Del Cerro Park★★★★★Incredible views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. Also easy to get to and park. I haven’t tried any of the hiking trails in the area yet, but I keep meaning to.
Entradero Park Loop★★★★☆Relaxing walk through scrub habitat around a basin with restored wetlands. Not much shade, good for spotting birds.
George F Canyon★★★★★A quiet hike along a seasonal streambed. Shady for the first part, then opens up. Beware of poison oak. City view at the summit. Birds, rabbits, butterflies.
Hopkins Wilderness Park★★★★☆A good place to bring your kids or just take a shady walk in something that feels like nature. Lightly wooded, some hills, trails, a stream and a duck pond, plus picnic areas and camping.
Madrona Marsh Preserve★★★★★One of my favorite places to walk in the South Bay: the last remnant of seasonal marshes that once covered the western part of the LA basin.
Prickly Pear Trail★★★★☆Short loop with some steep sections. Lots of cactus. (Keep your balance!) Nice views of the ocean and Point Vicente Lighthouse.
South Coast Botanic Garden★★★★★Big enough to feel like you could get lost (but not big enough to get lost), packed with trails that feel like walking through nature, surrounded by more structured gardens. Great for events, families or just getting out for a walk.
Toulon Drive Loop★★★☆☆The easy part runs along a stream bed. Then it gets steeper and a lot less shaded as it wraps around a chaparral-covered hill.
