Gardena

Gardena is a city of about 60,000 people (2018) in the South Bay of Los Angeles County in Southern California.

Understand

The community evolved from part of the Spanish land grant, the Rancho San Pedro, given to Juan Jose Dominguez around 1800. It was incorporated as a town in 1930, combining the rural communities of Gardena, Moneta, and Strawberry Park.

Farming became Gardena's main industry early in the 20th century especially strawberries.

Gardena has a large Japanese population.

Get in

GTrans Line 1X leaves from West 1st St at Main St in downtown Los Angeles ($1, senior 35¢) about every 45 min 8AM-6PM.

Get around

• GTrans. Four regular routes serving the cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Compton, Torrance, Carson, Harbor City, Lawndale and Los Angeles. Its service area that stretches north to downtown LA, south to the Pacific Coast Highway, east to the Compton Transit Center, and west to the South Bay Galleria Mall. $1 (senior 35¢), 40¢ for a transfer. (updated May 2020)

See

• 1 Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve, 1202 W 170th St (near the intersection of Vermont Ave and Artesia Blvd). A 9.4-acre wetland preserve at the southeast corner of Gardena. This is a naturally-occurring marshland where water seeps above-ground all year round. It hosts several species of trees and other vegetation. (updated Feb 2023)

Do

• Gardena Judo Dojo, 16215 S Gramercy Pl (Gardena Japanese Cultural Center). 
• 1 Sky Zone Torrance.  - located in Gardena

Eat

• Spoon House, 1601 W Redondo Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 310 538-0376. Japanese style pasta. 
• Beard Papa, 1620 W Redondo Beach Blvd (Gardena Marukai Pacific Square Shopping Center), ☏ +1 310 538-2909. Known for its cream puffs. 

Sleep

• 1 Gateway Inn Gardena Los Angeles South, 15607 S. Normandie Ave, ☏ +1 310 516-8701. if you scrimp, you might be able to eke out a waffle from the light breakfast assortment. 
• Sea Rock Inn, 14032 S. Vermont Ave (Near the Harbor Freeway (110) and Rosecrans), ☏ +1 310 515-7260. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Nice clean hotel. $50. 

Go next

• Torrance
• San Pedro
• Palos Verdes
• Long Beach

Routes through Gardena

Downtown L.A. ← South Central L.A. ←	N  S	→ Carson → San Pedro
END ←	W  E	→ Compton → Long Beach
Downtown L.A. ← South Central L.A. ←	N  S	→ Carson → San Pedro