Best Bike Path in Los Angeles

If you’re looking for the best place in Los Angeles to break out the bike and get some fresh air, sunshine and exercise on a car free bike path then head west to the beach and peddle on down The Strand.

The open space and fresh air can’t be equaled anywhere in Los Angeles.  But there is an interesting mix of advantages and disadvantages to this bike path.  On the disadvantages, it is the most crowded.  In fact at times near Venice it resembles a modern LA freeway only with bicycles, scooters of all varieties, rollerbladers, skateboarders and every from of transportation other than the automobile.  While pedestrians are not allowed on most parts of it, you will have to be alert for pedestrians crossing it to get to the beach.

Yet that is also one of the advantages.  You don’t even have to bring your bike with you.  You can rent a bike from one of the many Metro Bike Racks along The Strand, or download the app and hop on one of the Bird Scooters that you will see laying around all over (and we do mean laying around all over, you simply leave them where you are and walk off when you are done using them).  There are also a number of shops along the Venice Boardwalk where you can rent bikes, rollerblades, skateboards and surfboards.

The portions of The Strand shown here are between the Venice Pier and Santa Monica Piers, the busiest section of the path.  But The Strand runs from the Will Rogers State Beach on the north to Torrance County Beach on the South.  The path is 22 miles long.  It hugs the ocean for most of the length, but there are sections where it is pessary for it to veer away from the beach for short periods.

In 2006 it was officially renamed after La City Councilman Marvin Braude, but I have never once heard it referred to by that name.  Angelenos, it appears, prefer to know it as The Strand which is a most fitting name.  You can access it most any place along the stretch where you can access the beach.

Happy biking!