The Palos Verdes Peninsula is a hilly, coastal region at the southern tip of Los Angeles County's South Bay, where the Palos Verdes Hills rise between the Pacific Ocean and the inland cities of Torrance and the Harbor area. The peninsula consists of four incorporated cities — Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates — with a combined population of roughly 66,000. The area's name comes from the Spanish-era Rancho San Pedro and Rancho Palos Verdes land grants, and it developed slowly through the twentieth century. Palos Verdes Estates was laid out in 1923 as one of Southern California's early planned communities, and Rancho Palos Verdes incorporated in 1973. Today the peninsula is known for its bluff-top homes, ocean and Catalina Island views, and deliberately preserved open space. The four cities have distinct characters. Palos Verdes Estates, the oldest, is an early planned coastal community of tree-lined streets and Mediterranean-style homes. Rancho Palos Verdes, the largest, spreads across the bluffs and canyons and contains much of the region's parkland. Rolling Hills is a gated, equestrian community of large lots, and Rolling Hills Estates anchors the peninsula's shopping and community services. Schools are a defining draw. The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, headquartered in Palos Verdes Estates, serves all four cities and is consistently among the highest-rated districts in California. The coastline is the region's signature. Point Vicente Lighthouse, built in 1926 on the peninsula's southwestern point, overlooks the Pacific, and Abalone Cove's tidepools and the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve's trails offer access to the shoreline. The Portuguese Bend area remains geologically active, and portions of the coast are preserved rather than developed. For residents, the peninsula offers a quiet, affluent, coastal setting about 35 to 45 minutes from LAX and downtown Los Angeles — ocean views, strong schools, and open space in exchange for a longer commute.