View List On Map cancel
More Top 10s
- Museum Exhibits
- Unusual Things to Do
- Offbeat Activities
- Outdoor Attractions
- Parks
- Religious Sites
- Romantic Things to Do
- Places to Shop
- Things to Do Near Downtown
- Things to Do Near Griffith Park
- Things to Do Near Pasadena
- Things to Do Near UCLA
- Walking Tours
- Aquariums
- Helicopter Tours
- Entertainment
- Golf Courses
- Nature & Wildlife
- Outdoor Activities
- Recreation & Natural Areas
- Spas
- Sports Attractions
- Things to Do Around Los Angeles
- Things to Do Near Chinese Theater - Hollywood
- Things to Do Near Convention Center / Staples Center
- Things to Do Near Dodger Stadium
- Things to Do Near LAX Airport
- Things to Do Near Long Beach Airport
- Things to Do Near Manhattan Beach
- Things to Do Near Rodeo Drive - Beverly Hills
- Things to Do Near Santa Monica Pier
- Things to Do Near Universal Studios
- Things to Do Near Venice Beach
- Transfers
- Wine Tastings
- Ask a Local
- Locals have answered 53 questions about Los Angeles.
- Ask Los Angeles Locals
-
-
-
1. Runyon Canyon
- Amazing views and natural beauty in the heart of Hollywood
-
- Walking
- Hollywood/West Hollywood
- Nile Expert Tip: This is a beautiful hiking point in the middle of Hollywood. It is also a great place to bring your dogs...
user rating -
-
-
2. Solstice Canyon
- Solitude and serenity attract people here
-
- Nature & Wildlife
- Outside the City
-
-
-
3. Franklin Canyon Site
- Island of open space, surrounded by city
-
- Nature & Wildlife
user rating -
-
-
4. Angeles National Forest
- Almost 700,000 Acres
-
- Recreation & Natural Areas
- Outside the City
-
-
-
5. Venice Beach's Ocean Front Walk
- Great people watching, funky stores, and the beach!
-
- Attractions
- Santa Monica/Beach Cities
user ratingexpert pick -
-
-
6. Baldy Notch to Mt. San Antonio Trail
- Baldy Notch to Mt. San Antonio Trail brings you to the top of the crown jewel of the San Gabriel Mountains, majestic Mt. San Antonio (10,064 ft. elevation) towers over all other peaks in the range.
-
- Hiking
- Outside the City
-
-
-
7. Los Angeles Conservancy
- Architectural walking tours
-
- Hiking
- Downtown/Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown
-
-
-
8. Solstice Canyon Trail
- Multi-level ruins beside a shady stream
-
- Hiking
- Malibu
user rating -
-
-
9. Millard Canyon Falls Trail
- A hike by the falls
-
- Hiking
- Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley
user rating -
-
-
10. Lake Hollywood
- A Hollywood oasis
-
- Walking
- Hollywood/West Hollywood
user rating -
-
-
The Best of NileGuide
-
Los Angeles is immediately next to the Santa Monica, Santa Gabriel, & Verdugo Mountains. Accordingly, there are great walks & great hikes everywhere: near Pasadena and farther east, in the large hilly city parks, and also near the Pacific Ocean.
Inside the city, Griffith Park is a great place to take a hike or a hilly bike ride. The walk via park access roads to a viewpoint above the Hollywood sign is a local favorite; the trick is negotiating the twisty roads to find a suitable parking spot in the hillside neighborhoods above Beachwood Canyon. (If you have all day you can hoof it up here from a lower Griffith Park entrance, like Bronson Canyon).
Another popular Hollywood hike is Runyon Canyon. The walks here tend to be short and steep ones; half the fun here is people watching as this place is a real workout hot-spot.
There are a number of large gardens in the Los Angeles Basin that make great walking destinations. The Los Angeles County Arboretum is one; Huntington Gardens and the Descanso Gardens are also notable. Others as well are listed on this L.A. garden guide.
The bike path by the ocean is a classic active destination where you will find many bikers, joggers and rollerbladers. The crowds do make for slower going at the Venice Beach Ocean Front Walk; the bike path goes south from Santa Monica all the way to Palos Verdes.
