Los Angeles is teeming with beautiful places to walk, but for many of us, our favorite paths are those that are closest to home. These are the walks we do again and again, when we need to shake out our blues, get a new perspective or just enjoy some of our city’s famous sunshine. So it comes as no surprise that when we asked readers to share their favorite walks, many of you responded with a path in your neighborhood.
As someone who recently relied on suggestions from friends across the city to help me choose — and plot — the 11 most essential walks in L.A., I can say that there is nothing better than exploring an area through the eyes of a local. Their insights and experience add a deeper dimension to a walk. Each time a friend showed me around, I came away with a new appreciation for the part of the city they call home.
So it is with great gratitude and pleasure that I present a handful of the walks submitted by our readers who generously shared their own expertise on where to walk, and what to see. Nobody knows a city better than those of us who live here.
Down the Ballona Lagoon nature path, back on the beach, and over to the marina to close the loop
Starting location: Start at 4001 Via Dolce, Marina del Rey
Distance: 2.5 miles
Length of time: 60 minutes
What makes it special: ”The nature walk is really pretty and borders a wildlife sanctuary where you can see egrets and other migratory birds. There are always little lizards on the path as well. As you turn the corner to the ocean, you can see larger seabirds and if you’re lucky you can see dolphins. The marina is always nice to check out the calmness of the water and all the boats. Plus, if your dog is well-behaved, you can generally take him or her off leash and no one will bug you.”
— Rick Jashnani, Venice
Mount Lowe Trail/ San Merrill Trail to the ruins of the Mount Lowe Hotel
Starting location: The corner of Loma Alta Drive and Lake Avenue. Goes all the way up to (34.21097° N, 118.12077° W)
Distance: 5 miles
Length of time: At a fast pace, around an hour and 45 minutes. At an average pace, about three hours
What makes it special: ”Since my family lives near the trail, we occasionally hike the trail to the top of Echo Mountain (where the Mount Lowe Hotel remains are) to see the view of Los Angeles.”
— Duncan Addicott, Altadena
Hill Top View
Starting location: North Thomas Avenue in Lincoln Heights
Distance: 3 steep miles up and back.
Length of time: 45 minutes
What makes it special: “The 360 degree view from ‘Flat Top.’”
— Thomas Nagano, Los Angeles
Culver City park to Baldwin Hills Park to Kenneth Hahn Park
Starting location: “From Culver City park, start off in the parking lot near the Boneyard and take the wooden ramps up the hill. Walk across Bill Botts field to the connector to the Baldwin Hills park. Walk to the top of the hill, enjoy the views and then find the parking lot. At the back of the lot is a path that connects down the hill to Stoneview Nature Center. Do a lap around the nature center, pick a piece of fruit or rest on a bench, then take the path back out of the nature center and walk over La Cienega into Kenneth Hahn Park. If you are walking for fitness you can do this in a couple of hours. You can spend more time in any of the parks as you walk.”
Distance: About 3 miles
Length of time: Two hours
What makes it special: “It is so cool to see all these parks linked to each other and find such a long walking route in L.A. that really doesn’t pass along any roads. You can make the walk longer by spending more time in these parks or walking longer routes through the parks or you can just go for a walk and consider the parks marker points as you go from Culver City to Kenneth Hahn.”
— Lisa Collins, Culver City
Riverside trail in Griffith Park
Starting location: 2715 N. Vermont Canyon Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Distance: 2 miles
Length of time: 30 minutes
What makes it special: “I grew up in rural Vermont and it’s hard to describe to friends and family why I’ve chosen to live in L.A. This is a place where I bring people who visit me in LA from the East Coast to demonstrate what I love about it. The walk has a gorgeous view of downtown but it’s peaceful and away from cars and pavement. When I bring people from Vermont to this walk they start to understand what I love about L.A.”
— Greer Cowan, Los Angeles
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to Gloria Molina Grand Park to L.A. City Hall
Starting location: 555 W. Temple St.
Distance: .5 miles
Length of time: 15 minutes
What makes it special: “As I ease into the morning work day, I park at the underground parking garage next to Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. I cross Temple Street by the court buildings constructed in the late 1960s and early 1970s and walk over to Grand Park. I start my trek at 7:15 am and finish around 7:35 am — not a long walk time down the escaliered concrete staircases but it helps me to see nature and ease any anxiety I have before I start work during my monthly three-day work days in downtown L.A. As I get close to the L.A. City Hall, there are police officers moving overnight persons camping in the park out so that city hall workers, mostly female, arrive to a safe environment before entering city hall’s employee entrance.”
— Thomas Foster
From the Venice Pier to the Santa Monica Pier along the beach
Starting location: Washington Boulevard and Ocean Front Walk
Distance: 2 miles
Length of time: 1-2 hours depending on your pace
What makes it special: “If you walk along the beach next to the water this is the most memorable walk in Los Angeles, with the most beautiful beaches full of birds, sea lions, surfers, dolphins, occasionally a few whales and the most beautiful surf! You can walk it barefoot or as many people do, wear lightweight tennis shoes. [You can go with] your dog or with a friend or by yourself. It is really incredible. If you walk along the walking bike path it has the Venice Art Walk, many bicycles and it ends at the Santa Monica Pier, [where you can] enjoy the festivities. The other option is to start at the Santa Monica Pier and walk to the Venice Pier and back for a beautiful walk, exercise and best day of your life!”
— Larry Blivas, Los Angeles
Highland Park Metro Station to East Los Angeles Civic Center
Starting location: Ave. 59 to Figueroa St. through downtown LA and then east on E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. to the ELA Civic Center.
Distance: About 12 miles
Length of time: 3-4 hours depending on whether there’s a parade or a march happening
What makes it special: “It cuts to the core of Los Angeles, from its oldest community along the Arroyo Seco to its oldest cultural hubs and sprawling historic avenues, and crossing five freeways and the raging rivers of clanging metal below. I’ve been doing it for several years and it is never the same walk, like a search for meaning.”
— Richard Vasquez, Los Angeles
The labyrinthal channels of Marina del Rey
Starting location: Admiralty Way and Bali Way
Distance: 2 miles
Length of time: 30 minutes
What makes it special: “Sights and sounds don’t come much more spectacular than a saunter around the labyrinthal channels of Marina del Rey. You have the Ballona Lagoon offering pleasant tidal salt marsh views ideal for brandishing binoculars where one can espy many a seabird sneaking up on unsuspecting french fries. And further walk away your woes as you peer waterward at salty-sneezing harbor seals, sun-soaked kayakers, and spry runaway skiffs cascading along the horizon with swollen sails.
I enjoy any ambulatory miles I can accumulate in the Marina area. From morning jaunts evaluating artisanal turnips at the Famer’s Market every Saturday morning near Mother’s Beach to tranquil late afternoons spent strolling among the shelves of the Lloyd Taber-Marina del Rey Library. The custom sail-shaped windows look out onto the sunset.
Ahoy, it’s a showstopper.”
— Tommy Bui, Pacoima
