Outdoor Destinations for the Carless in Los Angeles

Learn about eight L.A. parks that you can reach from Union Station without a car.

1 minute read

January 23, 2023, 12:00 PM PST

By Clement Lau


Girl swinging on rope swing overlooking Los Angeles

Michael Gordon / Elysian Park, Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to some amazing outdoor destinations, including beaches, parks, natural areas, and trails. For those with cars, traveling to these places is usually not too difficult. However, for folks without a vehicle, getting there can range from challenging to almost impossible. In this article, well-known writer and hiker Casey Schreiner highlights eight destinations that people can reach by foot from Union Station or by transit from the terminal, including:

  1. Grand Park
  2. Los Angeles State Historic Park
  3. Vista Hermosa Natural Park
  4. Ernest E. Debs Regional Park
  5. Elysian Park
  6. Griffith Park, Western Canyon
  7. Griffith Park, Griffith Observatory
  8. Echo Mountains

The need for improved access to parks and trails in Los Angeles County is well-documented in a number of recent studies. In particular, both Metro's Transit to Parks Strategic Plan and the Los Angeles Countywide Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) call for expanding access to recreational destinations via public transit.  

Thursday, January 19, 2023 in Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

April 20 - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

April 20 - Smart Cities Dive