Outdoor Activities in Los Angeles

Road Cycling on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail

The Marvin Braude Bike Trail, which most people call The Strand, runs roughly 22 miles along the coast from Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades south to Torrance Beach. The path is paved and flat, passing through Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach. Weekend mornings get crowded near the Venice Boardwalk section, so starting before 8 a.m. helps. Perry's Cafe at Santa Monica rents bikes for around $10-15 per hour. The stretch between El Segundo and Hermosa is typically the least congested. You'll smell sunscreen and saltwater the whole way, with the ocean within a few hundred feet for most of the ride.

Difficulty

Easy to moderate

Duration

2-4 hours for the full out-and-back

Best season

Year-round, though May and June mornings can be foggy

Rock Climbing at Stoney Point Park

Stoney Point in Chatsworth, at the northwest edge of the San Fernando Valley, is LA's most accessible outdoor bouldering area. The sandstone formations reach about 50 feet in places, with routes ranging from beginner-friendly slabs to tricky overhangs. The rock is coarse and grippy when dry but dangerously slick when wet, so skip it after rain. Topanga Canyon Boulevard runs right past the park, and parking is free on the residential streets nearby. The boulders heat up fast in summer. By 10 a.m. on a July morning, the south-facing walls will burn your hands. Worth noting, this spot has been a climbing destination since the 1930s, and Royal Robbins trained here before his Yosemite ascents.

Difficulty

Beginner to advanced depending on the problem

Duration

2-5 hours

Best season

October through April, when temperatures in the Valley drop below 80°F

Mountain Biking in the Santa Monica Mountains

Sullivan Canyon in Brentwood offers a mellow, mostly fire-road ride of about 10 miles round trip through a shaded canyon with sycamore trees. For something more technical, Backbone Trail segments near Encinal Canyon Road in Malibu have rocky singletrack with 1,500-plus feet of climbing. Dirt Mulholland, the unpaved section of Mulholland Drive between the 405 and Topanga Canyon, is another popular option. It runs about 7 miles with moderate climbs and decent views of both the Valley and the ocean on clear days. Mountain bike rentals are available at shops in Santa Monica, typically $50-80 for a full day.

Difficulty

Moderate to strenuous depending on the trail

Duration

2-4 hours

Best season

October through May, avoiding the fire-risk closures common in late summer

Trail Running in Griffith Park

Griffith Park has over 50 miles of trails, and the trail-running community here is active. A popular loop starts at the Fern Dell entrance on Western Canyon Road, climbs to the observatory on the West Trail, then drops down to the Boy Scout Trail before looping back via the Riverside Trail. That circuit covers roughly 5 miles with about 800 feet of elevation gain. The dirt is firm and well-packed most of the year, though it gets muddy after December and January storms. You'll hear red-tailed hawks overhead and the distant hum of the 5 freeway below. Tuesday and Thursday evenings, you'll see organized group runs starting from the Trails Cafe parking area around 6 p.m.

Difficulty

Moderate

Duration

45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the loop

Best season

Year-round, but early mornings in summer to avoid heat above 90°F

Surfing at El Porto Beach

El Porto, the northern section of Manhattan Beach, is probably the most consistent surf break in the South Bay. It picks up west and northwest swells well, and the sandy bottom means fewer hazards for beginners. Waves typically run 2-4 feet in summer, with larger swells arriving between October and March. The water temperature drops to about 56°F in January and climbs to around 68°F by August. A 3/2mm wetsuit handles most of the year. Parking fills the lot at 45th Street by 9 a.m. on weekends. Rental boards and wetsuits are available at ET Surf on Highland Avenue in Manhattan Beach for around $25-35 for a half day.

