Things to Do in Palos Verdes Estates

Captain Gary Jackson originally cut his aquatic teeth as a PADI scuba-diving training coordinator and instructor. Eventually logging hundreds of dive hours in the sea, Gary traveled the world exploring reefs and learning the ins and outs of sailing. From there, it didn't take him long to found a charter company around his dive boat, the Psalty V, and today he leads harbor tours and dive trips from its deck. His vessel and crew also takes visitors on whale-watching trips and party cruises, and his dive instruction teaches the basics of deep, nitrox, and wreck diving to ensure that his clients feel comfortable graduating from diving in the bathtub to the outdoor kiddie pool and beyond.

A South Bay native with 20-plus years of surfing experience tucked into his wetsuit, Chris Frantz, his staff, and the team from a joint camp venture prep protégés aged six and older for unabashed tide conquering. Five days per week, Chris is a financial adviser at Morgan Stanley, but on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer, he sets aside his calculator and neckties woven from seaweed to lead intimate, two-hour surfing lessons alongside his team of staff. Because Chris designed the program to feature small groups at each session, students are able to squeeze the most from their time spent on the water, learning everything from surfing etiquette and ocean safety to basic techniques and proper form.

Adam Burt has seen some famous faces since beginning his tennis operation in 1995. A Professional 1–rated teacher with the USPTA, he has taught such greats as the Williams sisters and former world top-100 Zack Fleishman. Though Adam specializes in nurturing junior players, all participants can learn from his expertise during classes for adults and juniors. CardioTennis classes combine vigorous exercise with fundamental tennis drills, all scored to upbeat music strummed on electric racquets.

Gliding down Redondo Beach Esplanade toward the spectacular homes on the Palos Verdes hillside, segways purr almost silently along the Redondo Beach strand, which is within steps of the Pacific Ocean. Reaching speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour on the open strand below the bluffs, tour-goers effortlessly navigate scenic routes along the waterfront, the pier, and into King Harbor atop a segway PT. Guides ensure guests are comfortable with the machinery’s mechanisms for accelerating and braking before heading out on one of the daily excursions.

Instructors at Pacific Sailing's ASA-certified sailing school teach a variety of students the basics of navigating coastal waters and instruct students in specialized types of sailing or in the students' greatest areas of interest. Captains lead group and private lessons that cover basic keelboat sailing, basic coastal cruising, bareboat chartering, and coastal navigation—providing the skills necessary to unfurl and tie a sail or navigate using electronics, the light of the stars, and directions from a well-traveled seagull. The instructors conduct their lessons and lead skippered day sails, sunset sails, and overnight trips at the helm of Colgate, Hunter, Catalina, Irwin, and Beneteau sailboats.

Santa Monica Bike Rental rents out bikes for 1-, 5-, or 10-hour blocks, letting customers tour Santa Monica and Southern California's nearby beach cities. Located just a tricycle's throw from the Pacific Ocean, the rental shop serves as the perfect starting point for rolling explorations of Santa Monica State Beach, quaint side streets, and public recreation areas such as Ocean View Park and Santa Monica Pier. The business rents both standard beach cruisers and electric G-bikes—powered scooters that can zip down Santa Monica's shopping district or travel up the Pacific Coast Highway and on toward Malibu.