Five coronavirus-safe ways to spend your weekend
It can be daunting to go out with a seemingly endless stream of new coronavirus variants and the ever-present threat of getting sick. For many, going out means putting yourself in danger, but staying home can be tedious.
Luckily, Los Angeles, although enormous and confusing, has plenty of exciting outdoor activities that will make you forget about the severity of the pandemic and your stress of life for just a little bit.
Gardens galore
The sun’s out and the weather is getting warmer, so get dressed up and head over to Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino for a relaxing stroll through nature. Huntington has many interesting green spots.
The Camellia Garden is where you should spend your time during a January visit. The garden holds over 80 camellia species, and most of them are at their blooming peak in January and February. So, whether or not you are into flowers (although really, who isn’t?), the garden will take your breath away. While you are there, walk through the relaxing bonsai collection and fantasize about a life with no exams and no stress, where you can grow plants all day without a care in the world.
If Huntington is not for you — maybe it’s a little too far or you’re just not in the mood — head the opposite direction into Malibu and spend the day walking around the Getty Villa Museum. Although the Getty Villa is a museum first and a garden second (the opposite of the Huntington), it is still a worthwhile trip. Spend a few hours pretending you are in your Roman villa, critiquing art and taking in the Malibu views.
Biking on the Beach
Whether you are a pro-mountain biker or an amateur who is just a little scared of biking, the Santa Monica bike path is easy, relatively flat and gives you incredible views of the ocean. If you do not have a bike or don’t feel like lugging yours to the beach, there are several spots to rent a bike around the pier, like Santa Monica Bike Rentals ($30 per day) and Perry’s Bikes & Beach Rentals ($10 per hour), making a beach biking day an option for everyone.
Start in Santa Monica and head up the coast toward Will Rogers State Beach to get a crowd-free, ocean-scented ride. When you have had your fill of biking and are in the mood to stop, pull over at a Perry’s Beach Cafe, located at multiple places along the bike path in Santa Monica, for a cooldown smoothie. Their piña colada smoothies will make you forget you are less than one month into a long semester.
Hit up a night market
One of the best parts of L.A. is its delicious food. There are tons of unique food communities, and one could eat their way around the city and never run out of food. A spot that is a must-add to your list and worth putting your other food spots on the backburner for is the Avenue 26 Night Market.
After going viral on TikTok last August, Avenue 26 Night Market exploded, and for good reason. Avenue 26 is a delicious hub of life-changing food and fun. If you are going during the day, stop at Martinez Ice Cream for sweet, flavorful cold treats. If you are heading over at night, stop at Tacos El Champ for your first of many dinner stops and Churros El Bochito for dessert.
Dinner and sunset with a view
Feeling up for an adventure, but you don’t want to leave the city? Head up to Griffith Observatory for one of the best sunset views in L.A. Make sure to get there early because the good spots fill up quickly. Although you might have to fight through anxious onlookers desperate to soak in all that Griffith has to offer, the fight is worth it. From the top of Griffith Observatory, you can see the entire city.
Stop by Trader Joe’s for some delicious and easily transportable dinner options, like its Pasadena Salad, and then head out for the night. With sunset occurring around 5:30 p.m., make sure to leave early to beat awful L.A. traffic.
Stargazing
In the mood to get out of L.A. for the evening? Head north to Angeles National Forest and drive up to Mount Wilson Observatory. Although it can be a trek to get up into the mountains, getting away from the city means significantly less light pollution and a chance to see the stars.
Make sure to pack or pick up dinner before you head up the mountain and plan on staying to explore the area. Angeles National Forest is beautiful, and there are incredible views of both the sunset and the stars. Getting away from the city’s smog and noisy highways is an unmatched bonus to this excursion.
After you are done looking at the stars, head down the mountain and think about what you just saw over a life-changing ice cream scoop at Moo Moo Mia in Montrose or Salt & Straw in Pasadena.