DK Travel : Los Angeles : Outdoor

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Mulholland Drive

Named after William Mulholland, the architect of the Los Angeles aqueduct, this quintessential LA road winds for about 25 miles (40 km) along a Santa Monica Mountains ridge from Hollywood to the western San Fernando Valley. On clear days, the panoramic views are truly stunning.
Nicholas Canyon Beach

This 2-mile (3-km) lovely beach is a secret even from locals, because of its isolation and distance from the city. It hugs the base of a bluff and is a great place for those seeking solitude. Work on the tan, or sit watching the waves kiss the sand.
Palisades Park

Famous for its swaying palm trees and picture-perfect views of Santa Monica Bay (especially at sunset), Palisades Park is a playground for young and old, locals and visitors, families and courting couples. Stretching for 13 blocks atop a bluff overlooking the ocean, its benches and lawns invite picnics and people-watching. A nostalgic curiosity is the Camera Obscura inside a seniors’ center.
Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace

This memorial to the 37th US president (1913–94) includes a museum, gardens, and the restored 1910 farmhouse where he was born. High-tech exhibits focus on Nixon’s achievements, but also include a gallery about Watergate. A recreation of the Lincoln Sitting Room, Nixon’s favorite in the White House, is another highlight.
Ronald Reagan Library

A chunk of the Berlin Wall, a cruise missile, and a recreated Oval Office are the highlights of this museum dedicated to the 40th US president (b.1911). Exhibits trace Reagan’s life from his Illinois childhood, through his Hollywood career to his political ascent, first as California governor, then as president during the waning Cold War years.
Runyan Canyon Park

Minutes from the Walk of Fame, this small urban park has some moderately difficult trails and a colorful history – the ruins near the Fuller Steet entrance were built in 1930 by opera star John McCormack and Errol Flynn lived in one of the pool houses in the late 1950s. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy purchased the park in 1983.
Sailing

Skipper around the marina or cruise out to the open ocean with your very own sailboat. Rental outfits usually have a variety for you to choose from.
Santa Barbara & Wine Country

This graceful “Mediterranean” town with its Spanish-style architecture and villa-studded hillsides is imbued with an unpretentious charm. With a stately mission and historical adobes, it is also a must visit for wine connoisseurs. Head for the tasting rooms of the wine country around Santa Ynez, a 45-minute drive away.
Santa Monica Beach

This easy-to-access beach is one of LA’s busiest. Families love the (see Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Pier) with its pretty historical carousel and amusement park. Fitness buffs can get their kicks from pedaling or skating down a paved path running past the recently restored Muscle Beach, the birthplace of the Southern California exercise craze back in the 1930s.
Seal Beach

Head to this low-key ocean playground just south of the San Gabriel River for a taste of small-town America. Warm waters and small to mid-size waves make it ideal for swimmers and surfers. A 1,865-ft (600-m) pier with a diner anchors Seal Beach.