Los Angeles

In the mid '60s the Griffith Park Zoo was moved from its older site to the current location. This created the problem of what to do with the old cages and enclosures, most of which had been built in the 1930s by Works Progress Administration and County Relief crews. The obvious answer was to install some BBQ pits and call it a picnic area. Well, that’s exactly what happened. The grottoes make an excellent place to enjoy some hamburgers and hot dogs. Further up the hill from the picnic area are deserted cages and buildings. It makes for a spooky scene and a very pleasant stroll. Continue past the old cages and you can gain access to the numerous trails that traverse this huge park. The Old Zoo Picnic area is located inside of Griffith Park off of Griffith Park Drive, very close to the intersection with Crystal Springs Drive. This is towards the eastern Side of the Park. . . nearby landmarks are (to the east of the old zoo) Shane's Inspiration Playground and (to the south-east of the old zoo) the Merry-Go-Round.

Photo:  Noah Albert

Sure, you all know this park—but do you use all 4,107 acres of it? The Central Park of LA, this underappreciated, beautiful and serene park was developed from land donated by Col. Grif•th J. Grif•th in 1896. Griffith Park offers some of the best butt-burning hiking in the area, as well as a view of both the Paci•c Ocean and the San Fernando Valley. Climb (for free) to one of the lower landings and eat your picnic lunch while looking across the city and, on a clear day, out to the ocean. Hike a little higher to get as close as humanly possible to the Hollywood sign. On a recent trip, I saw a coyote, several snakes, and tons of little reptilian critters—so stay alert and wear suitable attire. Expensive hik-ing boots are an unnecessary purchase, but be sure to wear adequate tennis shoes/sneakers with a little bit of grip, as the terrain becomes slightly steep at times and the dirt on the trails can be loose, depending on recent weather conditions.

Photo:  Ellen Flaherty