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10 great SoCal walks after all that holiday food and drink
A view from the Park-to-Playa trail.
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Chava Sanchez
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We've been enjoying lots of food and drink this holiday season, and we hope you have, too. So in the name of moderation and balance, here are some of our favorite walks in and around L.A., maps included.
The walks were curated by Paul Haddad, author of the walking bible, 10,000 Steps A Day In LA, and the new release Inventing Paradise: The Power Brokers Who Created the Dream of Los Angeles. Many are dog friendly and offer great views, and a bit of L.A. history, too. They're great options if you have friends and family in from out of town for the holidays. Enjoy!
A coastal walk in Oxnard
Some of the sights you'll take in on this beachy trek through coastal Oxnard.
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Paul Haddad
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For a family-friendly walk through Channel Islands Harbor, head to Hollywood Beach in Oxnard, two coastal gems with ocean breezes… and vociferous wildlife. (We're talking sea lions!)
What to expect:
- Route conditions: Flat and paved, with a small portion of dirt (though some may wish to veer off and sample the wide, sandy beach)
- Difficulty: An easy 1 out of 5, with 5 being the hardest
- Distance: 2.9 miles
- Dog friendly: Yes
- Parking: Free street parking on Harbor Boulevard, and three-hour parking in the trailhead’s parking lot if you patronize one of its establishments
- Bathrooms: Public restrooms available along the Channel Islands Harbor walkway and on the beach just west of the intersection of Ocean Drive and La Brea Street
- Also: The Channel Islands Maritime Museum is currently open Thursdays through Mondays from noon to 4 p.m. Double check the hours before you go if you want to stop in.
Get all the details: Head to 'Hollywood by the Sea' for a breezy, scenic walk that beats the heat and skips the crowds
Explore Inglewood on foot
The best way to see Inglewood is on foot. Here's how
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Paul Haddad
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Take a stroll on Inglewood's Market Street, where the pedestrian-friendly central business district hearkens back to the 1920s, and in Edward Vincent Jr. Park, where Centinela Springs provided fresh water from prehistoric times through the 1940s.
What to expect:
- Route conditions: Flat with slight grades
- Difficulty: 2 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the hardest
- Distance: 2.8 miles
- Dog friendly: Yes
- Costs/Parking: Free parking lot at approximately 700 Warren Lane, or on Warren Lane itself, which skirts the northern boundary of Edward Vincent Jr. Park. (The Metro K Line stops just south of here.)
Get all the details: Inglewood is having a moment. Here's how to explore it on foot
The new Park-to-Playa trail
The entrance to the Stoneview Nature Center, which is definitely worth exploring.
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Rene Lynch
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Expect spectacular city views as you walk across the Park to Playa Bridge and make your way to the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. If it's a clear day, you can even take in the Hollywood sign. And if you're feeling up to the challenge, check out as many of the Culver City Stairs — 282 steps in all — as you dare.
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What to expect:
- Route conditions: Rolling terrain, with a mix of pavement and dirt trails
- Difficulty: 3 out of 5, with 5 being the hardest (most of the route is easy, but there is one brief, challenging stretch
- Distance: About 3 miles, with the option to add on distance (and stairs!) at the top
- Dog friendly: Kinda — leashed dogs are allowed on the trail, but technically not the overlook. However, leashed dogs can be seen everywhere
- Costs/Parking: Parking is free during the week, $7 per car on weekends. There is also a 25-cent shuttle service option on weekends
- Trailhead bathroom: Yes. There are also bathrooms at the Stoneview Nature Center (closed Mondays) and at the turn around point.
Get all the details: You can unplug right in the middle of LA on this new hiking trail
A whimsical walk through Magnolia Park
A great way to spend an afternoon: Walking the streets of Magnolia Park in Burbank, and checking out the quirky stores you'll find there.
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Paul Haddad
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Magnolia Park is a colorful district with a retro vibe on the western edge of Burbank.
What to expect:
- Route conditions: Flat and paved
- Difficulty: An easy 1 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the hardest
- Distance: 2.7 miles
- Dog friendly: Yes, except in businesses. That said, there are so many great shops and restaurants to check out on this walk. Might be best to leave the pup at home.
- Parking: Free, on neighborhood streets
- Bathrooms: At businesses along the way (so consider bringing along a few singles to tip in exchange for using the facilities)
Get all the details: Here's a whimsical walk through Magnolia Park in Burbank
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Exploring the Anaheim Packing District
A closer look at the entrance to the Anaheim Packing House: Inside is a modern, vibrant food court. But the outside remains true to its roots.
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Courtesy Anaheim Packing District
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This is the Anaheim that everyone forgets about! Put another way, it's the non-Disneyland section, whose Packing District recounts the town’s prosperous past as a citrus empire that helped lure snowbound East Coasters westward.
