Los Angeles loves exercising and finding ways to find peace in this sometimes chaotic city! Today’s list concentrates on getting exercise and continuing our wellness journeys without monthly membership fees. How many of you have joined gyms and haven’t gone in months? (You can’t see, but I am raising my hand.) Welcome to Los Angeles on a Budget: Exercise and Wellness.
Los Angeles has so much to keep you healthy! It is the gateway to tons of hiking trails, from loops around Elysian Park to a Bridge to Nowhere. There are also free and donation yoga classes all around the city.
Criteria
- Entry fees are less than $15
Table of Contents
Exercise
No. 1: The Strand
(Beach Cities)
What is it? This bike/walk path connects 22 miles of Southern California beaches from Manhattan Beach to Will Rogers State Beach. The views are spectacular.
Cost: $0
When: Open 24 hours. (I don’t recommend it after sunset.)
Note: The Strand has little to no shade, so plan ahead.
No. 2: Urban Hike: Santa Monica to Venice
(Venice/Santa Monica)
What is it? A curated list of stops, attractions, and places to eat, from Santa Monica’s expo line station to the Venice canals.
Cost: This is a free self-guided itinerary. Take the metro to the Expo Line Stop for $1.75 or $3.50 for a day pass. Some of the stops mentioned have economical options.
When: The recommendations on this list are open daily, with the exception of the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market open on Sunday only.
As mentioned in: Urban Hike: Santa Monica to Venice.
No. 3: Solstice Canyon
(Malibu)
What is it? A mountain hike with fantastic architecture. This park has many trails, from easy to moderate hikes. There are two structures, both decimated by fire. One is the first house in Santa Monica, the second graced the cover of A+D Magazine.
Cost? Entrance to the park is free. $12 parking. Beach parking is free if you can find it.
When: 6:00 a.m. to 9:PM Daily.
As mentioned in: Hiking in Solstice Canyon.
This Ugly Beautiful City tip
Two things you shouldn’t forget when looking over this list.
- Don’t forget that you can check out California park passes at the Los Angeles Public Library with your library card.
- Don’t forget that you can rent bikes with your Metro Tap Card.
No. 4: Mar Vista Recreation Center
(Mar Vista)
What is it? It is a park that has permanent workout equipment.
Cost? Free
When: Sunrise to sunset.
Note: There are a few parks like this around Los Angeles. I would bring disinfecting wipes as no one supervises this equipment.
No. 5: Tai Chi for beginners
(Culver City)
What is it? A weekly Tai Chi class for beginner-level students at a local Culver City Park.
Cost? Free, but accepts donations
When: Sundays at 9:45 a.m.
Park to Playa Trail
The next four places on the list make up a portion of the thirteen-mile Park to Playa Trail. The trail has 6 segments: Stocker Corridor, Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Blair Hills – Segment C, Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, Culver City Park, and Ballona Creek Bike Path.
No. 6: Park to Playa Trail (Baldwin Hills to Playa Del Rey)
What is it? This 13-mile trail connects Baldwin Hills to the Ballona Wetlands.
Cost? Parking maybe?? There are free and cost parking options depending on where you start and the day of the week. (See below).
When: Sunrise to sunset.
No. 7: Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
(Culver City)
What is it? A park with hiking trails, picnic areas, a Japanese Garden, and a creek. It has great views of Los Angeles and is my favorite picnic spot.
Cost: $5 on the weekends, free during the week.
When: Sunrise to Sunset
No. 8: Stoneview Nature Center
(Culver City)
What is it? A beautiful park full of native plants hiding off of one of Los Angeles’ busiest boulevards. They have yoga, meditation, and cooking classes. They have a chalkboard with the month’s programs, but you have to go before you know.
Cost: $0
When: Park is open from sunrise to sunset. Upcoming classes are on their Instagram.
Note: This is a great place to stop and rest while on the Park to Playa trail. Also, clean bathrooms and water bottle fillers.
No. 9: Baldwin Hills Overlook
(Culver City)
What is it? This is where all the trainers go to torture; I mean, train their clients. The Baldwin Stairs are legendary. The top of the hill has great views of Los Angeles, and the community center sometime has exhibits.
Cost: Free. Parking is $2 an hour or $6 for the day.
When: Sunrise to sunset.
Note: This is the best place to see the city and neighborhood fireworks on the 4th of July and the celestial phenomenon–when it is clear. (Meteor showers, eclipses, etc. )
No. 10: Ballona Creek Bike Path
(Culver City to Playa Del Rey)
What is it? A bike path that connects Culver City to the ocean, crossing native wetlands.
Cost: Free
When: Sunrise to sunset. Gates may be locked if rain is in the forecast.
No. 11: Lake Hollywood
What is it? A three-and-a-half-mile loop around Lake Hollywood with views of the Hollywood Sign.
Cost: Free w/ street parking.
When: Sunrise to sunset.
As mentioned in: Where to Get Free Exercise in Hollywood.
Note: This post also includes Runyon Canyon, another free place to hike.
No. 12: Yoga at Hollywood Forever
(Hollywood)
What is it? A cemetery, a concert venue, movie theater that has tours and yoga classes.
Cost: Donation based
When: Daily. See the schedule here.
