Guide to Los Angeles: Outdoor Living

Escape from LA Urban Life

Students who love spending time in the outdoors will doubtless find the Los Angeles metro area to be something of a paradise. The climate is mild, welcoming, and allows for year-round outdoor recreation. For water babies, the Los Angeles area has over 60 miles of beautiful beaches along the Pacific Ocean and, if that isn't enough to convince you that this could be an outdoor lover's dream, there are miles and miles of hiking trails on which you can quickly escape the city. The Santa Monica, San Bernardino, and San Gabriel mountains provide family recreation areas with lakes, hiking, and camping--there are even ski resorts--all within an hour or two of the city.

Get in Touch with Nature at an Outdoor Oasis

The Angeles National Forest provides ample retreat with more than a thousand square miles in which to get lost. Here you can go from an elevation of about 400 feet above sea level to just over 10,000 feet by climbing Mount San Antonio--the highest peak in the area. If you're truly feeling adventurous, the Mohave Desert awaits you with over 25,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The LA area boasts unique geographic features--for example, Death Valley is located 282 feet below sea level and is the lowest point in North America. Its temperatures can reach as high as 134°F!

For those in the thick of it who need a quick nature break there's Griffith Park in the heart of the city. It maintains over 4,000 acres of trails and parkland in addition to housing the Los Angeles Zoo. Santa Catalina Island, just 20 miles off the coast, is also a popular outdoor getaway. Whether it's hiking, rock climbing, surfing, or horseback riding, the city of Los Angeles provides something to suit just about anyone's fancy for outdoor recreation.

Sources:
MSN Encarta
Desert USA