Many people equate the busy streets of Los Angeles as a place with endless neighborhoods, strip malls and vehicles, but for runners who know the best spots for enjoying the great outdoors, Los Angeles can offer some of the best possible views for outdoor running anywhere in southern California. To break up the routine of running in the same neighborhood every day (which is healthy, but can become monotonous), any of these following areas are a terrific spot to see some great scenery during a run of any length or duration:
1. Griffith Park
The hills and trails of Griffith Park are definitely one of the best spots not only for a good, hard trail run, but they're also a place where some of the best elevated views of Los Angeles are available. Griffith Park is a great place to run in almost any weather although the springtime is particularly enjoyable:
http://www.laparks.org/dos/parks/griffithpk/
2. Venice Boardwalk/Santa Monica Pier
Featured on hundreds of movies, the picturesque Santa Monica Pier and the busy Venice Boardwalk offer terrific views of the Pacific and showcase the colorful street artists that have made the area so vibrant. The best time to run here without foot traffic is in the early morning:
3. Disneyland
Sure, it's a park with tons of people at it and is one of the most popular places to visit in southern California, but Disneyland offers a terrific marathon that takes runners throughout the entire park and is definitely one of the best runs in the region for scenery, fun and a marathon that makes you feel like a kid:
4. Will Rogers State Historic Park
This park is now a historical site and used to be where Will Rogers would come with his family to relax and enjoy California and the West. Not only can you get on a horse if you're not interested in running, but there is an easy trail system around the park that stretches about three miles and offers terrific scenery along the way:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=626
5. Temescal Canyon
This area provides some spectacular views of the wooded and mountainous areas to the north of the Los Angeles basin and is a great place to really test your ability to run on uneven terrain. Should you wish to venture out of the park, running up and down Temescal Canyon Road toward the ocean is a terrific way to add an incredibly challenging route to your run and also to see the Pacific on your way down:
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