LAist City Treks: Let's Get Out And Explore LA And SoCal On Foot! (And Then Grab A Bite To Eat)

Welcome to LAist City Treks, a series of easy hikes and walks that will helps you explore the parts of Los Angeles and SoCal that we rarely get to see — or only see through the car window.

Expect to get about 5K steps, and plenty of photos for your social media channels. Even better: Each adventure includes recommendations for grabbing a quick bite to eat once you're finished.

Why now?

Remember that thing called the pandemic? When we were all itching to get out of our houses and get back to real life? Well, many of us are struggling to do just that. Enter, LAist City Treks. This is your invitation to get out and get moving with easy hikes and walks that give you a great excuse to check out a new part of town.

Why it matters

Even if you love L.A. like we do, you can get stuck in routines and patterns and sticking to the places you know. So we're switching it up: Over the next several weeks, LAist City Treks will take you to new places and neighborhoods. It'll be the perfect way to spend a weekend morning or afternoon.

First up on the itinerary

Each hike and walk includes a detailed map, key route conditions — Where to park? Is it dog friendly? — and restaurant recommendations in the neighborhood.

Exploring The Park To Playa Bridge — and beyond

This hike is about 3 mile long and is perfect for beginners: Rolling hillsides, and gentle climbs. It's an easy walk, a 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. Make it to the top of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and you'll be rewarded with sweeping views of the city.

If you want to make the hike longer, or harder, there are additional paths you can roam at the top. You can also try and tackle a few (or all!) of the famed Culver City Stairs . And there's a bathroom at the start, the finish and along the way at the Stoneview Nature Center (closed Mondays).

• You Can Unplug Right In The Middle Of LA On This New Hiking Trail

Your Guides

Paul Haddad, author of the L.A. walkers' bible 10,000 Steps A Day In LA , and the upcoming Inventing Paradise: The Power Brokers Who Created the Dream of Los Angeles.

• Read more about Haddad ▶

Gab Chabrán is LAist's Associate Editor for Food and Culture. (Yes, he gets paid to eat for a living, and he patiently answers requests for restaurant recommendations.)

• Read more about Chabrán ▶