What to expect:
- Route conditions: Flat and paved
- Difficulty: An easy 1 on a scale of 1 to 5
- Distance: 3 miles
- Dog friendly: Yes, except in businesses like the Anaheim Packing District
- Parking: Street parking, free
- Bathrooms: At the Pearson Park trailhead, and at businesses along the way (so consider bringing along a few singles to tip in exchange for using the facilities)
Get all the details: Get a taste of what Anaheim was like before Disneyland
Fullerton's historic downtown district
A few of the sights you'll see on a stroll through downtown Fullerton.
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This trek through Fullerton includes a bit of history, some architectural highlights and even some Disney magic. Plus, lots of shade from the community's beloved trees.
What to expect:
- Route conditions: Flat, paved
- Difficulty: An easy 1 out of 5, with 5 being the hardest
- Distance: 2 miles, with plenty of options for adding on more time or distance
- Dog friendly: Yes, except in stores
- Parking: Free public parking lot behind the banquet center (501 N. Harbor Boulevard) that lies on the northwest corner of N. Harbor Boulevard and E. Chapman Avenue. There is also free two-hour street parking in the area.
- Bathrooms: At businesses along the way (so consider bringing along a few singles to tip in exchange for using the facilities)
Get all the details: Enjoy the tree-lined streets of Fullerton's historic downtown district
Bear spotting in Old Town Monrovia
A stroll through quaint Old Town Monrovia takes in plenty of views of the San Gabriel Mountains.
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Paul Haddad
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Welcome to Monrovia, home to Samson the hot-tubbing bear, and the many statues in his honor. If this place looks familiar, that's because it stands in as the backdrop whenever Hollywood wants a quaint, all-American setting.
What to expect:
- Route conditions: Flat and paved, with slight inclines
- Difficulty: A relatively easy 2 on a scale of 1 to 5
- Distance: 2.4 miles with the option to add on more if desired
- Dog friendly: Yes
- Parking: Free street parking
- Bathrooms: At businesses along the way (so consider bringing along a few singles to tip in exchange for using the facilities)
Get all the details: On the lookout for bears in Old Town Monrovia
San Bernardino's iconic train station
An iconic train station is one of the many notable stops on this walk.
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Paul Haddad
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This excursion has it all — some history, some stunning architecture, some culture, and fast food curiosities. If you're a SoCal trivia junkie, you're going to enjoy checking out San Bernardino.
What to expect:
- Trail conditions: Flat, paved, with a few stairs
- Difficulty: 2 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the hardest
- Distance: 2.9 miles
- Duration: About 120 minutes
- Dog friendly: Yes, but no dogs are allowed inside the train station
- Costs/Parking: Park for free at the San Bernardino Depot; the station is also served by Metrolink and Amtrak
- Bathroom at the start: Yes
Get all the details: Get your kicks exploring San Bernardino's iconic train station
A stroll through leafy Encino
A scenic stroll through leafy Encino
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Paul Haddad
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This is an easy, shaded walk that includes an historic park, a beloved farm stand, a duck pond and more.
What to expect:
- Route conditions: Flat, paved and some dirt
- Difficulty: An easy 1 out of 5, with 5 being the hardest
- Distance: 2.9 miles
- Duration: Up to 2.5 hours, because this is a leisurely stroll that encourages exploring
- Dog friendly: Yes
- Parking: Free 2 Hour parking on side streets (so keep an eye on your time). Metro bus line on Ventura Boulevard
- Special note: Double-check park hours before you go! As of this writing, Los Encinos Historic Park is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Sepulveda Garden Center is open daily, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. And the Tapia Bros. Farm is typically open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Get all the details: This easy stroll through leafy Encino includes a stop at a duck pond
One of the most scenic stretches of the L.A. River — Atwater Village
Take a relaxing stop to just watch the birds.
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Rene Lynch
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This trek mixes old and new as it takes you along a scenic stretch of the L.A. River, pauses at one of Walt Disney's old haunts on Los Feliz Boulevard and ultimately winds up on bustling Glendale Boulevard.
What to expect:
- Route conditions: Nearly all flat, paved sidewalks and walkways (with the option to detour on unpaved trails at Sunnynook River Park)
- Difficulty: An easy 1 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the hardest
- Distance: About 2.5 miles, with the option to add on more if desired
- Dog friendly: Yes, and you'll walk by the Morrison Restaurant which touts its dog-friendly patio.
- Parking: Street parking, free
- Bathrooms: Several opportunities to stop in at businesses along the way, so you might want bring a few singles to tip in exchange for using the facilities.
Get all the details: Explore one of the most scenic stretches of the LA River — in Atwater Village
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