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What are Some Outdoor Activities in Los Angeles?

Kathy Hawkins
Kathy Hawkins

Although Los Angeles is a very large metropolitan city, there are many outdoor activities that feature beautiful scenery and great chances to take part in recreational activities. Some of the outdoor activities in Los Angeles include a variety of beaches, forests, and parks.

At Angeles National Forest, which is located in the northern part of Los Angeles County, there are many outdoor opportunities. The park includes 650,000 acres of wilderness, including mountains, lakes, and forests. Visitors can take part in a variety of recreational activities, including fishing, camping, nature trails, boating, hunting, target shooting, riding ATVs, and winter activities like skiing and snowmobiling.

There are many hiking trails near Los Angeles.
There are many hiking trails near Los Angeles.

One of the other activities that families in the area may enjoy is a visit to Inyo National Forest, where you will find the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, which is home to the oldest living trees in the world. At the Visitor Center, you will have the opportunity to learn about the history of these majestic trees. There are also nature trails in the area for hiking.

There are many beaches along the coast, where visitors can sunbathe, swim, or surf. Some of the best beaches include Venice Beach, Hermosa City Beach, Leo Carillo State Beach, and Royal Palms State Beach.

The Los Angeles Zoo is home to over a thousand species.
The Los Angeles Zoo is home to over a thousand species.

The city's amusement parks are also great outdoor activities in Los Angeles. These include Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and Pacific Park, which is located on the Santa Monica Pier. At these amusement parks, you can go on roller coasters and other rides, play games, and enjoy other activities.

Another of the famous outdoor places is Griffith Park, which features more than 4,000 acres of forest land, though in 2007, a wildfire burned much of the park's foliage. At the highest point of the park, there is an observatory, where visitors can use telescopes to get a great vantage point of the sky at night. Griffith Park is also home to the Los Angeles Zoo, a place that children and adults can enjoy together.

Los Angeles houses a variety of amusement parks offering a variety of rides for people to enjoy.
Los Angeles houses a variety of amusement parks offering a variety of rides for people to enjoy.

Though much of Los Angeles is covered with buildings and freeways, there is still a remarkable amount of beautiful scenery and natural wildlife in the city. With a wide variety of beaches, forests, lakes, and mountains, there are plenty of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy.

Discussion Comments

Mor

If your kids or you are interested in natural wonders, one fun indoor activity you should consider is the La Brea tar pits and the Page museum which is attached to them.

I managed to go there the last time I was in LA, and it was my favorite part of the whole trip.

They have hundreds of skeletons of different mammals, many of which I have never heard of before. Things like giant bears and sabertooth tigers. I didn't realize they ever existed in North America and these were fairly recently.

They reckon they were around only 10,000 years ago, so these are the animals that the first Americans would fight and have for dinner!

This is the museum I always recommend whenever anyone asks me what to do in Los Angeles.

lluviaporos

The bristlecone pine forest contains the oldest living tree in the world, although the tree is kept secret so that it won't be harmed by souvenir seekers.

In fact it is the second oldest tree discovered in the forest. The first was discovered by a man who borrowed a tree bore and went from tree to tree, looking for the oldest one. A tree bore drills a small sample from the trunk so people can count the rings without harming the tree.

This man broke his tree bore off in the oldest tree by accident. And because it was a borrowed tree bore.... he cut the tree down to get it back!!

So all that's left of the oldest tree is a stump.

Can you believe how stupid some people can be? I find that one of the saddest stories.

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    • There are many hiking trails near Los Angeles.
      There are many hiking trails near Los Angeles.
    • The Los Angeles Zoo is home to over a thousand species.
      By: Trubble
      The Los Angeles Zoo is home to over a thousand species.
    • Los Angeles houses a variety of amusement parks offering a variety of rides for people to enjoy.
      By: fotografiche.eu
      Los Angeles houses a variety of amusement parks offering a variety of rides for people to enjoy.
    • Los Angeles is the country's second largest city.
      By: Brian Weed
      Los Angeles is the country's second largest city.
    • Visitors to Los Angeles may wish to check out the local observatory and use the telescopes.
      By: skyphoto
      Visitors to Los Angeles may wish to check out the local observatory and use the telescopes.