Places for Fun and FREE Workouts in Los Angeles
If you’ve taken a scroll thru the While in Los Angeles… EAT page, you know there isn’t any shortage of ways to put on the pounds in Los Angeles, but here, in the While in Los Angeles… PLAY section, we’ll talk about how to burn those calories off, baby! What’s that old adage? Eat hard, play hard.. or something like that.
We like to eat aroundLA, but we also like to stay fine aroundLA.
Los Angeles is the place where you’ll find women walking into a steakhouse in a full workout outfit with a 5-thousand-dollar bag on their shoulder and the keys to the half-a-million-dollar car in their hand with their tennis rackets on the backseat. The athleisure look and lifestyle has truly become a part of LA culture.
No gym membership? No problem!
A big attraction about Los Angeles is its weather and great outdoors. From Runyon Canyon to Griffith Park, there are numerous places to go on a great hike around LA. Then, city streets and areas are becoming more and more bike-friendly, giving us more Reasons to Be Riding. In addition to hiking or biking, LA has actual spaces for exercise, some with equipment and all, completely free of charge.
Here are some of my favorite spots to workout in Los Angeles for free
photog: Tyra, the Creative
Rancho Cienega Sports Complex
5001 Obama Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90016
This recreation center has a gymnasium, pool & adjacent stadium plus a kids' play area & community room. Get that heart rate up running the track, or stairs of the stadium that surrounds it. I’ve frequented a few public tennis courts in Los Angeles and the one at Rancho Cienega is thee only one where I’ve never had to wait for a court. This could be because the sport of tennis isn’t as popular in the minority neighborhood of Crenshaw as it is a couple miles up the road in Beverly Hills.
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
4100 S La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90056
I know we talked about this one before, but that was in reference to the hiking trail at Kenneth Hahn Park. In addition to the 7-mile hiking trail, the recreation area also features an athletic track alongside outdoor exercise equipment.
Santa Monica Stairs
699 Adelaide Drive
Santa Monica, CA 90402
Who needs a stairmaster machine? Go climb the 152 wooden steps and 18 concrete steps of the Santa Monica Stairs and I bet you’ll feel the burn.
Baldwin Hills Recreation Center
5401 Highlight Place
Los Angeles, CA 90016
Go hoop at the indoor or outdoor basketball courts, or run the baseball diamond, at Baldwin Hills Recreation Center.
USC Track and Field
3505 McClintock Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90089
I don’t remember how I found this out, but the USC Track and Field is open to the public for workouts, unless the University has an event. Or, maybe it’s not and I just go there and they assume I’m a student. Either way, no one questions you there, so go get your she’s a runner she’s a track star on at this track for free. It’s located directly across from Howard Jones Field. But if them people come after you, don’t come looking for me. * police sirens play in distance *
(I’m being playful, y’all, I wouldn’t set y’all up for that kill.. It really is legally open to the public. You can read guidelines on USC’s Cromwell Field website, if you’re into following rules and whatnot.)
photog: Tyra, the Creative
Okay, now if you’ve worked up an appetite even thinking about working out, like I have, head over to the While in Los Angeles… EAT section to see what you’re craving.
