Top 5 Outdoor Activities in Los Angeles

With 300 days of warm sunshine and 75 miles of idyllic shoreline, it’s easy to see why Los Angeles is the destination of choice for approximately 50 million visitors each year. With gorgeous weather and endless outdoor activities, there’s so much to explore in this unique and vibrant city. Here are 5 of the best outdoor activities in L.A…

Hollywood Sign

One of the most sought-after activities for visitors to L.A. is the iconic Hollywood Sign. With hiking the most popular way to get to the sign, you can choose from three different routes: Mt Hollywood Trail, the Brush Canyon Trail, and the Cahuenga Peak Trail, which range from easy to difficult.

For those wanting an alternative way to do the hike, Bikes and Hikes offer group and private Hollywood Hills hikes at 10am and sunset every day of the week. Or grab a partner and catch panoramic views of the city from high in the hills on horseback by booking a tour at Sunset Ranch Hollywood. Whichever route you choose, you will get unparalleled views of the skyline and that picture-perfect shot of the Hollywood Sign.

Venice Beach

No trip to L.A is complete without a trip to Venice Beach. Start the day with a surf lesson and finish with a stroll along Venice Boardwalk. Stretching about one and a half miles along the manicured sands of the Pacific Ocean, the boardwalk is a large part of what makes Venice unique. On the west side of the “walk” are hundreds of street vendors and performers. You can see everything from break-dancing to broken glass walking, mimes to musicians, jugglers to jesters and everything in between make up the human landscape. It is also the perfect place to sit back, relax and take in the L.A. culture and its people.

Abbot Kinney is the quintessential spot filled with bohemian spirit. With so many shops, bars and restaurants in such a concentrated area, all screaming for your attention, there’s so much to do and see. Finish off with a stroll around Venice Canals – the man-made canals that recreate the appearance of Venice, Italy which offer a completely different side to the famed beachfront neighbourhood. Explore the history of the canals and the beautiful houses that line them.

Catch a sports game

There’s no better way to live like a local by going to one of the many sporting events Los Angeles has to offer. Catch L.A.’s two professional football teams, the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, playing in the 100th season of the National Football League (NFL). The star-studded Rams are battling their way through the NFL with hopes of making a second straight Super Bowl appearance in 2020.

Alternatively, head to L.A. Dodgers’ Stadium to watch a baseball game, where you can mingle with local fans and soak up the atmosphere of the stadium. Stop at Phillippe’s beforehand for a French dip sandwich – a true Dodger culinary experience – then head to the stadium to sip jalapeño margaritas and enjoy the game.

The epicentre of the sports world, in the next decade Los Angeles will host an unprecedented line up of mega sporting events including 2020 MLB All Star Game; 2022 Super Bowl; 2023 CFP National Championship and U.S. Open; 2028 World Olympics; and is a Candidate Host City for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Get active with hiking trails

Getting acquainted with the numerous hiking trails Los Angeles has to offer is the perfect way to discover the great outdoors. Start with Runyon Canyon, perhaps the city’s most popular hiking destination, with 160 acres of meandering trails with amazing views of the city. Asides from being out in nature, it’s a great way to get in some cardio whilst enjoying the spectacular views. It is also a haven for dog owners – the park spans 160 acres and even has an off leash ‘Dog Park’, spanning 90 acres for dogs to run wild and free.

And then there’s Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America and a cherished recreation hub for Angelenos and tourists alike. The park has many miles of trail, ranging from easy to difficult, but the most popular trails are undoubtedly up to Mount Lee to see the Hollywood sign, or to Griffith Observatory. With its unique architecture, Griffith Observatory is one of the most famous landmarks in California, and the most-visited public observatory in the world. Once there you can explore one of the observatory’s programmes or talks, catch a music show at the highly acclaimed Greek Theatre or simply sit back and gaze at the spectacular city scape below.

Explore Downtown Los Angeles with a walking tour

Downtown Los Angeles is the heart of the city and the site of its birthplace. Home to some of L.A.’s most historic and cultural neighbourhoods, DTLA is experiencing a renaissance that is setting a vision for the future. With world-class hotels, highly acclaimed restaurants, eclectic boutiques and spectacular cultural attractions and galleries in the Arts District, no trip would be complete without taking time to explore this vibrant neighbourhood.

One of the best ways to take in the culture and sites of DTLA is with a walking tour. Choose from various themed tours from LA Conservancy, including the popular “Historic Downtown” tour highlighting the area’s architecture and history through storytelling. The “Art Deco,” 5-hour tour showcases nine stunning buildings from the era, and “Broadway: Historic Theatre and Commercial District” tours which explore the city’s entertainment roots, Broadway’s evolution and ongoing revitalisation.

For those who want to visit the scenes of their favourite films, DTLA Walking Tours and Red Line Tours offer Downtown L.A. and Hollywood Behind-the-Scenes tours of famous movie locations, including new blockbuster Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

For more inspiration on what to do in L.A. visit discoverlosangeles.com

Click here for more ideas for Outdoor Activities in the USA.