RAT Beach
Torrance, CA
The name is local shorthand for Torrance, and this stretch of the South Bay is where the neighborhood's surfers and paddleboarders actually show up, well away from the crowds at more famous breaks nearby. A paved path runs along the bluff above for walkers and cyclists.
A real neighborhood surf and paddleboard spot away from the bigger South Bay breaks, solid but not exceptional, best early before the wind picks up.
How we score beachesEarly morning is when the water is glassiest for paddleboarding, before the wind picks up.
Dogs are not permitted on the sand at RAT Beach, though leashed dogs may be allowed in adjacent Miramar Park.
South Bay water stays chilly into early summer under the marine layer, not reaching a comfortable paddle temperature until August or September. Early mornings, before the wind picks up, offer the calmest conditions nearly any time of year.
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