The Best Places to Go for a Run in Los Angeles

Visiting Los Angeles is an amazing experience. With so much to do, see and explore, there won't be a dull moment. It's also an ideal place to keep up with your fitness goals. From amazing beaches to city streets and hiking trails, Los Angeles offers a variety of settings perfect for a scenic run. You may even come across some of its many iconic attractions along the way.

Griffith Park Hiking Trails Los Angeles

Home to landmark attractions like the Griffith Observatory and the Los Angeles Zoo, the 4,000-acre Griffith Park also boasts many trails perfect for a run. There’s even a 53-mile hiking trail network, including popular options like the Big Loop, an eight-mile trail, and the trail from the Zoo to Crystal Springs Drive, which spans just over two miles.

The best part about the Griffith Park hiking trails is that there are plenty of great cafes and restaurants nearby to help you refuel after your run.
 

Running with Oceanside Views

The proximity to so many gorgeous beaches is part of what makes Los Angeles such a special city for runners. For starters, there's a 22-mile paved hiking trail in Los Angeles that runs from Torrance State Beach in the south up to Will Rogers State Beach north of Santa Monica. But if you're not up for a nearly marathon-distance run, then consider one of these shorter beach runs instead:

• Manhattan Beach to Redondo Beach: An iconic run, complete with a wood chip path. For around a mile of the route you can also enjoy amazing views of The Strand and the stunning shoreline.

•  The Strand: Once called the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, this 22-mile running trail takes you from Will Rogers State Park in the Pacific Palisades to Torrance County Beach in the South Bay. For a shorter work out on the sand, there’s a two-mile run from the Santa Monica Pier to the Venice Beach Boardwalk.

• Ocean Avenue: This three-mile stretch goes from Palisades Park to Santa Monica Pier. Best of all, if you time your run for sunset, there will be stunning views as the sun falls below the ocean’s horizon.
   

Running La La Land's Park Trails

There are also some great hiking trails in the downtown area, most of which can be found in some of the city's gorgeous parks. Elysian Park is the oldest of these and the second largest. Runners love the 2.4-mile West Loop, which offers some spectacular views of Downtown and the San Fernando Valley. Runyon Canyon Park, located two blocks away from Hollywood Boulevard, offers 130 acres of green space and a great trail that runs from the entrance at Fuller Avenue to Inspiration Point, where you can enjoy sweeping city views while you run.
 

Touring and Jogging Famous Boulevards

LA is a bustling place and, for the most part, you don't want to be running along some of its busiest streets. But, luckily enough, there are several routes you can take where the sidewalks are wide, and the scenery is amazing. One of the very best of these starts at the Beverly Hilton and takes you down Rodeo Drive and South Robertson Drive for a five-mile tour of Hollywood taking in shops, restaurants, and many multi-million dollar homes of the stars.

You can also take a great five-mile run along Wilshire Boulevard, starting at MacArthur Park and ending at the LA County Museum of Art. This route is easily accessible from Downtown, and it also takes you past several busy areas and iconic landmarks including the MacArthur Park Monument as well as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – the place where Oscars winners are chosen.

Have you tried any of these running routes? Share photos of your favorite hiking and running trails in Los Angeles with us on Instagram.