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Outdoors in Los Angeles

Venice Beach

Beach / Outdoor Activity

Party Earth Review The slightly off-kilter and tourist-packed Venice Boardwalk may draw the biggest crowds to Venice, but a close second is undoubtedly the adjacent three-mile expanse of Venice Beach. Sunny days attract hordes of beachgoers, especially in summer when Venice is often twenty-plus degrees cooler than the sweltering valley ... more

Bordered by the Santa Monica Pier to the north and the Venice Fishing Pier to the south
Venice, CA 90291

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Franklin Canyon Park

All Ages / All Types / Casual

Party Earth Review Mostly obscured from view near the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, Franklin Canyon Park is a hidden gem for LA denizens looking to escape the crowds that so often invade the city’s better-known nature retreats. Unless they remember its cameo in the opening credits of the classic Andy Griffith Show, many longtime ... more

North Entrance: Mulholland Drive & Franklin Canyon Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90210
West Entrance: Franklin Canyon Drive & Moreland Drive West
Los Angeles, CA 90210

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Abbot Kinney

All Ages / All Types / Artists

Party Earth Review Abbot Kinney Boulevard is a cozy corner of Los Angeles where the notion of the “mom and pop” retailer is alive and thriving. Named for the 1900s-era father of Venice who worked to create an American version of the eponymous Italian city, the area is lined with specialty boutiques, casual bars, and top-rated restaurants ... more

Abbot Kinney Boulevard roughly from
Main Street on the north to
Washington Boulevard on the south
Venice, CA 90291

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Melrose Avenue

All Ages / All Types / Bars / Beer

Party Earth Review Once the center of LA’s underground and counterculture scene, Melrose Avenue may have lost a bit of its edge in recent years, but it’s still a vibrant destination for an oddly mixed, hyper-eclectic crowd. Although the brightly-painted head shops, thrift shops, sex shops, comic book stores, and tattoo parlors still thrive ... more

Melrose Avenue between Fairfax Avenue and La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046

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Malibu Lagoon State Beach (Surfrider Beach)

Affluent / All Ages / Beach / Chill

Party Earth Review The official name for this sandy expanse – located steps from the affluent mansions that line Malibu like (really, really fancy) weeds – is Malibu Lagoon State Beach, but most people know it as Surfrider Beach thanks to the preeminent importance it has played in California surfing history. Centered on Malibu Lagoon where ... more

23200 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265

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Los Liones Canyon

Hiking Trail / Outdoor Area

Reviewed by Jasmine U.

"My Take: This hike is the epitome of maximum benefits with minimum effort. Although the hike itself is only about 1.5 miles (each direction) the view ..." more

West Sunset Boulevard & Los Liones Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90272

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Malibu Country Mart / Malibu Lumberyard

20s / 30s / 40s / Affluent / Breakfast

Reviewed by Haley M.

"Malibu Country Mart is by far my favorite location to roam on the perfect sunny day. The lively atmosphere paired with the amazing food and shopping i ..." more

3835 Cross Creek Road
Malibu, CA 90263

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Melrose Trading Post

20s / 30s / 40s / All Ages / All Types

Reviewed by Ross S.

"This place is fun! Plenty to buy/see for men and women! Only $1 to get in. Great people watching too. My favorite stand is the one that sells old phot ..." more

Fairfax High School
7850 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036

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Sunset Strip

Actors / Agents / All Ages / Bars

Party Earth Review Although Sunset Boulevard runs all the way from Downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean, the most famous stretch of this road is the roughly mile-and-a-half span through West Hollywood known as The Sunset Strip. A nightlife hotspot as far back as the 1920s, The Strip today packs in a massive collection of high-end boutiques ... more

Sunset Boulevard roughly from
Sierra Drive on the west and
North Crescent Heights Boulevard on the East
West Hollywood, CA 90046

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Third Street Promenade

All Ages / All Types / Bars / Cafés

Party Earth Review The vibrant seaside community of Santa Monica is also home to the Third Street Promenade, a lively three-block stretch of boulevard that is one of LA’s most popular outdoor malls. Dedicated to pedestrian traffic only, the Promenade sees a diverse mix of people during the day, from camera-toting tourists to suited professionals ... more

Third Street between Broadway and Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90403

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Shipwreck Hiking Trail

All Ages / All Types / Casual

Reviewed by Ellie D.

" My Take: Many people are unaware that the South Bay offers just as many cool hiking spots as that of the Hollywood Hills (Runyon, Observatory, Hollyw ..." more

Cloyden and Paseo Del Mar
Palos Verdes, CA 90275

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The Grove / Farmers Market

All Ages / All Types / Bars / Cafés

Party Earth Review With its charming Main Street, European architecture, and rich local history, The Grove outdoor shopping center and Farmers Market draws a diverse and upbeat crowd of local shoppers and tourists of every kind. Organized as a city center complete with street lamps and a small park in the center, The Grove is usually ... more

189 The Grove Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90036

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All outdoors in Los Angeles →

LA Outdoors Overview

Venice Beach - Beach | Outdoor Activity in LA

Seeing as it is bursting with sunshine and overflowing with beaches and expansive parks, it’s hardly a surprise that there are so many outdoor activities in Los Angeles.

Spending time outdoors in LA is a must – if only to calm your soul from all the traffic – but it’s also easy, not just because of the weather but also because there are so many great outdoor activities in LA to partake in. Whether it’s a thigh-busting hike through the famous expanses of Griffith Park or celebrity-filled Runyon Canyon, running, biking, and rock climbing in the Santa Monica Mountains, or a tourist-filled stroll down Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles begs its visitors to come out and stay out all day and long into the night.

Much like a walk down Hollywood Boulevard, a stroll along the chaos of the Venice Boardwalk is a must for any new visitor or longtime resident, and the same could certainly be said of shopping (or maybe just ogling the storefronts) along the glitzy sidewalks of Rodeo Drive. After getting even more shopping in down the hip blocks of Melrose Avenue, it’s time to explore the famous Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, which packs in a massive collection of high-end boutiques, glitzy eateries, swanky hotels, hopping bars, pulsing live music venues, velvet-rope clubs, and plenty of chances to spy a celebrity at practically any hour.

When the next morning rolls around, you can head on down to the Grove outdoor shopping center and Farmers Market, or bop on over to nearby Third Street for one-of-a-kind boutiques, restaurants, and bars that are a welcome respite from the typical corporate chain stores. Still not done? Abbott Kinney in Venice and the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica make for fabulous shopping, dining, drinking, and people-watching, and First Fridays along Abbott Kinney is an awesome Los Angeles outdoor event when neighborhood merchants feature their best wares, special gifts, new products, and live music, complete with lots of food and drink…..whew!