There really are so many Los Angeles activities that most people have no idea even exist - the area is so rich culturally and diverse naturally that you can enjoy a concert in a world-class venue downtown, then drive a half hour to take an evening hike surrounded by pristine natural beauty.
Lower Eaton Falls, Los Angeles County
The photo above was taken at one of my favorite hiking spots in Los Angeles County, Eaton Canyon. Located in the Angeles National Forest about a 30 minute ride from downtown L.A., the lower falls are truly beautiful, but the Upper Eaton Falls (located about a half mile upstream) is almost twice as high and even more spectacular.
You can reach the Eaton Canyon trail by taking route 2 (the Angeles Crest Highway) east from La Canada-Flintridge and following it into the mountains. Once the road levels off, look for the small ranger's kiosk on the right. the entrance to the trail is just past the kiosk parking lot on the right. It's marked "Switzers" after the picnic area at the end of the driveway.
There are many more great hikes of all difficulty levels along the Angeles Crest, and you can visit the historic Mount Wilson Observatory about 15 minutes past Switzers. The observatory, where other galaxies were first discovered, has some great exhibits and great views too.
Volleyball on Manhattan Beach
In Southern California, it's all about the beach
Another great free Los Angeles activity is beach volleyball. You'll find volleyball nets all up and down the beach, from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach. But maybe the best place for a game is by the pier in Manhattan Beach.
Another great beach activity is riding a bike along the bike path. The path goes for 8.5 miles from Temescal Canyon in Santa Monica in the north to Washington Blvd. in Marina Del Rey in the south. The path picks up again south of the marina and runs all the way from Playa del Rey to Redondo Beach (another 13.5 miles). Rent bikes or roller blades and enjoy the amazing scenery, restaurants, piers, and, of course, beaches!
Then, naturally, there is sunning and swimming, which is excellent all the way from Malibu in the north to Redondo Beach in the south. If you are up for an adventure, rent or buy a boogie board and hit the waves head on.
A concert at the Hollywood Bowl
Concerts museums and cultural activities
Believe it or not, Los Angeles is brimming over with cultural activities. A great place to start is the Hollywood Bowl. During the Bowl season, which runs from late spring to early fall, you can catch any of a variety of concerts most days of the week, from the L.A. Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra to a wide variety of visiting acts and shows. It's not only a world-famous venue, but it has incredible ambience and acoustics, and it's one of the best places to catch a concert anywhere.
You can also catch shows an a wide variety of venues on any given night, from the new and spectacular Disney Hall downtown to hundreds of smaller clubs and theaters. A great place to find out what's going on when you're in town is the free L.A. Weekly paper, which you can grab at any newsstand or in newspaper boxes throughout the city.
Huntington Gardens in San Marino
Los Angeles parks, gardens, and public spaces
L.A. has some great parks and gardens that make wonderful getaways and/or picnic spots. For starters, Griffith Park is huge and has dozens of hiking tails and plenty of picnic spots.
If you are looking for gardens, head over to San Marino, where Huntington Gardens is nothing short of spectacular. With several different regions, including a desert plant area and the famous Japanese Gardens, it's a great place to relax and stroll on a warm afternoon. The museums on site are also greta and include such famous paintings as Blue Boy and Pinky, along with a library that has countless priceless manuscripts on display including a Gutenberg Bible. for an extra treat, reserve a space for a formal English tea, complete with incredible sandwiches and finger foods, in the Huntington Tea Room.
Slightly further east in Arcadia is the immense Los Angeles County Arboretum, with incredible gardens and a wonderful lagoon and historic home that served as the set for Fantasy Island. It's another great place to stroll, picnic, and relax.
One last suggestion is Descanso Gardens in La Canada-Flintrige, about 15 minutes east of downtown L.A. The gardens are lush and contain several wonderful ponds, a rose garden, and historic home. They are most spectacular in January and February, when the forest of camellias is in spectacular bloom. It's as close as you'll get to a living fairy tale land.
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