Best Family-Friendly Bike Trails In Los Angeles
The family who bikes together in ever exciting Los Angeles definitely has a lot of fun together. Two-wheeler culture is alive and very well in the City of Angeles where a variety of views abound as do bike trails that take you through this massive city at your own speed. Consider the following five designated paths for a handful of familial rides to remember.
Marvin Braude Bike Trail
www.beaches.lacounty. gov
You may not have heard of the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (named for a longstanding member of the Los Angeles City Council) but you've probably heard of The Strand if you've spent any time at all in Los Angeles. These two places are one and the same and definitely a must for families who want to enjoy a leisurely, yet exhilarating ride parallel to the Pacific. A 27-mile stretch, this popular cement trail begins at Pacific Palisades and ends in Palos Verdes via Santa Monica, Venice, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach. The beach to beach trail is flat, so even the more novice of your kids can enjoy a smooth ride, and you can just do a section or two to get the gist and enjoy the breezy environment next to the Pacific.
Griffith Park Loops
www.laparks.org
At the point where Crystal Springs Drive at the eastern entrance of Griffith Park and Zoo Drive intersection, the Griffith Park Loops offer nine miles of bike paths that take you through the largest municipal park in the nation. You can go on one of these loops past Travel Town and you can ride up a steep incline to reach the famous Art Deco Griffith Park Observatory and past the legendary Greek Theater. Also for more proficient riders, take the Los Angeles River Bike Path. You will go over and nearly alongside the Los Angeles River, for even more to see and explore. If you stay in the park you won't be disappointed and you'll probably make friends with the other bikers, joggers, walkers, and runners who tend to make a point of taking on Griffith Park whenever the opportunity arises.
Chandler Bikeway
www.traillink.com
The Valley's pride and joy leads you and your clan from N. Victory Boulevard in Burbank all the way to North Hollywood. You'll be spinning along in Burbank for two miles and then on to NoHo where you'll be presented with the brightly painted and much cherished Chandler Murals, commissioned to nine local artists by Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan. The first part of this excursion is ridden on the center median while the 2.8-mile second half, ending at Vineland Avenue, is along the side of the road. You can do all or some of this cycling path that's practically a straight shot from Burbank to NoHo with your family. If you take on the whole thing you'll be rewarded with a lot of fun venues at which to celebrate your journey along the Chandler Bikeway.
Related: Best Mountain Biking Trails in LA, Orange County, and the Inland Empire
Ballona Creek Bike Path
www.ballonacreek.org
Once a service road, Culver City's Ballona Creek Bike Path delivers an eight-mile journey that starts at Syd Kronenthal Park and ends at the Playa del Rey bike path. This path is not for novices since there are many turns and some substantial dips in the designated path. There are no lights on Ballona path during the day. The Pacific breeze is refreshing as you head for your chosen stopping point. You'll be entertained throughout the ride since there's is a whole lot of changing terrain as you meander through until the end.
Playa del Rey Bike Path
www.playadelrey.com
On Culver Blvd. at the intersection of Pacific Avenue, you'll take a foot path to get to the bike bath and from there and peddle south to Manhattan Beach. Along the way, expect plenty of surprises like a plane or two right overhead as you wheel past Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Take a break to have a picnic meal on the sand before hopping back on your bikes for more amazing and unexpected sights.
Related: Best Bike Shops in Los Angeles
