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The paved beach path is equally popular for slow bike cruises. Mountain bikers have plenty of trails to explore in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Enjoy the thrill of the waves while riding a boogie board to the shore. It’s easy and fun. All the towns on the beach have rental stations on or near the sand.

The colorful sails of windsurfers flutter like giant butterflies along this beach on the breakwater of LA Harbor. Visit the nearby Cabrillo Marine Aquarium to learn about marine life.

Rugged, secluded, and dotted with large boulders artistically eroded by nature, this small cliff-backed beach is one of LA’s finest. Its remoteness, limited parking, and cumbersome access via a gravelly trail keep the crowds at bay. There are no facilities available, but you can explore tide pools, hide in a cave, or take a dip in the water. Clothing is optional.

This lovely rose garden dates back to 1928 and features about 15,000 rose bushes in bloom from March to November. Great for picnics or for a respite from museum-hopping.

Fishing without a license is permitted off any ocean pier. Sport fishing boats leave from Fisherman’s Village in Marina del Rey, Shoreline Village in Long Beach, and Ports O’ Call Village in San Pedro.

Tucked away in the northeastern corner of the UCLA campus, this delightful little oasis is dotted with 70 sculptures by some of the greatest 19th- and 20th-century European and American artists, Auguste Rodin and Alexander Calder among them.

The country’s largest urban park is filled with museums, entertainment opportunities for children, hiking and horse trails, and the famous Griffith Park Observatory.

Learn to take to the skies while training on beachside “bunny” hills or launch from a height of 3,500 ft (1,000 m) on a breathtaking flight with an instructor.