Things to Do in El Segundo: How to Spend a Weekend in This Airport-Adjacent Town in Southern California
If you're planning a trip to Los Angeles or Southern California, make sure to spend a weekend exploring El Segundo, a charming town just south of LAX. Charmaine Noronha is back with another delightful article guiding you through the best things to do in El Segundo—from savouring local cuisine and vibrant nightlife, to boutique shopping and visiting historic landmarks.
Greetings from El Segundo, Image Credit: Charmaine Noronha
Famous hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest Left [Their] Wallet in El Segundo, and ever since hearing that track in my teens, I’ve been curious about this little town in Los Angeles County. Just south of LAX, the city’s bustling airport lies this quaint, sleepy beach community. Originally an oil town—Standard Oil set up its second refinery in El Segundo (hence the name, which means “the second” in Spanish)—now it’s a family-friendly suburb with notable restaurants, boutique shops and a chill, albeit slightly industrial vibe.
El Segundo is also at the epicentre of sports culture as the only American city home to the headquarters and practice facilities for three professional sports teams: the Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Lakers, and the LA Kings.
If you’re staying in LA and want a slice of the relaxed life, or if you’re flying in for business and might be staying close to the airport, read on for what to see, do and eat while in El Segundo. And if you happen to leave your wallet here, the upside is that you’ll be back since you gotta get it, you gots gots to get it!
This article contains affiliate links. Simply put, this means we may receive a small commission for some of the recommendations in this article. If you’re interested in more “second cities” in the USA, be sure to check out our articles about Franklin, TN, Tempe, AZ and Ann Arbor, MI.
Walking Trails. Image Credit: Charmaine Noronha
The Best Place to Stay in this SoCal City
The sleek AC Hotel is located in an industrial area of El Segundo. Its industrial surroundings may have you feeling like you’re in the middle of nowhere, but you’re three miles from El Segundo Beach on the North Pacific Ocean, and just two miles away from LAX.
The rooms are bright and airy with all the amenities needed for a business or leisure trip. A stay here should include a hang at Flora, its trendy rooftop bar with custom cocktails and a fireplace for those chilly nights.
Feel free to use this map to see what’s available during your trip:
What to See in El Segundo
wANDER aROUND tOWN
You’ll definitely want to head to “downtown” El Segundo along Main Street with some businesses located on Richmond Street and Grand Avenue. En route to downtown, start your morning with a wee walk around Library Park, located in front of El Segundo High School, which might look familiar to some of you. Many pop culture cult movies were filmed here, including Superbad, WarGames, Role Models, The Babysitter, The Hot Chick, Joe Dirt, Party of Five, The Babysitter, and Killer Queen. Close by is Prospect Park, equipped with a softball field, baseball courts, and a skate park.
Catch a Show
From here, wander further into downtown and head to the Old Town Music Hall, where you can watch films and noteworthy live performances. Since 1968, this cultural landmark has been showing classic films and presenting live concerts by some of the world's finest performers of jazz, ragtime, and popular music from the past. What sets this venue apart is its Mighty Wurlitzer, a massive 1925 wind-powered pipe organ, which is used to provide musical accompaniment to silent films.
Old Town Music Hall. Image Credit: Charmaine Noronha
Swingin’ Good Time
Even if you don’t consider yourself a swinger (of the golf club that is), TopGolf can still entertain you for hours on end! Located along the Pacific Coast Highway, Topgolf is an open-air, three-level venue that features 102 outdoor hitting bays and a 10-hole, par-3 course that features 1,060 yards of golf for all skill levels. But it’s more than just golf. This sprawling entertainment venue also has a swanky lounge with top-shelf drinks, a restaurant offering a chef-inspired menu, music and year-round programming for all ages.
Try Your Hand at Glass Blowing
The LA Glass Center offers an opportunity to experience and create within the hot glass arts, specializing in blown glass. The Center provides a hands-on opportunity for the general public to create decorative objects using molten glass. The studio is located in a 4,500-square-foot building in El Segundo and is equipped with two furnaces, four Glory Holes (the glass blowers coined this term long before it took on other meanings) and four annealing ovens. Items made at the centre can also be shipped to your home address, if desired.
Beached Tales
El Segundo Beach is definitely not the nicest beach since it sits in front of a huge oil refinery. Tall smokestacks tower over the area, but high fences and walls help to block views of the rest of the refinery, but not super well. Perhaps a stop into this beach before heading to the much nicer nearby Manhattan Beach.
El Segundo Beach. Image Credit: Charmaine Noronha
The Best Places to Eat in This Los Angeles County City
Smoky Hollow Roasters
Start your morning off right with a cuppa Joe from Smoky Hollow Roasters in Smoky Hollow. In the early days, refinery smoke would often settle in this neighbourhood, leading locals to dub it "Smoky Hollow." Located at 118 Sierra St. in historic El Segundo, this roastery has an open concept, allowing you to view their roasting process.
