Portuguese Bend Beach Club

Whenever my boss is out of town him and his wife have me go check on their house to make sure everything is ok. This is a private beach community with a guard on duty 24 hours a day. You can not get in unless your name is on the list or unless you have a membership to use the beach. This place has some pretty awesome views and since it’s private, you don’t have to worry about the beach being crowded.

One of my favorite places. The beach is beautiful and the cliffs are stunning. We bid farewell to Jeff and celebrated his life. It could not have been more perfect. Thank you to the lovely people who opened their home to us.

Nice.

I’ve been going to PBC for the better part of 30 years. Unless you reside within the charming little beach community, you need to procure a membership, which requires a LONG waiting list. This particular beach head is private and exclusive, so it’s never too crowded.
I’ve been lucky enough to be hosted over the years. What makes this place so great is that it’s well maintained and private. If you like paddle tennis, they have two courts. If the kids like swings, they have a fun set-​up right on the sand. If you like to BBQ, they have great fire rings with grates you can put over the top. If you like a great view, they have that also, panoramic views of the Palos Verdes bluffs and beautiful ocean. If you want protection from the sun, they have palm tree thatch table/​canopy set-​ups. Most important, if you like a clean bathroom, you are in luck, they have that also.
I always consider myself blessed when I get a chance to spend a day/​night down on the sands of PBC — thanks to all those who have invited me over the years.

I have been a member for over 10 years now. This is a special place and even though I don’t use it as much I always enjoy coming down here. It reminds me of a seen out of a Gidget movie. Always peacefull, nice people, playground for the kids, clean bathrooms and always able to get a firepit.

Clean restroom with toilet paper.
Clean beach, nice beach guard.
Love this place!

I’m not a member but I’ve been here many times because most of my friends are. It’s really nice. I’ve even attended a wedding here once. It was on the beach and it was beautiful. If you’re a member and you’re looking to plan an event like a party or wedding consider doing it here! It has beautiful photo opps during sunset of you are at the beach during that time.

Mixed feelings about this place. Beautiful yes. Feel very safe, but is this really necessary?

Native Palos Verdes residents truly understand what this club is about and it’s truly a privilege! And each time you enter the gate you feel as if you’ve just unplugged so we call it a lifestyle more than a place to visit.
I’m marketing a new listing in the premises so obviously my review is bias, but if you would like to take a peek at what this lifestyle has to offer, watch this youtube video:

Just got off the phone with the lady at the beach office. In no way are the public allowed on the beach. Not even paying customers… Understandable, but I’ll just have to take my bags of money elsewhere…

Beautiful beach, not for swimming though. We are actually all welcome to the beach (up to the mean high tide line) since it’s all public land. What you can’t do is use the PBC’s facilities. The other post about people not being pretentious is off. They shut down dog beach at Trump and have «PRIVATE PROPERTY» signs on the beach. Go and enjoy and tell anyone that says it’s private to read California’s Coastal Access laws.
re George’s comment: True it’s not a swimming beach, but not much up that way is. I take walks there.
It’s legally an open beach and I’ve been there and walked it. No problem walking from Trump at all. No one would swim there due to the rocks, this is true and the whole area has sea urchins, so I don’t recommend it, but it’s open to the public to the mean high tide line this is CALIFORNIA STATE LAW. The guards can come and try to «arrest «you, but there can’t be any charge due to the fact that it belongs to the State not the residents at Portuguese Bend Club.

Well… of course I love this place. I walk here at least 3 days a week. It’s the best kept secret in L.A. Oh wait– then why am I sharing it???
I can share it because you have to have a membership to get in– or know someone who does.

I ain’t gonna lie… this place is the LA dream. I have been fortunate enough to have been invited to this place a couple of times by my colleague Ken, who, in his lucky timing, was fortunate enough to have purchased a home in PV for about 400K. Brilliant man.
This place is the epitome of exclusivity. Yet it’s so unpretentious: lots of nice, peaceful families enjoying a nice little bit of sand and sun. Does it get any more simple than that?
The entry to this place is at the top of Palos Verdes Drive (South, I believe) near Portuguese Bend. To me, this is the most beautiful coast in Southern California. It really takes your breath away. This is what some parts of California must have looked like before they were über-​developed (Hermosa, HB, etc). Breathtaking views of the cliffs, ocean, etc from this entire area.
Upon entrance (past security guard), you descend from the the main road down a tiny paved road, past some simple but beautifully located homes to the beach.
They’ve got squashball courts (looks like little tennis courts), volleyball courts, fire rings, etc. Yet it’s so incredibly peaceful and beautiful. Such a nice, simple crowd.
The sand here is not super soft (actually, it’s pretty rough, I’m guessing it’s all imported from some other place, since PV doesn’t really have any soft sand like Huntington or Hermosa…)…but it is still nice.
You really can’t go into the water all that much because the bottom is all rocks.
I’ve heard this place can pick up some swell for surfing, but every time I’ve been here, it’s been flat.
All in all, this place is breathtaking. It really is a treat to be able to go to this little slice of heaven in Southern California. When I win the lotto and buy my house in PV, this is the first membership I’m purchasing.

Exclusive place, you have to be a member or know a member to get in. However once you get past the old frail security guard, and survive down the bumpyass dirt trail to the beach, it is breathtaking. It’s a completely private beach, and words can’t even describe how beautiful the sunsets are. Lots of fire pits and tables for good grilling and bonfire times to be had. It’s also fun to walk down to the tide pools and explore. Definitely fun with friends, just sucks that they close at 10.