Rolling Hills

The City of Rolling Hills is located on the eastern side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, one of the most beautiful residential communities in the world. The Palos Verdes Peninsula is also one of the wealthiest communities in the country, as described in the Los Angeles Business Journal. Rolling Hills and the Palos Verdes Peninsula have an extremely interesting history. Rolling Hills is a gated community, with a ranch style/equestrian environment with an enduring respect for native wildlife and natural surroundings. Rolling Hills is a very small city totaling 3 square miles, 690 residences, and 1906 residents.Rolling Hills maintains an extensive horse trail system throughout the city totaling 23 miles, and many of the city's residences have stables and corral facilities. Because it is located on the eastern side of the Peninsula, the weather in Rolling Hills tends to be much warmer than the western side of the Peninsula, and receives much less fog.

Homes in the city must generally be white, single story ranch houses with shingle roofs, however some Tuscan style homes have recently been built.

Students attend school at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School (located in Rolling Hills Estates) , Ridgecrest Intermediate School and Miraleste Intermediate School (located in Rancho Palos Verdes), and several local elementary schools, all part of the Palos Verdes Unified School System. There is an additional high school located in Palos Verdes Estates, Palos Verdes High, and both high schools are California Distinquished Schools, with open enrollment to students on the Peninsula (they do not have enrollment boundaries). Palos Verdes HIgh has a unique class scheduling structure, called block scheduling, where students attend three extended periods each day, alternating with their other three classes each day. Peninsula High has a more traditional structure of the same periods for all classes each day. Palos Verdes Unified School District has some of the highest test scores in the state.

Most of the cultural activities for the Palos Verdes Peninsula are located in the adjacent city of Rolling Hills Estates. These include the Norris Center for the Performing Arts, the Peninsula Symphony, and the PV Players. The Palos Verdes Art Center is located in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes. For further information on Arts and Culture on the Peninsula.

Youth Sports Leagues: Children in Rolling Hills play baseball at Rolling Hills Little League , Pony League baseball for 13 to 15 year olds, is available at Ernie Howlett park in Rolling Hills Estates, and George Allen Field in Palos Verdes Estates. AYSO Soccer leagues are active throughout the Peninsula. Girls softball is generally played on fields at various school locations There are also youth basketball leagues, and lacrosse leagues for intermediate schools.

Golf Facilities: Public Golf Facilities are available at Los Verdes Country Club and Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, and the Palos Verdes Country Club in Palos Verdes Estates (weekdays only). Los Verdes is a public golf course run by the County of Los Angeles.

Public Parks: Rolling Hills does not have any large public parks, however, the adjacent city of Rolling Hills Estates has several large parks including Ernie Howlett Park, Highridge park, and four other park facilities. There are no dog leash laws in the City, so dogs may run free of leash anywhere in the city.

Equestrian Facilities: Equestrian facilities are located in the City of Rolling Hills Estates at Rolling Hills Estates Stables, the Empty Saddle Club, Chandler Park, and Dapplegray Park, as well as the Palos Verdes Stables in Palos Verdes Estates.

Tennis Facilities: Tennis may be played at Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates, the Jack Kramer Club in Rolling Hills Estates, at the Peninsula Racquet Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, or at one of the excellent courts at Peninsula High.Tennis League play is available through the South Bay Marine League, which has teams at most of the private tennis clubs in the area as well as Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates

Like all of Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills (not to be confused with Rolling Hills Estates) is extremely wealthy. The name for this area is in fact perfect given the hilly terrain. The homes run the gamut of styles from long flat Ranch homes to Mediterranean styles. All, however, share perfectly manicured lawns that form the edges of wide gently curving lanes.

The majority of people who live here are older than average—in fact, you might call this one of the richest retirement communities in the country. More than two thirds are married and nine of ten own their own homes. So, as you might imagine, this is a highly stable area that is perhaps more than a little bit on the conservative side.

One of the draws of the area is the great education system. From kindergarten through high school, there are no shortcomings in the schools here—they always rank at the top of the charts.

You are close enough to the ocean (Portuguese Bend will take your right down the beach of the same name) that the town has the feel of a kind of sleepy beach town. The cooling fog often rolls in during the summer offering some welcome relief from heat waves. On clear days the hills also offer views not only out to the pacific, but south to the harbor and north to the famous beaches leading up to LAX.

My entire life, Palos Verdes has always had the feel of a hyper-exclusive country club where you never quite feel as if you are wealthy or well-connected enough to make the membership. It is still that today. It also resembles a country club in the high prevalence of pools and tennis courts. Rolling Hills brings this point home with virtually every home having a swimming pool and every other one seeming to have a tennis court. Not that you need an individual court for yourself, the parks and green spaces also have hard courts. In fact, what you have trouble finding here is a basketball court.

Overall, if you have money to burn and you like to get away from all the hustle and bustle of LA, Rolling Hills is definitely the place for you.