Skip Hollywood Boulevard And Go Here Instead
Spots like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach are decent tourist attractions, but sometimes it’s better to see a city through the eyes of a local. That’s why I always point people searching for an authentic LA experience towards Runyon Canyon. There’s nothing more LA than jumping on the fitness bandwagon for a few hours, grabbing a green juice, some Lululemon gear and knocking out a morning hike.
Just a few blocks away from Hollywood Boulevard is the city’s most popular place for breaking a sweat while catching up with friends. Runyon is also a fantastic spot for capturing gorgeous pictures of the iconic Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory, DTLA Skyline and on a clear day, the Pacific Ocean. And if you’re lucky enough to go in the evening, you might witness one of LA’s cotton candy sunsets; an experience that beats being on crowded Hollywood Boulevard with a guy following you around asking you to buy his mixtape.
Not only is Runyon a great place to workout, it’s also a great spot for celebrity sightings. Stars like Justin Bieber, Vanessa Hudgens, Justin Timberlake, Channing Tatum, Khloe Kardashian, Amber Rose and The Game are frequent visitors so you never know who you might bump into (literally) while burning some calories.
There is no public parking at Runyon, so if you drive, you’ll have to search for a spot on one of the residential streets below or take an Uber or Lyft. Just make sure if you drive, you read the 50 parking signs posted to make sure you don’t return to a ticket on your windshield. I’ve also taken the liberty of mapping where you should start your visit on the map below:
GETTING THERE
2000 N Fuller Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Runyon Canyon should be a must on your list of things to do when you’re in town. It’s a great, FREE activity for the family and in true LA fashion, is also dog friendly. If you’re brave enough, do a night hike! The view is spectacular and you’ll catch all the twinkling lights from the city below. Runyon is a little piece of LA culture that let’s you in on what this city is all about.
