Getaway Guide: One Tank Trip To Topanga Canyon
A mellow escape from the mile-a-minute pace of city life, Topanga Canyon sits just minutes away, tucked into a laid back mountain locale perfect for road-trip junkies. Nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains just north of Malibu and Pacific Palisades, Topanga Canyon is ideal for a day of hiking in the woods, horseback riding through grasslands and wildflowers, and enjoying spectacular views of the Pacific. Sitting just northwest of Los Angeles, Topanga Canyon is perfectly located for spending a mellow, relaxing day in nature without ridiculously long car rides. Whether it's a romantic getaway or a family daycation, this list of places to go in Topanga Canyon promises to provide an active, yet relaxing trip.
Getting There
A westward drive on Highway 101 from Los Angeles with a southward turn on Topanga Canyon Road/Highway 27 puts the ride to Topanga Canyon at an hour or less, depending on traffic conditions. From Orange County, take either Interstate 5 north or Interstate 405 north (for beach cities), then hop onto Highway 101 northbound in Los Angeles, and finally, take that last turn southward on Highway 27 to get to Topanga Canyon in about an hour an a half, traffic permitting.
Summit Valley Edmund D. Edelman Park
North Topanga Canyon Boulevard
www.lamountains.com
Price: $5 day use fee
Spanning about one-third of the land area of Topanga Canyon, Summit Valley Edmund D. Edelman Park offers a full day's worth of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking and horseback riding. The trailhead awaits about half a mile south of Viewridge Road off of North Topanga Canyon Boulevard/Highway 27 where parking is provided for a day use fee of $5. Clear paths make it easy to enjoy views of the surrounding hills blanketed with wildflowers and grasslands. Picnic tables and restrooms are also available at the trailhead.
Related: A Guide to L.A. County Historic State Parks
Top of Topanga Overlook
3400 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Topanga, CA 90290
www.lamountains.com
Bring your camera and take advantage of the magnificent views available at the Top of Topanga Overlook. Located at the north end of Topanga Canyon and accessible from North Topanga Drive, this overlook provides plenty of picturesque vistas of the surrounding Santa Monica and Santa Susana Mountains and the San Fernando Valley below. Enjoy these breathtaking views while you refresh yourself at the picnic areas or stroll through the native landscape. Restrooms and plenty of parking are available.
Los Angeles Horseback Riding
2623 Old Topanga Canyon Road
Topanga, CA 90290
(818) 591-2032
www.losangeleshorsebackriding.com
Packages are customizable, call for pricing.
Head just east of Topanga Canyon among 2,000 acres of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for Los Angeles Horseback Riding, where you may take advantage of a variety of riding packages specially suited to fit your needs. Take a ride along the Backbone Trail where expansive panoramic views in all directions will take your breath away. On a clear day, you can even see Catalina Island. Reserve a ride as early as 7:30 a.m., or wait to see a spectacular sunset after a day of outdoor adventures. Reserve a moonlight or romance packages for a special night or day out.
Related: BBQ for Vegetarians: Tasty Grilling Recipes
Pat's Topanga Grill
1861 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Topanga, CA 90290
(310) 455-0533
www.topangaonline.com
Take a break from the mile-a-minute hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and enjoy a slow-paced outdoor breakfast at Pat's Topanga Grill before you go hiking or biking in the Topanga Canyon. Fill up on a $3.85 breakfast special while you take time to appreciate the naturally mellow ambience. If you prefer to refuel at Pat's after a morning of communion with the local landscape, Pat's offers killer burgers to satisfy any carnivorous appetite. Vegetarian options and indoor seating are also available.
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum
1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Topanga, CA 90290
(310) 455-2322
www.theatricum.com
Price: show prices vary/$55 dinner and a play/$50 seniors and veterans/$45 students and AEA/$22.50 children 7 to 12/free children 6 and younger/$9 family fun day/free kids 2 and younger
For a cultural finish to your day in Topanga Canyon, check out the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum for a buffet dinner and a theater performance in its outdoor amphitheater. Purchase tickets online for additional performances such as Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," showing Saturdays through September. For a Sunday trip with the kids, Family Fun Day at the Theatricum Botanicum offers concerts and performances from 11 a.m. to about 12 p.m. With different musicians each Sunday in September, kids and parents may enjoy music by the Earthworm Ensemble, Hullabaloo or Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang.
Related: Best Views in Orange County
David McDonald is a freelance writer covering all things Orange County. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
