Palos Verdes Drive

Palos Verdes Drive was named after Rancho de los Palos Verdes (transl. Ranch of the Green Trees), an 1800s Mexican land grant.

Palos Verdes Drive circles the Palos Verdes Hills and Peninsula and is divided into four parts: Palos Verdes Drive North, West, South, and East. Palos Verdes Drive North travels east-west inland on the peninsula, Palos Verdes Drive West travels north-south along the coast, Palos Verdes Drive South travels east-west along the coast, and Palos Verdes Drive East travels north-south inland. Palos Verdes Drive North and East cross each other, creating a circular route that is not a true circle.

From the east, Palos Verdes Drive begins at a five-point intersection with Vermont Avenue, Anaheim Street, and Gaffey Street in Harbor City, then travels west through Lomita, where it becomes a parkway as it continues west along the Rolling Hills/Rolling Hills Estates border, then through Rolling Hills Estates and Palos Verdes Estates. The road turns south while in Palos Verdes Estates, then continues into Rancho Palos Verdes, where it turns east. The parkway ends here but the street continues and turns north, where it re-enters Rolling Hills Estates. Here the street crosses its northern section and ends at the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Lomita.

In addition to the main circular section of Palos Verdes Drive, a 3 miles (4.8 km) branch of Palos Verdes Drive West extends north into Torrance and Redondo Beach, and a 0.5 miles (0.80 km) branch of Palos Verdes Drive South extends east to the San Pedro border.