Vacations Blog

Ah, spring has sprung, and there are many more beautiful days than crappy ones here in the Southland.  I’m loving it.  One of our family’s favorite things to do here during nice weather is explore the hiking trails within the city.  You don’t have to go too far to find a lovely trail because there are pockets of greenery hidden (or not so hidden) within a quick drive of most areas of Los Angeles.  If you’re visiting from out of town and you’re sick of pounding the pavement or sitting in traffic, why not try some of these local natural oases?

Franklin Canyon:  Deep within the hills between the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles, Franklin Canyon park is 605 acres of hiking trails, meadow, lake, and chaparral.  Several trails with varying degrees of difficulty, including one that is very easy and suitable for families with young children.  Close by is Coldwater Canyon with similar terrain but a lot more hippies:  the Tree People have a mission to keep Los Angeles green and make you hike in the dark.  Join them for full moon hikes once a month.

Franklin Canyon

Griffith Park:  The Central Park of Los Angeles, Griffith Park itself is a must-visit spot if you are a tourist and want to see some of the city that doesn’t have much to do with Hollywood.  Or the beach.  Many hiking trails have been blazed throughout.  The most popular and spectacular is the Griffith Park Observatory loop which offers breathtaking views of the city below.  I will second the website by warning you to be aware of local wildlife.  We spotted a coyote just last night, strolling along the edge of the upper road, just yards away.

Runyon Canyon:  Here’s where you can combine outdoor exercise with celebrity hunting.  Located at the edge of Hollywood, Runyon Canyon is a busy trail that serves as a regular workout spot for the 9-5 crowd and a perfect location for journalists to stroll with the celebrities they are interviewing, so they can comment in their articles about how that movie star loves to play with his dog, or that socialite is self-conscious about being spotted in public.  You get there by driving up Fuller Ave. north of Hollywood Blvd. and parking where you can.  Casey Schreiner of Modern Hiker has a great realistic guide to Runyon Canyon as well as hundreds of other Los Angeles hikes, near and far.

Topanga Canyon State Park:  What is it about the hills of Los Angeles that attracts hippies?  I once visited a hidden commune of travelers and artists nestled in the woodland hillside up on Topanga Canyon.  They all lived out of rusty old Airstream trailers and shared a single electrical outlet and one lightbulb.  But they were happy.  Every time I hike in Topanga Canyon I’m happy, too, so whatever is in the air up there seems to work.  This park has a network of trails with varying levels of difficulty and plenty of room for children to run wild without risking traffic danger.  It’s not too far out of the city, either, and if you visit during a weekday but outside of rush hour, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting there or leaving.  On your way back down to the beach, stop by the Reel Inn for some fresh seafood or a cheeseburger to enjoy on the picnic tables and continue breathing the fresh air.

Escondido Canyon and Falls:  I’ve lived and hiked here for almost 14 years, and I didn’t know that there was a waterfall within a not-too-hard hike of Pacific Coast Highway.  Wha?  That goes to show you that as battered and sordid as Los Angeles is, she still has a few secret gardens for us to visit and marvel within.  Check out the top 5 list of Discover Los Angeles for a guide and directions to this hidden gem.

Photo credits: Runyon Canyon – Casey Steiner.  Escondido Falls – Roy Randall.

Griffith Park is to Los Angeles what Central Park is to New York City.  There’s a zoo, a miniature train, acres of green grass, a carousel, and a big fancy fountain, among other things.  And every year for over ten years now, there are holiday lights.  A million of them.

It’s a relatively new tradition in the city of angels.  The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power creates a Festival of Lights along a mile stretch of Crystal Springs Drive, reached by the southbound side of Interstate 5 (or “the 5″ as locals call it) or by turning north from Los Feliz Ave onto Crystal Springs.  Signs along the way declare how long the wait time would be if you were stopped there.  Luckily for us, we went at 5:30PM, shortly after the 5PM start time, so we didn’t have to wait at all.  It may be better after Christmas, because the festival runs through Dec. 30.

For the green-conscious, be aware that the DWP switched to LED lights to save energy.  Certain interests underwrite the costs of special displays.  There’s a toy collection drive at the entrance where you can donate a new unwrapped toy for needy children.

Like I said, go early, or prepare to make a night of it.  I’ve heard of people being stuck in line for 2 hours.  You can also park at the zoo and take a bus along the route, or walk.  If you want to take pictures, make sure your car windows are rolled down, and you stay still enough that the lights don’t make trippy patterns in your shot.

It was worth the 40 minute Friday evening drive.  My 3 year old, upon going through the entrace tunnel of lights, declared, “This is AWESOME.”  And he knows his holiday lights.

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

The end of summer doesn’t mean the end of good times. (Although, if you talk to my kids, the end of summer and the beginning of the school year really does mean the end of good times, and any type of joyful existence, period.)  The next few months are filled with holidays and the celebrations that go along with them, not to mention festivals taking place throughout the city. Here are a few – check back here on the UpTake blog for other events to help you get over summer withdrawal.

Sawdust Art Festival  – The Summer Show is the main part of this Laguna Beach festival and takes place from June through August, but it really consists of several festivals that take place year-round.  Check out the Autumn Art Festival for first rate classes like Glass Blowing, Ceramics and Oil Painting.  Don’t miss the Winter Fantasy, which takes place over four weekends from November 22 through December 14 and features 170 artists and craftspeople creating, demonstrating and selling their original pieces, not to mention outdoor cafes and a visit with Santa!  Kill two birds with one stone and get your holiday shopping done here, too.

(By the time this post publishes, you will have just missed the Nisei Week Japanese Festival that takes place in Little Tokyo every summer.  But it’s worth noting for next year – mark your calendars for next August’s festival.)

The beginning of November brings several festivals celebrating Dia De Los Muertos or The Day of the Dead.  One of the biggest celebrations takes place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and features theater performances, arts and crafts exhibitions and authentic Mexican cuisine.  This year’s event takes place on November 1st, from 4-11pm and admission is only $5 per person.  Celebrate the dead without giving up an arm and a leg.

DWP Light Festival – Not so much a festival as a magical celebration of the holiday season. An amazing light and motion display sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power that you can view either from your car or via a walking route (which they recommend.)  Part of the festival is the Reindeer Romp at the nearby L.A. Zoo which features live reindeer, hands-on arts and crafts and holiday shopping.  If you’ve never had a chance to see this awesome light show, make it a point to go this year – it’s worth the crush of cars and maddening crowds.  It makes my husband cranky just thinking about going, but once he sees how much the kids love it, he cheers up.  Most of the time.

Photo: Hollywood Forever presents Dia de la Muertos