the work load out over the week.

Access to medical facilities is primarily through two very good local hospitals, Torrance Memorial or Little Company of Mary, both in Torrance about a 15 minute drive.

Although there are no official parks in Lunada Bay, other than a small pocket park, there are several public access areas next to the ocean cliffs. Residents use the local elementary school grounds as a park as it has large grass areas.

You will love living in Lunada Bay, I certainly have !!

Lunada Bay is a charming seaside town in Palos Verdes Estates. Schools are great, views are amazing. The book The Tribes of Palos Verdes, by Joy Nicholson, sums it all up. PV High is a big rival of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in Rancho Palos Verdes. Lunada Bay is unlike the rest of the Peninsula. Any outside home alteration must be approved by the Palos Verdes Art Jury. No exterior painting may be done without approval of the color scheme. Therefore, remodeling projects take a bit longer in Lunada Bay. Lunada Bay residents tend to belong to many clubs and associations. Boy Scout and Girl Scout fees run fairly high in this town.
Lunada Bay has some popular dive spots, but the locals are known to be a bit territorial of their hidden treasure.

The peacocks in Lunada Bay are fascinating. Some people are annoyed with them because of their loud cries, and the poop they leave behind on your driveway or car. I think they are beautiful and add so much personality to this town. In the summer months the male peacocks shed their beautiful feathers, so you can literally pick them up as you go for a walk. I guess people either love them or hate them.

Lunada Bay is a cute little town if you have money or you have the need to keep up with the Joneses. All three schools are within walking distance and they are some of the best in the country. The neighborhood is very safe and clean. It’s very dark at night since the area has no street lights. If your house is located on PV Drive West traffic can be a bit noisy, but then again, you will pay less.

When you first drive into Lunada Bay, you are reminded of a quaint seaside town. There is a green belt that runs through the middle of the main thoroughfare, Palos Verdes Drive West. It doubles as a walking path that runs the length of the town. Homes in this area start at $975,000 for a home with approximately 1650 sq. ft., 3 bedrooms, 1, 1/2 baths. From there, the price can run into the several millions for bluff front estates. There are no street lights and limited sidewalks. But, the schools are excellent and this is the only place on the Palos Verdes Peninsula where children can attend elementary, middle and high school all in the same town. Palos Verdes schools are consistently rated in the top of any statewide or nationwide list of excellent schools.