Difficulty

Beginner to intermediate depending on swell size

Duration

2-3 hours per session

Best season

Year-round, with best swells September through March

Hang Gliding and Paragliding at Dockweiler Beach

The bluffs above Dockweiler State Beach in Playa del Rey are one of the few legal urban launch sites for hang gliders and paragliders in the US. The coastal thermals and steady onshore winds create consistent lift conditions. Tandem flights with Windsports, the school that has operated there since the 1970s, run about $175-250 per flight. Solo pilots need a USHPA rating. The launch site sits at maybe 80 feet above sea level, so these are ridge-soaring flights rather than high-altitude thermal rides. Planes from LAX pass overhead on approach, which adds a surreal quality to the experience. That said, the airspace restrictions are real and tightly enforced.

Difficulty

Beginner-friendly for tandem flights

Duration

15-30 minutes of flight time, plus ground instruction

Best season

March through October, when onshore winds are most reliable

Mount Hollywood via the Charlie Turner Trail from Griffith Observatory

This 5-mile round trip hike starts behind Griffith Observatory and climbs about 500 feet to the summit of Mount Hollywood at 1,625 feet. The trail is wide, well-maintained, and mostly exposed to sun. You'll pass through coastal sage scrub with the smell of black sage strong in the morning. The summit gives a 360-degree view that includes downtown, the Hollywood Sign, and the San Gabriels. To be fair, you'll share the top with plenty of other hikers, but the views earn it. The trail is dog-friendly.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

1.5 to 2.5 hours

Best season

Year-round, but most pleasant October through May

Temescal Gateway Park to Skull Rock

Starting from the Temescal Gateway Park entrance on Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades, this loop covers roughly 4 miles with about 850 feet of elevation gain. The first mile climbs steadily through a shaded canyon with coast live oaks. Skull Rock, a sandstone formation near the ridge, is the halfway landmark. The trail connects to a ridge with views of the Pacific and Santa Monica. Parking at the trailhead costs $12. The canyon section stays cool in the morning, but the ridge is fully exposed. Watch your footing on the descent. The loose sandstone crumbles underfoot.

Difficulty

Moderate

Duration

2 to 3 hours

Best season

October through May, before the canyon dries out

Escondido Falls Trail in Malibu

The hike to Escondido Falls starts from Winding Way off Pacific Coast Highway, about 30 miles west of Santa Monica. The lower falls, a 50-foot limestone cascade, is reachable via a mostly flat 4-mile round trip along a paved road and then a short dirt trail. The upper falls, at roughly 150 feet, require scrambling over slippery boulders and a short rock climb that's genuinely exposed. Stick to the lower falls unless you're comfortable with Class 3 scrambling. The falls flow strongest between January and April after winter rains. By August, they typically slow to a trickle. Limited roadside parking fills early on weekends.

Difficulty

Easy to lower falls, strenuous to upper falls

Duration

1.5 hours to lower falls, 3-4 hours to upper falls

Best season

January through April for water flow

Mount Baldy via the Ski Hut Trail

Mount San Antonio, which everyone calls Mount Baldy, is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains at 10,069 feet. The Ski Hut Trail starts from Manker Flats at around 6,160 feet and climbs roughly 3,900 feet over about 5.5 miles one way. The lower section passes through big-cone Douglas fir forest. Above the Sierra Club Ski Hut at 8,200 feet, the trail steepens through loose scree and talus. Snow and ice cover the upper trail from November through April, and crampons and an ice axe are strongly recommended during those months. The air thins noticeably above 9,000 feet. This is a serious day hike. Start by 6 a.m. to avoid afternoon thunderstorms in summer. An Adventure Pass ($5 daily, $30 annual) is required for parking at Manker Flats.

Difficulty

Strenuous

Duration

7 to 10 hours round trip

Best season

June through October for snow-free conditions

Solstice Canyon Loop in Malibu

Solstice Canyon, managed by the National Park Service as part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, offers a gentle 3-mile loop with about 300 feet of elevation gain. The trail follows Solstice Creek through a lush canyon shaded by sycamores and bay laurels. You'll smell the bay leaves before you see the trees. The ruins of the Roberts Ranch house, destroyed in a 1982 wildfire, sit at the turnaround point, with the remains of a stone fireplace and a seasonal waterfall behind it. The trail is well-marked and mostly flat, making it a good choice for families. Parking is free.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

