Recess!

Santa Monicas Clover Park Circuit

03.17.2015

Remember hanging upside down from the monkey bars? Indulge a blast from the past at a grown-up's version of a jungle gym followed by lunch at a retro-themed airport diner. Santa Monica's Clover Park is the place to break a sweat before breaking for lunch. It's got a 1-mile circuit of 15 exercise stations, including a rope climb, dip station, hamstring stretch, and vault bar. Start at any point and make your way around the perimeter of the park, jogging or walking between each workout. When you've completed the course, walk or jog 1.5 miles to the Spitfire Grill at the Santa Monica Airport. After your retro workout, this retro-plane-themed diner is the perfect spot to refuel. The outdoor patio is a prime viewing area for watching tiny planes take off and land. Although it's changed names over the years, this grill has been catering to the airport and surrounding neighborhood since 1954. Today its walls are covered with military and aircraft memorabilia, and menu items are named after planes and pilots, like the Spirit of St. Louis Burger, Howard Hughes salad, and Frequent Flyer—a classic Cobb salad. Kickin' it old-school.

Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica. Free parking onsite. Spitfire Grill, 3300 Airport Ave., at the Santa Monica Airport. Both the park and the patio at Spitfire Grill are dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Talk of the Town

    We're spilling the tea on this bountiful 5.5-mile loop to Gossip Rock in Hayward’s Garin Regional Park (currently whispering all the right springtime notes).

    View

  2. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

    View

  3. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

    View
  4. woman kneeling and signing peak book at Mount Olympia in Mount Diablo State Park

    Double Up on Diablo

    Set the tone for 2024 with this twofer summit hike at Mount Diablo State Park. Embark on a 7-mile out-and-back up Mount Olympia and Diablo’s lesser-known summit, North Peak.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Hiker overlooking Bear Gulch Reservoir at Pinnacles National Park near Monterey

    Pinnacles of Spring

    Why hike at Pinnacles National Park? Spring's a beautiful time of year here. And you might spy the magnificent California condor soaring while you gain soaring views from the High Peaks Trail.

    View

  2. Caves in Mojave

    No one expects to see caves when they visit the desert, and that’s part of what makes Mitchell Caverns in the Mojave Desert such an interesting place. Go on a two-hour guided adventure tour through Mitchell Caverns in Providence Mountains State Recreation Area.

    View
  3. Hikers by the reservoir at Triunfo Creek Park near Thousand Oaks

    Triumphant in Triunfo

    Go on a hike with a peaceful reservoir, charming meadows, and beautiful spring blooms at Triunfo Creek Park near Thousand Oaks.

    View

  4. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

    View