Things to Do in Torrance

After years in a lucrative corporate career, California native Matt Rosas abandoned his desk job and plunged into a passion he'd nurtured since 1976: surfing. At Malibu Paddle Surf, he continues to catch waves and transfer his talents to students and high-profile Hollywood companies, including Sony Pictures, ABC, and the WB. Matt now focuses his attentions on the sport of standup paddleboarding, formulating his lessons as two-hour, total core workouts where pupils master standing, paddling, turning, balancing, and techniques for falling safely into the arms of a nearby octopus. Armed with provided wetsuits, boards, and paddles, students tear across currents and often experience up-close meet and greets with dolphins or seals. Experienced boarders can rent gear and exercise solo by surfing swells or dragging their boards up and down a sand dune.

Brian Freeman wanted two things out of his career: to meet new people and spend time outdoors. With this in mind, Mr. Freeman's path seemed obvious. He would start giving bike tours. A self-described "fact guy," the expert guide draws upon his extensive knowledge of the Venice area to delight both tourists and California natives. From the Venice canals to the spacious mailboxes of celebrity homes, the expert guide tells stories about famous locations and uncovers some of the area's hidden gems. "Everyone always says they had no idea the tour would be so exciting," he says. "People think Venice is just the beach, but just a block away there is so much more."

Mr. Freeman doesn't keep his groups confined to the seats and cowboy saddles of bicycles. He frequently points out ideal spots for photo ops and occasionally pauses for activities, such as letting groups spray paint their names onto a legal-graffiti wall. He also supplies optional helmet cams that capture videos for souvenirs.

Shecky's Girls Night Out makes planning a social outing between friends easy with its dozens of fashion, jewelry, and beauty product displays and samples to peruse. Having started as a published guide to New York City nightlife, Shecky's now stages stylish shindigs across the country and has garnered nationwide notice from media outlets—including Bloomberg News —for its ladies-only soirees. Drawing on its roots as a party-planning brain trust, Shecky’s relies on a talented staff to augment vendor wares with complimentary snacks and cocktails, goody bags, and makeovers. Take a peek at one of Shecky’s past events, where, like the locker room at a WNBA game, men are conspicuously absent.

Attended by more than 500 visitors from around the world each of the past two years, the Santa Monica Tango Festival introduces aspiring dancers to tango, an Argentine style of dance renowned for its sensuality. A dedicated team of regular instructors, DJs, and boot-camp instructors assist beginners in learning the movement-based art during one-hour workshops and two-day boot camps. Additionally, the festival’s milongas, or social-dance nights, allow jovial groups to gather and practice their skills in a low-pressure environment.

A fresh harbor breeze passes through the annual MarinaFest, where sailing aficionados and experts gather each spring to celebrate the boating lifestyle and the joys that trail in its wake. Throughout the two-day event, interactive attractions glean the attention of all ages, ranging from a standup paddleboarding clinic to free scuba-diving lessons in a fully equipped dive pool. As a variety of educational seminars dispense maritime knowledge, the lineup of activities includes special appearances from the _Bill of Rights_—a replica 19th-century schooner that sailed through New York Harbor during America's bicentennial—and teenager Abby Sunderland, who nearly became the youngest person to ever sail solo around the globe. Between eyeing the halyards and learning semaphore to communicate with mermaid figureheads, attendees can also skim through the products from a variety of exhibitors, showcasing everything from yachts to boating accessories, electronics, and watersports equipment.

Glowing monkeys scamper toward a neon waterfall, and a knight bearing a radiant yellow lance rides past a bright orange octopus emerging from the ocean. What appears to be a time-traveling session gone awry is really the evolving environment within Putting Edge’s indoor black-lit mini-golf course, which whisks players to deep seas, Aztec jungles, and medieval times. Since opening its original location in Canada, Putting Edge has now expanded to 18 North American locations, all of which invite guests onto its challenging 18-hole courses to seek victory over opponents and the forces that keep their teeth from not glowing as brightly as they could. Elsewhere, the facility houses private party rooms, concessions, and an arcade filled with gamer favorites such as air hockey and Time Crisis 3.