1 to 1.5 hours

Best season

Year-round, best in winter and spring when the creek runs

Bridge to Nowhere in the San Gabriel Mountains

This roughly 10-mile round trip hike follows the East Fork of the San Gabriel River from the Heaton Flats trailhead. The trail crosses the river multiple times, and water levels can be knee-deep after winter storms. The destination is a 120-foot concrete bridge, built in 1936 for a road that was never completed after a flood washed out the approaches. Bungee jumping operates off the bridge on weekends during warmer months. The canyon walls are tight and the rocky riverbed requires careful footing, especially on wet granite. A day-use Adventure Pass is required. Mind you, this hike takes longer than people expect because of the stream crossings.

Difficulty

Moderate to strenuous

Duration

5 to 7 hours

Best season

Late spring through early fall, when water levels are manageable

Kayaking in Marina del Rey

Marina del Rey is the largest man-made small-craft harbor in North America, with about 5,300 boat slips. The protected waters inside the marina are flat and calm, making it a solid starting point for beginners. UCLA Marina Aquatic Center rents single kayaks for around $15-25 per hour. You can paddle out past the breakwater into Santa Monica Bay if conditions are mild, though the chop picks up noticeably outside the harbor. Harbor seals haul out on the rocks near the channel entrance, and great blue herons stalk the riprap along the main channel. Weekday mornings are quieter, with fewer powerboats creating wake.

Difficulty

Easy inside the harbor, moderate in open water

Duration

1 to 3 hours

Best season

Year-round, calmest conditions May through October

Ocean Swimming at Santa Monica Beach and Zuma Beach

Santa Monica Beach has lifeguard towers staffed year-round, with swimming areas marked by flags between towers 26 and 28 near the pier. Water temperature ranges from about 56°F in winter to 68°F in summer. Zuma Beach in Malibu, about 30 miles up PCH, has cleaner water and fewer crowds during the week. The bottom is sandy at both spots, with minimal riptide risk on calm days. That said, rip currents do occur, especially near jetties and after storms. Check the LA County lifeguard surf report before heading out. Zuma parking costs $8-15 depending on the lot.

Difficulty

Easy in calm conditions

Duration

As long as you like

Best season

June through October for warmest water, though locals swim year-round

Stand-Up Paddleboarding at Mother's Beach

Mother's Beach, inside the Marina del Rey harbor on the south side, has no surf and minimal current. The protected cove stays glassy most mornings. Several rental shops along Admiralty Way offer SUP boards for about $25-35 per hour. The shallow, sandy bottom means you can wade back if you fall off. Pelicans perch on the nearby docks and mostly ignore paddlers. Morning sessions before 10 a.m. tend to have the flattest water, as afternoon wind from the west picks up around noon.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

1 to 2 hours

Best season

Year-round, best on calm mornings

Kayaking and Canoeing on the LA River at Sepulveda Basin

The LA River's soft-bottom section through the Sepulveda Basin in Encino is one of the few stretches where the river looks like a river rather than a concrete channel. LA River Kayak Safari has run guided trips on a seasonal basis during the summer months, typically between Memorial Day and the end of September, pending annual permits from the Army Corps of Engineers. The 2.5-mile paddle passes through riparian habitat with willows and cattails. Great egrets and green herons are common along this stretch. The water is shallow, maybe 2-3 feet deep in most spots, and the current is gentle.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

About 2 hours for the guided trip

Best season

Summer only, roughly June through September when permitted

Snorkeling and Diving at Leo Carrillo State Beach

Leo Carrillo, about 28 miles north of Santa Monica on PCH, has tide pools and underwater kelp forests along its rocky western shore. The water visibility varies from 5 to 20 feet depending on recent surf and runoff. Sea urchins, garibaldi fish, and small leopard sharks are common in the kelp beds. The best snorkeling area is in the cove west of the main beach, accessible through the sea cave at low tide. Bring your own gear. Water temperature drops to the mid-50s in winter, so a full wetsuit is recommended year-round. Camping is available at the adjacent state park for $45-65 per night.

