Our 5 favorite natural workouts in LA.
We are in love with traveling and enjoy so many cities across the world; Barcelona and Amsterdam top our list. But there’s nothing closer to our heart than Sunny SoCal. Wherever we go we scout the best places to be outdoors and workout. Here are our top picks for LA. If you haven’t done them yet, put it on your schedule . You may need to check to see these locations are accessible during COVID, some of them have been blocked off or periodically are open.
By far our favorite place to workout outdoors in SoCal so far. Something about Santa Monica’s beautiful view, the fresh sea air and the energy of the stairs makes this one of our favorite workouts. Combine running, climbing and leg or arm work in between stair sets and you’ve got the best FREE full body workout in LA.
A great LA staple and a place to see views. Hiking is a great alternative to running for those that want to go gentle on the knees and have a more enjoyable workout. But don’t be fooled, there are plenty of inclines and challenges at Griffith Park, make sure you’re prepared with water bottle and snack when venturing here. The beauty is that it’s a great day out and you may be surprised and stay longer than expected.
Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach
I remember the first time I came to the Sand Dunes, I thought “no big deal”. Boy was I wrong! Your eyes will deceive you when looking at the Manhattan Beach San Dunes, but your legs won’t be fooled once you start digging into these steep San Dunes. It's the perfect national leg and cardio workout. You’ll see many athletes and locals here at the San Dunes a well kept secret in the South Bay area. Since the dunes started getting crowded on the weekends, the local parks and rec began taking reservations, make sure you click the link to the website to make your reservation. There are stairs for those that are unsure about climbing this challenging mount of sand. Let’s see how many reps you can do here.
The LA River Run (in Long Beach)
Living in Long Beach for nearly nine years, we uncovered some great hidden gems along the way. While Long Beach has a reputation as kind of the stepchild of Los Angeles, I think of it as one of LA’s hidden gems. This bike friendly beach city has some great places to workout. I’ve had my fair share of running workouts in Long Beach and second only to the beach boardwalk, the LA River gives you plenty of length for short or long runs. A great run and a different (historical view) of LA.
Living in SoCal, beach life means there is no lack of scenic views and fitness options. The run from Newport to Huntington Beach is a beautiful run, especially in the early morning light. An easy flat run, you can start from one OC coastal city to the next in a quick 5 miles or less.