Terranea Resort
Grand Mediterranean coastal resort. Think warm terracotta tones, open-air terraces, ocean breezes, and manicured grounds. It feels designed to keep guests on-property: the lineup of restaurants, water sports, spa suites with copper tubs, and complimentary falconry meet-and-greets do most of the heavy lifting. Laid-back California luxury with genuine natural beauty all around.
Request an oceanfront room on an upper floor for unobstructed Catalina Island views, especially at sunset
Why It Matters
One of the only large-scale oceanfront destination resorts in the Los Angeles area, Terranea sits inside a marine protected area with direct access to kelp forests, tide pools, and coves used in the 1950s TV show Sea Hunt. It holds Forbes Travel Guide recognition and consistently wins Travel + Leisure and AAA awards. The site's history as Marineland gives it an unusual coastal topography — dramatic cliffs, sea caves, and protected coves that no other LA-area resort can replicate.
Terranea sits on 102 oceanfront acres on the Palos Verdes Peninsula — which is neither Orange County nor downtown LA, but its own cliff-edged world about 30 miles southwest of the city center. Built on the former Marineland theme park site and opened in June 2009, it's a full-scale Mediterranean-style resort with 270-degree Pacific views, nine dining venues, a serious spa, a 9-hole golf course, and more ocean activities than most guests can squeeze into a long weekend. The scale is massive, which works in its favor for immersing yourself in the property — and against it if you were expecting something intimate.
Where You'll Stay
10 room types available
Casita Guestroom King
Slightly larger than the main hotel guestrooms at 490 square feet, the casita king rooms sit within the residential-style Casita buildings. They have ocean view or resort view options and the same private balcony setup — but the casita buildings have their own character, separate from the main hotel buzz.
King · 45 sqm
Casitas (Lifestyle Collection)
The Casitas are residential-style buildings with full kitchens and generous great rooms — the right pick for a family who wants to spread out or a group that wants to share meals without going to a restaurant every time. They come in 1–3 bedroom configurations, and an optional third adjoining bedroom with en suite can be added for extra space. Private outdoor space included.
Hotel Double Guestroom
Same footprint as the king but with double beds — the right call for families or friend groups who want to keep everyone in one room. Private balcony or patio with the same view tier options as the king category.
Double/Two Queens · 42 sqmHotel King Guestroom
The standard guestrooms are the entry point at Terranea, and at 450 square feet they're genuinely spacious for a resort of this caliber. Every room comes with a private balcony or patio — views range from resort grounds to full oceanfront depending on what you book. They're in the main lobby building, which puts you closest to the pools, restaurants, and event spaces.
King · 42 sqm
One-Bedroom Bungalow
Located near the spa and ocean's edge — so you're a short walk from treatments and a dramatic cliff walk from the coves. Full kitchen, separate living area, fireplace, and a patio with a fire pit. It's genuinely residential without sacrificing access to the resort. Ocean view throughout.
King · 102 sqmOne-Bedroom Hotel Suite
At 900 square feet, these suites double the guestroom footprint with a proper separate living room and half bath. The premium stocked bar and pantry make the living area functional, not just decorative. Ocean view or oceanfront positioning available.
King · 84 sqmShearwater Suite
1,800 square feet at the top of the peninsula. The private balcony comes with a telescope for dolphin-spotting, which is exactly the kind of specific detail that makes a suite worth the upgrade. Spacious living and dining rooms, plus an oceanfront position throughout. One of the two top-tier suites in the building.
King · 167 sqmTwo-Bedroom Bungalow
Larger version of the bungalow format at 1,550 square feet with two bedrooms — ideal for a small group or family who want the kitchen, fire pit patio, and spa proximity without booking separate rooms. Ocean views from the private balcony or patio.
144 sqmVanderlip Suite
The largest and most lavish suite on property at 2,200 square feet. Named after the Vanderlip family who once owned much of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Full living room, dining room, private oceanfront balcony — suitable for hosting a small group or anyone who needs the full acreage.
King · 204 sqmVillas (Lifestyle Collection)
The Villas sit in their own exclusive enclave about a quarter mile from the main hotel, so a golf cart valet is available. They overlook the Links at Terranea golf course with ocean in the background. 2–4 bedrooms, full kitchen, spacious living area, and reserved parking. These are the resort's extended-stay flagships.