Difficulty

Easy to moderate depending on surf conditions

Duration

1 to 3 hours

Best season

July through October for best visibility and calmest surf

At 4,310 acres, Griffith Park dwarfs most urban parks in the country. Central Park in New York would fit inside it more than 5 times. The terrain runs from flat, grassy picnic areas near Los Feliz Boulevard to scrubby chaparral ridges above 1,600 feet. The east side of the park, around the Mineral Wells area, tends to be quieter than the observatory side. Old zoo ruins from the original Griffith Park Zoo, which closed in 1966, sit along a shaded trail near the merry-go-round parking lot. Coyotes are common at dawn and dusk, and you'll likely spot mule deer along the fire roads if you're out early enough.

Highlights: Griffith Observatory (free admission), the abandoned old zoo, Fern Dell with its spring-fed stream and fern grotto, the recently restored Bronson Caves used in the 1960s Batman TV series

The Huntington in San Marino spreads across 120 acres of themed gardens. The Desert Garden alone contains one of the world's largest collections of mature cacti and succulents, with over 2,000 species planted across 10 acres. The Japanese Garden is built around a restored 19th-century house and a koi pond that smells faintly of wet moss. The Chinese Garden, Liu Fang Yuan, opened in phases between 2008 and 2020 and covers about 12 acres. Weekday mornings are significantly less crowded than weekends. Timed-entry tickets run $25 for adults and $29 on weekends.

Highlights: Desert Garden's massive Cereus cacti, the Chinese Garden's lake pavilion, Jungle Garden with its tropical canopy walk, Shakespeare Garden with heritage roses blooming April through June

Kenneth Hahn sits on a ridge in Baldwin Hills, about 10 minutes south of Mid-City. The park covers 401 acres of grassland and scrub with a network of short trails. On clear days, particularly after winter rain, you can see from the San Gabriel Mountains to Catalina Island from the hilltop viewpoints. The park was built on a former oil field, and you'll still spot a few pumpjacks working along the perimeter. The Olympic Forest, planted with trees from every country that competed in the 1984 Summer Games, has grown into a dense, shaded grove.

Highlights: Janice's Green Valley loop trail (1.2 miles), Olympic Forest, the lotus pond near the main parking lot that blooms in July and August

This 87-acre garden in Palos Verdes Peninsula was built on a former landfill, which seems unlikely until you notice the methane vents disguised as fake rocks along some paths. It opened in 1961 and now holds over 2,500 plant species. The Mediterranean Garden does well in LA's dry climate and smells of rosemary and lavender in the spring. The Rose Garden peaks in April and May. Admission is $15 for adults. The garden is rarely crowded on weekday afternoons.

Highlights: The Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for tropical plants, the Children's Garden with edible plantings, the dahlia collection blooming from August through November

Runyon Canyon covers 160 acres between Hollywood Boulevard and Mulholland Drive. It's probably the most social hiking spot in the city. Dogs are allowed off-leash on the main trails, so expect a parade of retrievers and French bulldogs on weekend mornings. The east ridge trail climbs steeply to about 1,320 feet with loose dirt switchbacks that get slippery after rain. The views take in the Hollywood Sign, downtown LA, and the ocean on clear days. The park gets full sun, so summer afternoons can be punishing.

Highlights: Sunrise hikes from the Fuller Avenue entrance, the Indian Rock viewpoint at the top of the east ridge, the ruins of a 1930s estate pool near the south entrance

Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge covers 150 acres at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The Camellia Forest, planted in the 1940s, contains one of the largest collections of camellias in North America, with over 600 varieties blooming from January through March. The California Native Plant Garden shows what the local landscape looked like before development. The oak woodland sections stay cool even in summer, with temperatures under the canopy running 10-15 degrees below the surrounding neighborhood. Admission is $15 for adults.

Highlights: Camellia Forest peaking in February, the Japanese Tea Garden, the lilac collection flowering in April, the bird observation station where you might spot Cooper's hawks nesting