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Best Places To Sunbathe In Los Angeles

Soaking up the sun in the City of Angels is a daily pastime for a good part of the population who head for any beach on any shoreline between Malibu and Venice. Inland dwellers who embrace the Southland's wide range of topography take their sunbathing opportunities close to where they live, should that be a park, a hotel rooftop or even a lake. With that in mind, following are a few fine places for grabbing a tan while sunbathing in and around Los Angeles.
reeves mini park
(credit: Joan S./Yelp)

Reeves Mini Park
125 S. Reeves Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 285-1000
www.beverlyhills.org

When you think Beverly Hills, you typically think about high-end shopping and fancy dining. You don't automatically think about sunbathing opportunities in this part of the Southland. That said, Reeves Mini Park, which is also called a pocket park, is a unique opportunity for grabbing a spot on the grass, placing your towel just so and sitting and watching the world go by as you simmer in the sun for a bit. It's the right thing to do when you're too pooped to participate in any of the other offerings that come from the place often known just by one of its celebrated zip codes.

standard downtown
(credit: Kayla L./Yelp)

The Standard Downtown
550 S. Flower St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 892-8080
www.standardhotels.com

The top of The Standard is hipster heaven where bikinied girls and topless boys get a good base tan while sunbathing in this hot spot closer to the sun than most. In fact, catching the right rays on the right part of the body has turned into an art form in this domain, done around the pool of this edgy haunt located downtown on squishing water pods and slanted chaise lounges in a place where the drinks are pretty and the people tend to be, too. Talk about a scene, The Standard's rooftop is that and more for those striving to be entertained during their endless summer sunbathing sessions.

Eaton Blanche Park
(credit: Cheri A.G./Yelp)

Eaton Blanche Park
3100 E. Del Mar Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
(626) 744-4000
www.ci.pasadena.us

Get your tan on in this small Pasadena-based residential park where kids play on all kinds of inviting playground equipment, where dogs chase frisbees thrown as far as the eye can see and where sporting types whack tennis balls over two nets provided at this friendly outpost. While all of this action is fun and games for many who visit, others just like to be left alone sitting in the grass and enjoying the sun in a bathing situation taking place far from the sea but close to home where their hearts belong.

Related: Best Public Pools In Los Angeles

Echo Park
(credit: Department Of Public Works)

Echo Park Lake
751 Echo Park Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 847-0929
www.laparks.org

A lot goes on in and around this east side community park's watery atmosphere, including fishing, pedal boating, picnicking and walking the many paths found in the area. However, some visitors just want to get tan, and they do so all over the place. That said, if you're one to go sunbathing not far from downtown, pick your spot and gaze at the iconic lotus flowers floating in this legendary lake from now until the end of the summer

Paradise Cove
(credit: Paradise Cove)

Paradise Cove
28128 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 457-2503
www.paradisecovemalibu.com

Los Angeles offers beaches of all description, from loud and boisterous outposts to quiet and peaceful retreats. Arguably the best of the latter, especially when it comes to family time, can be found in Malibu's Paradise Cove. This is where catching rays is the name of the game for the inactive set while the others in your clan go off and do whatever each individual's thing happens to be. Call this place the epitome of Southern California living, up to and including enticing dining opportunities at Paradise Cove Beach Cafe, a keen outpost serving killer guacamole, luscious lobster tacos and awesome al fresco views. In fact, if you choose to dine outside, you can stick your toes in the sand while you munch away.

Related: LA's Best Summer Vacation Activities

greystone
(credit: Nine S./Yelp)

Greystone Park & Mansion
905 Loma Vista Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 285-6830
www.beverlyhills.org/greystone

Located in the heart of Beverly Hills just north of the iconic Sunset Blvd, Greystone Park & Mansion sits on a gorgeous and breathtaking 18.3 acre piece of land. Formally dedicated as a public park by the city of Beverly Hills in 1971, the site was once oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny's scenic hillside home. Today, it is both a historic landmark in the national registry of Historical Places and a great place to lay out and get some sun. The exterior grounds of the park are open to the public free of charge from 10am to 5pm during Pacific Standard Time and from 10am to 6pm during Daylight Savings Time.

el porto manhattan beach
(credit: Joan S,/Yelp)

Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach
CA 90266
Manhattan Beach
www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us

Looking for a terrific beach to lay out, get some sun and have some fun? Manhattan Beach offers some of the best sunbathing and beach-going anywhere in L.A. Located a few miles south of Venice and Santa Monica beaches, the beaches here are full of others looking for a good time.

ocean view park
(credit: Joan S./Yelp)

Ocean View Park
2701 Barnard Way
Santa Monica, CA 90407
www.smgov.net

What could be a better place to get some sun than one aptly named "Ocean View Park"? This wonderful place to lay out is located with a terrific view of the ocean and beach and has been described as one that is regularly maintained with grass that is always green. The park also offers other amenities such as tennis and basketball courts.

What are your favorite places to get some sun? Share below in the comments!
Los Angeles freelance travel writer Jane Lasky, contributes to publications such as Travel + Leisure, Vogue and Esquire. Her weekly sojourning column ran in 40 newspapers for 20 years. Jane is anything but an accidental tourist. Check out her articles on Examiner.com.

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