Southern California in one day

Del Rey

Del Rey, an off-the-radar Westside enclave sandwiched between Marina del Rey and nouveau hip Culver City, is neither glitzy nor scenically stunning. Which is exactly why you should take star-struck out-of-towners here — for quiet pleasures and little discoveries.

Settled by Japanese Americans who fled the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Del Rey was farmland for decades and then, after World War II, a planned community. Now it's a loosely defined neighborhood of modest-size homes, small businesses and a stir-fry (or taco salad) of Asian and Latino cultures.

Pictured: A great blue heron perches on a shore rock at Ballona Creek, part of a wetlands wonderland. The heron, which can stand 4 feet tall or higher, is the largest in North America and has a 6-foot wingspan.