The Slice and Pint
The Slice and Pint is a popping lunchtime (and dinner) spot that offers handcrafted pizzas, delicious appetizers and veggie options paired with hyper-local craft beer, including plenty of El Segundo Brewing beers. Tasty, thin crusts and a friendly vibe make for a solid experience.
Tapizôn
Tapizôn is a beautiful Brazilian restaurant that serves Tropi-Cali cuisine, a fusion of Brazilian and Asian flavours. Whether you’re dining indoors or out, the decor is just as inviting as the food and music. Don’t miss their happy hour for reduced-priced, melt-in-your-mouth Ahi tuna crudos and caipirinhas.
SAUSAL
You can’t come to LA and not have Mexican food, so head over to SAUSAL, a spot that blends traditional Hispanic flavors with California's farm-fresh ingredients in its tacos, fresh-grilled entrees, salads and starters. Grab one of their signature margaritas or a glass of homemade sangrias and nestled into one of its coveted patio spots.
Where to Grab a Drink in Town
El Segundo Brewing
El Segundo Brewing is an independent craft brewery focusing on fresh, hoppy West Coast IPAs. This local brewery has an informal taproom offering samples of its craft beers and take-out growlers. They specialized in hop-forward beers such as Citra, Mosaic, Nelson and Simcoe to name a few. And they boast “fresh” beers: these batches are designed to be on and off shelves within six weeks. If beers get to the 90-day mark, they are pulled from their shelves and replaced with fresh product.
El Segundo Brewing Company. Image Credit: Charmaine Noronha
Purple Orchid
Purple Orchid is a fun tiki lounge that features tropical drinks, kitschy island decor and pool tables. There’s usually a great mix of people from locals to out-of-towners. Come for the boozy bevvies and stay for the bamboo-lined walls, tiki lamps, and—um—Barbies dangling from their mouths as sacrificial offerings, and a cage with tiny heads. This longtime neighbourhood haunt is a worthwhile destination for anyone seeking a boozy tropical escape in the South Bay.
John Thomas Bar
The John Thomas Bar at the fancy Jame restaurant features house-made limoncello, a selection of Italian and Southern California wines, and local brews. The cocktails are named after LA culinary industry folks.
Where to Rock Out in El Segundo
Rock & Brews
Rock & Brews is an American restaurant chain founded in 2012 by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS, along with Michael Zislis, Dave Furano, and Dell Furano. So, it’s no surprise that this joint screams rock ’n’ roll from the moment you walk through its entrance. Along with a rotating playlist of classical rock hits, a “Great Wall of Rock” honours legendary rock icons, while screens project some of history’s greatest rock concerts. And while the venue does host live music, it’s not just about the tunes here. Serving American comfort food options with a twist, grab some rockin’ hot wings and hunker down for a fun night.
Rock & Brews. Image Credit: Charmaine Noronha
South Bay Customs
Located in El Segundo's Smoky Hollow district, South Bay Customs is a motorcycle shop, art gallery and live music venue all rolled into one. Not only do these folks design and build handcrafted motorcycles, but they also produce live music events and art shows throughout the year. With more than 3,000 sq-ft including two indoor areas and a 1500-sq ft furnished outdoor patio, folks can also book this venue to host their events.
The Tavern on Main
Open since 2002, The Tavern on Main is a longstanding classic neighborhood pub that serves up craft beer on tap, burgers galore, and live music to boot!
Hit These Shops for Some Retail Therapy
Plaza El Segundo
Often called the “South Bay’s Neighborhood Center,” Plaza El Segundo is located on the Pacific Coast Highway, just two miles from LAX. This open-air shopping center houses a mix of high-end clothing, home décor and other family-friendly shops.
The Point
The Point is a modern outdoor mall that offers upscale boutiques, restaurants, cafes, salons and a SoulCycle studio. The Point also features 11-time World Surf League champion Kelly Slater’s Outerknown flagship store. Outerknown is a sustainable clothing brand that uses responsible fibres such as organic cotton, hemp, recycled cotton, responsible wool, etc.) in its products.
YETI
Roy and Ryan Seiders founded YETI in 2006, based on a deep love for the outdoors, so if you’re a lover of the great outdoors, stop into this location for a tumbler and more!
What Else is Noteworthy When it Comes to El Segundo?
If you stay at the AC Hotel, you’ll be in close proximity to more than just the airport. It’s also located near practice facilities and headquarters for the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Kings. The Toyota Sports Performance Center is located on 555 North Nash Street in El Segundo, California. This $24 million, 135,000 square feet facility hosts public skating, hockey and more.
So, if you find yourself in this quaint little town, you might just find a lost wallet and much more roaming its quiet streets, cute hood vibes and a bevy of restaurants and bars to boot! And if you’re just in town for a weekend, you won’t need to travel too far from the airport making El Segundo a sweet, short getaway, or a decent spot for a quick business visit!
Charmaine Noronha was hosted as media for this trip. All opinions expressed are completely her own.