Pacific Palisades is bounded by Brentwood to the east, Malibu to the west, Santa Monica to the southeast, the Santa Monica Bay to the southwest, Topanga and the Santa Monica Mountains to the north. The Pacific Palisades was formally founded in 1921 by a Methodist organization, and in the years that followed became a refuge for Jewish artists and intellectuals fleeing the Holocaust, then would later be sought after by celebrities and other high-profile individuals seeking privacy.

It is known for: its seclusion and for being a close-knit community with a small-town feel, its Mediterranean climate, hilly topography, natural environment, its abundance of parkland and hiking trails, its 3-mile (4.8 km) strip of coastline, and for being home to a number of architecturally significant homes.

As of 2021, the community's population was 22,977. Pacific Palisades is a largely residential community and does not attract many tourists other than day visitors to Gladstones Malibu, the local beaches, the Getty Villa or the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine.

Nicknamed "The Palisades", “Lades” and "Pali" by surfers and locals, the 3-mile length (4.8 km) of the Palisades coast spans from after Sorrento Beach in Santa Monica to the south, and ending at Sunset Point Beach and Malibu to the north. Beaches along the Pacific Palisades coast include: Will Rogers State Beach, Sunset Point Beach, and Ginger Rogers Beach. The many parks within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area lie along the ridges above the community, along with local parks that include Will Rogers State Historic Park.