It's time to hop on those bicycles, feel the wind in your hair, and embark on an awesome biking adventure with your kiddos. We've handpicked a list of fantastic bike paths that offer jaw-dropping views. Picture this: you and your family cruising along picturesque trails, soaking up the beauty of nature, and creating unforgettable memories together. It's the ultimate combo of fun, safety, and breathtaking sights that will have everyone in your family grinning from ear to ear. So, let's saddle up, folks, and pedal your way to a whole lot of laughter, joy, and adventure!
Where to go biking in and near Los Angeles with Kids?
Pacific Coast Hwy.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
The bike path goes North to Malibu and South to Marina Del Rey. It's a beautiful path and pretty well-maintained. If you want to rent a bike, you should stop by Perry's Cafe, with 9 locations along the path with 7 beachside open-air cafés. They have a wide selection of specialty bikes, including electric and performance bikes, beach cruisers, choppers, mountain bikes, tandems, children's bikes, tricycles, tag-a-longs, kiddy carts, and more.
If you go south, you will pass muscle beach and hit up the Venice area, where there are grassy knolls and people everywhere. You can easily exit the path to walk amongst the vendors, and shops, or watch the skateboarders. You can find lots of parking lots at Santa Monica Beach for approximately $10 per day.
Griffith Park 4730 Crystal Springs Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
Griffith Park is one of the most beloved public spaces in Los Angeles. It is vast, beautiful, and in many places, undeniably wild. If you want a relaxing ride with kids, then riding either the bike-friendly Zoo Drive/Crystal Springs Drive or the Los Angeles River Bike Path may be a great option. This guide will move from the northern end of Zoo Drive that meets Forest Lawn Drive at the Travel Town Railroad and will move south to the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. You can ride this route going either direction; there is plenty of parking at either end.
Start at the Travel Town Railroad Museum, where you can take a few minutes to check out the historic trains on display at Travel Town. It’s free and really cool. Then ride east on Zoo Drive. The shoulder is wide, and traffic tends to be on the slow side. Soon you’ll pass the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad - a museum and miniature railroad and a half-mile after that you’ll come to a three-way stop at Riverside Drive. Continuing straight on Zoo Drive takes you past the grassy meadows, trees, and picnic areas that line the southern outskirts of Griffith Park.
Rental bikes are also available at Spokes 'N' Stuff located at 4730 Crystal Springs Avenue, Griffith Park, CA 90027.
Pacific Coast Hwy, CA
The Marvin Braude Bike Trail is a 22-mile paved bicycle path that runs along the Los Angeles County coastline, from the northern terminus at Will Rogers State Beach, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, to the southern terminus at Torrance County Beach in Torrance and open year-round. This bike path is a great way to explore the many personalities of the beach towns along the famous Strand in Los Angeles County.
Starting under the cliffside houses of the rich and famous in Pacific Palisades, you can start out at Will Rogers State Beach and soon pass the entrance to Temescal Gateway Park. Traveling along the open beach, you arrive at the Santa Monica Pier, where you can take a break for a Ferris wheel, coaster, or carousel ride, eat some ice cream, or visit one of the farmers' markets.
To download the trail map, click here. The map includes mile markers between beaches and restroom locations. Parking is available throughout the trail's length, usually adjacent to public beaches. Refer to the map for exact locations.
Culver City, CA 90232
This Bike Path is like a super highway for bicycles. The creek bike path is pretty, but unfortunately, you see some inevitable litter. It goes on for miles, and you can connect from there to the beach and into Culver City to the east. You can catch it off Centinela near Braddock or closer to the beach near Washington Blvd. Not lit at night, this path is best enjoyed during the day. There are lots of turns, and you get views of the creek and its wildlife.
6300 Balboa Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91406
At 80 acres, Lake Balboa Park is amply sized to house all the Angelenos in search of a lush escape, complete with bike trails, bbq pits, and over 2,000 flowering Cherry Blossom trees. Around the circumference of this 2,000-acre flood control basin, you’ll find a contiguous 8-mile cycling trail that leads you over bridges, past golf courses, and alongside some of the most desolate-looking grasslands in Los Angeles County. If you’re saddled on a mountain bike or a hybrid, you’ll also have the opportunity to ride an unpaved section of the Los Angeles River Path, stretching for 1.3 miles across the center of the basin.
1400 Highland Avenue Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
The path is great for all levels of cyclists. The path stretches from South Redondo all the way past Santa Monica. The views are great, and all along the path, you can find great places to stop for a drink or food or chill at the park on 27th Street. There is a 5-hour metered parking right near the pier.
For the list of all trails in Los Angeles County, please visit the Department of Park and Recreation's website.
