Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [111]
Mountain bikers will find the Santa Monica Mountains (opposite) a suitably challenging playground. The book Mountain Biking in the Santa Monica Mountains by Jim Hasenauer and Mark Langton is an excellent resource. Check www.corbamtb.com and www.socalmtb.com for conditions.
You’ll find numerous bike rental places throughout town, especially along the beaches. Rates vary but you should be able to get a decent bike from $30 a day.
Blazing Saddles (Map; 310-393-9778; Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica) Also has several other outfits along Santa Monica and Venice beaches named Perry’s Café. Also organizes bike tours Click here.
Fun Bunns Beach Rentals (Map; 310-372-8500; 1116 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach)
Hollywood Pro Bicycles (Map; 323-466-5890; 6731 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood)
John Muir’s 110-year-old Sierra Club lets nonmembers join their organized, very welcoming hikes and bike rides, geared to various fitness levels. See www.angeles.sierraclub.org to choose from hundreds. Their night hikes are especially cool.
Gyms
Many midrange and practically all top-end hotels have small fitness centers, but for edgier workouts try the following joints:
Crunch Gym (Map; 323-654-4550; www.crunch.com; 8000 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood; per day $24; 5am-midnight Mon-Thu, 5am-10pm Fri, 7am-10pm Sat & Sun; ) Chisel your body into perfection at this high-tech gym famous for its innovative classes – cardio striptease to ‘Ex-Factor,’ a cathartic boxing class where you fasten a picture of your ex to the punching bag.
Gold’s Gym (Map; 310-392-6004; www.goldsgym.com; 360 Hampton Dr, Venice; per class/day/week $10/20/70; 4am-midnight Mon-Fri, 5am-11pm Sat & Sun) Channel your inner Schwarzenegger at the hallowed original Gold’s branch of Pumping Iron fame.
Hoopnotica (Map; 310-306-0300; www.hoopnotica.com; 2nd fl, 114 Washington Blvd, Marina del Rey; classes $19-38; call or check website for schedule; ) Twirl away your flabby abs with this high-energy workout using the old-school hula-hoop which, incidentally, was invented in LA in 1958. Pre-registration required; hoop rentals are $2. Also at 817 N Highland Ave in Hollywood (Map).
Joint (Map; 323-871-1504; www.thejointfitness.com; 6531 Hollywood Blvd; per class $20; 6:30am-11pm; ) The tattooed instructors at this ‘rock ‘n’ roll gym’ will make sure you get ‘the bod’ with hardcore spinning and such radical classes as Budokon that mixes yoga and martial arts, and Mat Max, a muscle-shredding Pilates session. Two hours of free valet parking on Hudson Ave.
Muscle Beach Venice (Map; 310-399-2775; www.laparks.org/dos/reccenter/facility/veniceBeachRC.htm; 1800 Ocean Front Walk; per day $10; 8am-7pm May-Sep, 8am-6pm Oct-Apr) Gym rats with an exhibitionist streak can get a tan and a workout at this famous outdoor gym right on the Venice Boardwalk where Arnold and Franco Columbo once bulked up.
Sheila Kelley’s S-Factor (Map; 323-965-9685; http://sfactor.com; 5225 Wilshire Blvd, Mid-City; intro class $40) Release your inner sexpot while learning the stripper’s strut, the cat walk and pole tricks at this strip aerobics center. A great workout you may get asked to repeat at home. Lindsay Lohan and Kate Hudson are fans.
Horseback Riding
Leave the rat race behind and hit the happy trails on horseback during guided rides led by experienced wranglers. A tip of about 20% is appropriate. Sorry, no kids under seven.
Bar S Stables (Map; 818-242-8443; 1850 Riverside Dr, Glendale; 1st hr $25, additional hr $15, cash only) Great for families, these rides explore the northern reaches of Griffith Park. Just show up and off you go.
Los Angeles Horseback Riding (Map; 818-591-2032; www.losangeleshorsebackriding.com; 2623 Old Topanga Canyon Rd, Topanga Canyon; rides per hr $50, full moon rides $125; ) Sunset, day and full-moon rides along the Santa Monica Mountains Backbone Trail with fabulous views all around. Western-style only, group size limited to six people, reservations required.
Sunset