Los Angeles
Parks in Los Angeles
Discover the best parks, beaches, hiking trails, mountains, and outdoor recreation throughout Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles offers much more than its cities. From the hiking trails of Griffith Park to the sandy shoreline of Santa Monica Beach, the urban oasis of Runyon Canyon, and the tranquil gardens of the Huntington Library, there are plenty of places to enjoy the Southern California outdoors.
Explore Los Angeles ParksEnjoy the Outdoors in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is home to a wide variety of parks that give residents and visitors plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors. Whether you are looking for a scenic place to hike, a beach on the Pacific, a mountain trail, sports facilities, or a peaceful green space to relax, LA County has parks for many different lifestyles.
Popular Parks in Los Angeles
Explore some of Los Angeles's best-known parks and outdoor recreation areas.
Griffith Park
Griffith Park in Los Angeles is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States, with hiking trails, the Griffith Observatory, the Los Angeles Zoo, and panoramic views of the city and the Hollywood Sign.
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Runyon Canyon Park
Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles is a popular hiking destination in the Hollywood Hills, offering trails with panoramic views of the city and the Hollywood Sign.
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Elysian Park
Elysian Park in Los Angeles is the city's oldest park, offering hiking trails, views of Dodger Stadium, and a peaceful retreat near Downtown Los Angeles.
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Echo Park Lake
Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles is a scenic urban lake with a walking path, fountain, and lotus flowers, offering a peaceful retreat in the Echo Park neighborhood.
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MacArthur Park
MacArthur Park in Los Angeles is a historic urban park with a lake, fountain, and a vibrant community atmosphere in the Westlake neighborhood.
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Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in the Baldwin Hills offers hiking trails, a fishing lake, and panoramic views of Los Angeles from the Baldwin Hills.
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Los Angeles State Historic Park
Los Angeles State Historic Park, also known as the Cornfield, is a 32-acre park near Chinatown offering open space, events, and views of Downtown Los Angeles.
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Exposition Park
Exposition Park in Los Angeles is a cultural and sports complex home to the California Science Center, the Natural History Museum, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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Pan Pacific Park
Pan Pacific Park in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles offers a recreation center, playground, walking paths, and open space near The Grove and the Original Farmers Market.
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Lake Hollywood Park
Lake Hollywood Park in Los Angeles offers a walking path around the Hollywood Reservoir with views of the Hollywood Sign and the Hollywood Hills.
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Barnsdall Art Park
Barnsdall Art Park in Los Angeles is home to the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hollyhock House, the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, and a community arts center.
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Franklin Canyon Park
Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills offers hiking trails, a lake, and a nature center in a peaceful, wooded canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains.
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Will Rogers State Historic Park
Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades is the former ranch of humorist Will Rogers, offering hiking trails, polo grounds, and views of the ocean and mountains.
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Topanga State Park
Topanga State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains offers over 36 miles of hiking trails through canyons and ridges, with views of the ocean and the San Fernando Valley.
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Malibu Creek State Park
Malibu Creek State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains offers hiking trails, rock climbing, and a scenic canyon with a creek, near Calabasas and Malibu.
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Point Dume State Beach
Point Dume State Beach in Malibu offers a sandy beach, a bluff with panoramic ocean views, and a popular spot for whale watching and cliff jumping.
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Zuma Beach
Zuma Beach in Malibu is one of the largest and most popular beaches in Los Angeles County, with wide sand, parking, and lifeguards.
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El Matador State Beach
El Matador State Beach in Malibu is a scenic, secluded beach with rock formations, sea caves, and a dramatic, photogenic coastline.
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Santa Monica State Beach
Santa Monica State Beach is a world-famous beach with wide sand, the Santa Monica Pier, and the beach bike path connecting to Venice and the South Bay.
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Venice Beach
Venice Beach in Los Angeles is known for its boardwalk, skate park, Muscle Beach, and the vibrant, eclectic culture of the Venice neighborhood.