The Property
Eat & Drink
8 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Complimentary falconry meet-and-greet experience included with the daily resort fee. Unusual and memorable — especially if you've never been up close with a bird of prey on a cliff above the Pacific.
Weekly guided hike to the Point Vicente Lighthouse, one of the most scenic stretches of the Palos Verdes coast. Self-guided maps also available on request. Included in the resort fee.
Complimentary outdoor movie screenings on the resort's meadow area. Included in the resort fee — a genuinely nice touch for families.
Oceanfront fitness and wellness center with a daily schedule of classes. Access included in the resort fee.
Guided kayak excursion to fish outside the marine protected area boundary. All gear provided, no prior kayaking or fishing experience needed. You paddle through the kelp forest to reach permissible fishing grounds.
Two activities combined: paddle roughly 1.5 miles east through kelp forest and sea caves to reach outstanding tide pools, then spend an hour exploring the creatures and geological formations before paddling back to Terranea's Beach Cove.
Paddle-board tour to the local leopard shark nursery. You glide over kelp forest and watch the sharks cruise along the ocean floor beneath you. A very specific and memorable experience unique to this stretch of Southern California coast.
Guided kayak tour through the marine protected areas of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. You'll paddle past bottlenose dolphins, harbor seals, Garibaldi, and rays — heading either north toward Pelican Cove and the lighthouse or east past Sacred Cove and sea caves depending on wind direction.
Launches directly from Beach Cove on stand-up paddle boards. Full gear provided (wetsuit, fins, snorkel, mask). You'll see Garibaldi, calico bass, lobsters, leopard sharks, and possibly dolphins in the kelp forest and marine protected areas. Ages 8 and up.
Guided paddle boarding along the Palos Verdes coast through the kelp beds. A unique vantage point above the kelp forest — often called the underwater rainforest — with the cliffs as backdrop.
Surf lessons offered year-round in the South Bay — not right at the resort but arranged through the resort's preferred partner (Palos Verdes Ocean Sports).
Supervised activities and programming for younger guests, allowing parents to hit the spa or golf course without worrying about entertainment.
Multiple resort pools with chairs and umbrellas included in the resort fee. Private cabanas available at The Grill at Resort Pool for a more exclusive poolside experience.
Access to tennis and pickleball courts at Peninsula Racquet Club with complimentary shuttle service. Included in resort fee (with some limitations — check with concierge).
Nine-hole oceanfront golf course with panoramic views of the Pacific and Catalina Island. Championship-caliber design integrated into the natural coastal landscape. The Golf Academy and tee time booking are available separately, and golf memberships are offered.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
135,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor oceanview meeting and event space. Southern California's largest resort conference offering on the coast.
Wireless internet (5Mbps, up to 3 devices) throughout accommodations and public spaces, plus in-room hard-wired connectivity. Included in resort fee. Not available in meeting rooms or The Spa.
Access to over 7,000 digital newspapers and magazines via PressReader. Included in resort fee.
Nightly live entertainment included in the resort fee.
$75 per room per night for guestrooms, suites, bungalow guestrooms, and casita guestrooms. $90 per room per night for Lifestyle Collection (bungalows, casitas, villas). Covers Wi-Fi, fitness center, coastal hike, falconry, movie nights, live entertainment, pool chairs, Lexus shuttle, short-game golf practice area, PressReader access, and more.
Several pools across the property, with pool chairs and umbrellas included in the daily resort fee. Cabanas available for rent at the resort pool.
Nightly turndown service provided between 4:30pm and 9pm. Included in resort fee.
Access to The Links' short-game practice area included in resort fee.
Terranea's mobile app supports remote check-in, keyless room entry, and dining reservations.
Villa guests in the secluded enclave can call a golf cart valet to transport them to the main lobby building, roughly a quarter mile away.
Complimentary Lexus shuttle service to select locations throughout the Palos Verdes area. Also includes the Destinations by Lexus driving experience. Included in resort fee.
Spa membership program available for recurring access to The Spa at Terranea.
BUILD YOUR TERRANEA RESORT PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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