Let’s unlock a world of health and wellness as we dive into exciting outdoor activities awaiting you in the vibrant city of LA this season. Wave goodbye to mundane gym memberships and embrace a fresh approach to fitness. Get ready to embark on a thrilling journey of outdoor adventures, forging connections, and rejuvenating both your mind and body.
We explored some of the most beautiful places in LA and surroundings, that offer free wellness activities for everyone, and put them in this post just for you. From your next outdoor yoga spot, secret nature walk and more we have some great tips for outdoor lovers.
Also, we have some suggestions for more unique activities like sensational sound baths experiences and magnificent retreats and more. Cheers to your health and the wonderful outdoors of Southern California!
1 – Outdoor Yoga
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Did you know you can get free outdoor Yoga classes all across Los Angeles if you know where to look? Pretty cool I’d say. Our first recommendation is Yoga on the Bluff offered by Yogulation, this is a donation based service providing free yoga classes for everyone who wants to join in. The classes take place right on a bluff (hence the name) overlooking the Ocean so you take in spectacular Ocean views and vibes as you go through your session. Visit one time, or go every time! Find them in Long Beach in Ocean/Junipero from Monday to Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
Also check out Runyon Canyon Yoga. Open since the year 2000 it is one of the longest running and most popular free outdoor yoga sessions. You can find them every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30 a.m at Runyon Canyon Park. They have a suggested donation of $5 and you should bring a mat or a towel. You meet in the fenced-in children’s play area just inside the main entrance where there is a grass area. The classes are run by Daniel who says everyone is welcome to join.
Last but not least on this list, we invite you to check out Hollywood Forever Cemetery Yoga. This is another awesome, donation based yoga outdoor spot. And what more of an ‘only in LA’ moment can you get than yoga classes in an outdoor cemetery. Though it fluctuates right now they have daily classes of different variety and so you can choose the one that best fits your availability. Make sure to check out their website for more details on what classes are offered on what days.
Location: various
Pic Credit: @Yogulation
2 – Best Nature Walks near LA
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Nature walks are awesome because they can relax, inspire, and also help with your fitness while at the same time you can get some fresh air. Also you can find walks of all levels even taking your youngest kids with you to let them get some good exercise until they are ready to nap.
There are so many incredible nature walks in the area so we have narrowed down to just a few for this post. Our first recommendation is Topanga State Park. We love coming here when in need of an escape from urban chaos and a chance to breath some fresh air and reenergize our mind and body with a good nature walk. So many awesome trails here but we especially love the Temescal Canyon trail. It’s mild enough that you don’t have to work too hard climbing and sweating but can just walk at your own paces and enjoy being outside.
For our next one we take a day trip and head towards Mount Jacinto State Park for a true calming experience. This must add for your list of health and wellness trips for sure. This 14,000 acre park, located high in the San Jacinto Mountains provides unparalleled views, and shelters beautiful wild life, and plants. You may get a chance to see white headed woodpeckers, so bring your binoculars.
For another more local nature walk that’s closer to home, check out Kenneth Hahn State Park, which features plenty of trails for nature walks, lakes, and local birds. Malibu Creek State Park is another great choice for inspiring views, meditation, and walking trails.
Location: various
PIC Credit: @lahikes
3 – Where to Meditate in LA
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Outdoor meditation is such a great way to help bring balance between your mind, body and spirit. Luckily we have some incredible places to meditate in the outdoors here in Southern California. Our first recommendation is Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens. It is open to the public completely free of charge Wednesday through Sunday and guests are welcome here – with reservation – to enjoy the beautiful grounds, paths, shoreline docks, and quiet areas where you can meditate for as long as you need. The Windmill Chapel is open for individual meditation and prayer. Lake Shrine is located at 17190 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. You can also listen to an interview we did with Brother Satyananda who shares more secrets about the incredible Lake Shrine. Podcast Episode 133.
Have you ever tried a Sound Bath Meditation? LA has plenty of choices around so you can pick one that is close and convenient or far enough to get out of your usual environment to unwind and forget your stress. One place we highly recommend you wont have to go far for is Ana Netanel in Brentwood. This phenomenal wellness practitioner offers amazing sound bath experiences, retreats, and even offers training for those who want to become sound bath experts themselves. You can contact her to make an appointment through her website Shakti Sound Bath
Other great places for meditation include Hsi Temple in Hacienda Heights, this beautiful spiritual and cultural center offers wonderful settings to calm your mind and to meditate.
Last but not least on this list we recommend a visit Palos Verdes Peninsula. This is a perfect serene place for free outdoor meditation. Take a peaceful walk with stunning views, and find the perfect place to meditate ( a bench, or a serene grassy area) in Point Vicente or Founders Park in the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Location: various
PIC Credit: @lamagazine
4 – Hiking with a Group
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Elevate your well-being with an exceptional activity that encompasses the perfect blend of physical and social benefits. Curious to know how it works? It’s simple—join a vibrant hiking group meet-up. By embarking on this adventure, you’ll unlock a world of opportunities to connect with new individuals, embrace the wonders of the outdoors, and experience a remarkable boost to your overall health.
LA has a ton of groups to choose from, you can also check your local hiking groups for convenience. Check out LA Hike Club, this amazing social and fitness oriented group focusses on community, health, wellness, and environment consciousness. Join through their website for the next meet up.
Our friend Justin also has some great meetups with his hiking group, Just Trek and everyone there is super supportive and fun.
Our next recommendation is Happy Hour Hiking Club, as its name points out, this is a very unique and fun club. At the end of the hike or rather very easy group walks, the group goes to bars near the places they are hiking through, like post hike party sort of thing.
To sign up you can visit Happy Hour Hiking Club.
Location: various
PIC Credit: @allevents
5 – Fitness LA Stairs
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All around our town there are several places where you can climb stairs for fitness. They are located in beautiful, historical neighborhoods, and even at fun landmarks like the Hollywood Bowl! Here you can simply show up any day of the week – when there are not events happening – and run up and down the Hollywood Bowl stairs. You can also join the group Saturday Stairs who often host their Saturday running meetups here. Running with a group is always more fun 🙂
You can also run the famous wooden stairs in Santa Monica Stairs to burn some serious calories. This is an intense workout if you actually complete the entire set. Expect great views, fitness, and a crowd of like-minded groups of people. But get there early because, if not, parking can be more challenging than the actual workout.
Climb a fun set of stairs in one of the most interesting neighborhoods in LA. Silver Lake is known for being diverse, eclectic, and overall authentic. But this awesome neighborhood, also provides dozens of concrete steps, separated into parts, not only for tourists to take memorable selfies, but also for locals and visitors to workout. One of the most famous of these stairs is the Music Box Steps.
Here are a couple more rapid fire suggestions to add to your list. Climb the stairs at Baldwin Scenic Overlook, Beachwood Canyon Stairs, or the steep stairs along Angels Flight. Or take it to the next level and visit Baxter Stairways downtown, which have being proclaimed by many as the steepest steps in LA area.
Location: various
PIC Credit: @lacountyparks
Do you agree with our list or did we miss an obvious one? Let us know by commenting below!