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Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach in the South Bay offers a wide, sandy beach with a pier, volleyball, and the Strand bike path connecting to the South Bay beach cities.
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Hermosa Beach
Hermosa Beach in the South Bay offers a wide, sandy beach with a pier, volleyball, and a lively downtown with restaurants and nightlife.
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Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach in the South Bay offers a wide, sandy beach with a pier, marina, and the Strand bike path connecting to the South Bay beach cities.
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Palisades Park
Palisades Park in Santa Monica is a scenic blufftop park with ocean views, walking paths, and the Santa Monica Pier visible below.
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Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge is a 150-acre botanical garden with gardens, trails, a lake, and a historic house.
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Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden
The Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia is a 127-acre botanical garden with gardens, trails, lakes, and historic buildings, near the Santa Anita Park racetrack.
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Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
The Huntington in San Marino is a 207-acre cultural institution with a research library, art museum, and extensive botanical gardens.
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Eaton Canyon Natural Area
Eaton Canyon Natural Area in Pasadena/Altadena offers hiking trails, a nature center, and a waterfall in a scenic canyon at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains.
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Whittier Narrows Recreation Area
Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte offers a large park with lakes, trails, sports facilities, and a nature center.
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Bonelli Regional Park
Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas offers a lake for boating and fishing, trails, a water park, and RV camping near the San Gabriel Valley.
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Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park in Agua Dulce is known for its dramatic, tilted rock formations that have been featured in numerous films and television shows.
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Placerita Canyon State Park
Placerita Canyon State Park in Newhall offers hiking trails, a nature center, and the site of the first gold discovery in California.
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Castaic Lake State Recreation Area
Castaic Lake State Recreation Area in Castaic offers a large lake for boating, fishing, and swimming, with trails and camping in the hills north of the San Fernando Valley.
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White Point Nature Preserve
White Point Nature Preserve in San Pedro offers trails through coastal sage scrub and native habitat, with ocean views and a historic military site.
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Point Vicente Interpretive Center and Trails
The Point Vicente Interpretive Center in Rancho Palos Verdes offers exhibits on the area's natural and cultural history, with trails and a prime whale watching location.
View Park DetailsGreat Parks for Families
Families in Los Angeles have plenty of great options for spending time outdoors. Many parks feature beaches, playgrounds, open lawns, shaded picnic areas, hiking trails, and recreational facilities that make it easy to spend several hours outside.
- Playgrounds and play structures
- Picnic tables and pavilions
- Open lawns for games
- Walking and biking paths
- Shaded areas
- Family-friendly recreation
Walking, Biking & Outdoor Fitness
Los Angeles's parks make it easy to stay active year-round with the region's mild climate. Residents use parks for morning hikes, jogging, biking, outdoor workouts, and casual recreation.
Explore Los Angeles's Natural Side
Los Angeles is shaped by its coastline, mountains, and canyons. Parks such as Griffith Park, Runyon Canyon, and the Santa Monica Mountains provide opportunities to enjoy a quieter side of the region while taking in beautiful Southern California scenery.
Perfect for walking, wildlife viewing, photography, and simply relaxing outdoors.
Find Parks Near Los Angeles Cities & Neighborhoods
Living near a quality park can make a big difference in everyday life. Parks provide recreation, community gathering spaces, walking opportunities, and easy access to outdoor activities.
Explore Los Angeles Cities & NeighborhoodsWhy Parks Matter When Choosing Where to Live
Outdoor Recreation
Easy access to walking, biking, sports, and family activities.
Family Lifestyle
Playgrounds and green spaces give families more options close to home.
Community
Parks often serve as gathering places for events, recreation, and neighborhood activities.
Quality of Life
Access to attractive outdoor spaces adds to the overall appeal of a neighborhood.
Los Angeles Parks FAQs
Discover More of Los Angeles
Explore Los Angeles cities, neighborhoods, parks, restaurants, shopping, local businesses, and things to do throughout the county.