As mentioned in: Everything Spaces: Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
No. 13: Griffith Park (Los Feliz)
What is it? Los Angeles’s largest municipal park. It is famous for the Hollywood Sign, the Observatory, and being in dozens of television shows and movies. It has tons of hiking trails for beginners to advanced hikers.
Cost: $0
When: Sunrise to sunset.
As mentioned in: An Intro to Griffith Park
No. 14: Koreatown Run Club (Multiple locations)
What is it? A community that runs together in Koreatown. Their homepage is for the store that helps fund the organization. Click through for information on what they are about and when they run.
Cost? $0
When: Check their schedule, as they have several runs per week in different parts of the city.
No. 15: Walk around the Silver Lake Reservoir
(Silver Lake)
What is it? A walking path and picnic area around Silver Lake.
Cost: Free. Street parking.
When: Open 24 hours.
Note: This is where Walt Disney had his first studio and where the first films were shot in Los Angeles.
As mentioned in: Where Hollywood Began: Edendale.
No. 16: Echo Park Swans
(Echo Park)
What is it? Paddle boat rental in one of the most photographed lakes in Los Angeles. This is a must-do as a local.
Cost: $12 an hour for adults and $7 for people 17 or younger.
When: 9:am-10:PM daily
No. 17: Hike in Elysian Park
(Echo Park/Elysian Heights)
What is it: A large park with easy hiking trails, disc golf, and tons of picnic space. This park has great views of Downtown Los Angeles.
Cost: $0
When: Sunrise to sunset.
This Ugly Beautiful City Tip
Did you know that Dodgers Stadium also has a botanical garden that you can tour? See more information here.
No. 18: Hike in the Los Angeles National Forest
(La Canada-Flintridge)
What is it? See those mountains to the east? Did you know you can hike in them? The Los Angeles National Forest has tons of hiking, from easy trails with waterfalls to mountains. This is a popular place for mountain bikers as well.
Cost? $5 for parking
When: Sunrise to sunset.
Note: Check the website before going due to mudslides or fires. The fire service also does training exercises in the forest like water drops, etc.
This Ugly Beautiful City tip
This year, we have had a lot of news of hikers going missing in the Mt. Baldy area of the forest. Please make sure you are prepared with water, sunscreen, and snacks. Always let people know you are hiking Mt. Baldy, and don’t go alone. Take pictures of trail maps and have a charged phone.
I haven’t listed all of the hiking trails because there are way too many. For a comprehensive list of trail information in the Greater Los Angeles area, I recommend the website aptly named All Trails.
No. 19: Bike, run, skate, or walk CicLAvia
(location moves across Los Angeles throughout the year)
What is it? A car-free pedestrian festival that takes place every couple of months in Los Angeles. CicLAvia takes over a city hub, shutting off the area to cars—people are biking, skating, walking, and dancing their way for miles without the danger of being run over.
Cost: $0
When: See the link above for upcoming events.
No. 20: Great LA Walk
(Changes location every year)
What is it? Hundreds of locals walk 23-ish miles across Los Angeles with curated stops and restaurant deals.
Cost: $0
When: Always the Saturday before Thanksgiving. (Make room for that turkey)
Wellness, meditation, and nature
I am a strong believer that sitting in nature makes everything just a little bit better. These are the gardens and meditation centers to add to your wellness routine. There are many botanical gardens on the east side of Los Angeles, but not all of them make this list due to cost.
No. 21: South Coast Botanical Garden
(Palos Verdes)
What is it? An 87-acre botanical park with various garden habitats from Mediterranean olive groves to Japanese Gardens.
Cost: $15
When: Daily 8:am-5:PM.
No. 22: Self-realization Fellowship Lake Shrine
(Pacific Palisades/Malibu)
What is it? An oasis hiding between major streets. It is a meditation center with a beautiful lake surrounded by gardens.
Cost: $0 with reservation.
When: Wednesday-Sunday; reservations required.
No. 23: Mindfulness lounge at Japan House
(Hollywood)
What is it? The Japan House is an organization in the heart of one of the busiest intersections in the city. It promotes Japanese culture through exhibitions and events. The mindfulness lounge is an oasis teaching the art of relaxation.
Cost: $0
When: Monday and Tuesday, 11:30-5:00
No. 24: Descanso Gardens
(La Cañada Flintridge)
What is it? 150 acres of botanical gardens with classes, yoga, and galleries. There are plenty of places to sit and listen to nature.
Cost: $15, free on Tuesdays
When: Daily, 9:am-7:PM. This changes with sunrise and sunset times throughout the year.
No. 25: Los Angeles Arboretum
(Arcadia)
What is it? Like Descanso, South Coast, and The Huntington, the Los Angeles Arboretum is an expansive botanical garden with a wide range of habitats. There are tons of classes on plants, after-hour events, and yoga. They also host a yearly succulent sale.
Cost: $15
When: Daily, 9:am-7:PM
No. 26: Storrier Sterns
(Pasadena)
What is it? A peaceful Japanese Garden with ponds, waterfalls, and buildings. Cost: $12 if you register in advance, $15 at the door
When: Open weekends with day and evening hours.
These are the things to do for $15 or less so far.
I hope you are finding tons of new things to do in Los Angeles.
This Ugly Beautiful City is a 100% self-funded publication. If you have used any of the advice on these pages and would like to send a thank you, consider buying me a coffee.
