Recess!

Santa Monicas Clover Park Circuit

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. Sponsored

    Savor Spring in Paso Robles

    Take a classic California road trip this spring and find all the treasures of the season in Paso Robles. Located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, this laid-back slice of California country combines with the Central Coast for an absolutely spring-loaded getaway.

    View
  2. Woman hiker is climbing up the ladder in the Steep Ravine section of the Dipsea Loop Trail on Mount Tam

    Misty on Mount Tam

    Mount Tam’s 3.9-mile round-trip Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop weathers the wets and wilds with some confidence, sheltered in parts by redwoods, and wowing with a waterfall.

    View
  3. Mile-Long Cataract Club

    In winter after heavy rains, the north flank of Mount Tam glows with flows. The nearly mile-long series of waterfalls—Cataract Falls—transforms into a supercharged spectacle. Starting at Alpine Dam, a 1.6 mile (one-way) narrow trails threads through redwoods and ferns along Cataract Creek.

    View
  4. Hidden Long Ridge

    After heavy rains, the rolling headwaters of Peters Creek in Long Ridge Open Space Preserve pulsate along the forest floor via a series of small waterfalls that cut grooves in sandstone boulders. See it on a 4.5-mile loop hike starting from the Grizzly Flat parking lot.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Peace Labyrinth

    Hidden in LA’s historic West Adams district, the Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is a welcome respite from the norms of urban noise.

    View
  2. Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take It Outside

    Adventure for your earbuds. What's new in the world of the outdoors? Listen to Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss local hikes, beaches, bike rides, camping spots and all kinds of travel and adventure in California and beyond!

    View
  3. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

    View
  4. People gathered around a tree at an LA Park as part of the Tree Tour led by Stephanie Carrie

    LA's Tree Tour

    Los Angeles is famous for its iconic palm trees but did you know that LA is home to one of the most diverse urban forests in the world? With over 1,000 different tree species lining its streets, LA offers a unique urban canopy waiting to be explored. One of the best ways to discover it is by joining a Tree Tour

    View