Looking for a LA-LA-Land get away and want to try something new? Hiking up the Hills will clear your mind and stimulate your body.
These 5 tips will help make sure to do it up right and look like a STAR!
Looking above our City of Angeles, settled deep into the magnificent hills, sits the iconic Hollywood Sign that can be seen for miles around. Hiking up to the sign is on many LA tourists’ and locals’ Bucket Lists, and can be a fantastic, quick get away from the traffic and construction we all grind through on the daily.
If you choose to take on this awesome LA challenge, there are a few things to keep in mind.
1. First off, this whole adventure is totally Instagram-worthy for stellar memories! Be sure to charge your phone before arriving, as the hikes can be 3+ hours. You want to last up to that video at the sign and also to the laughs on the way down. Don’t forget to tag @lastylemagazine and @merakifitnessbyanna at the top!
2. Make sure you take care of your “personal needs” as there are no public rest facilities along the trails. It is not encouraged to go off any of the trails for a make-shift emergency or any other reason to preserve the landscape for the animal residents, vegetation, and next visitors.
3. Take the time to plan your hike as there are a different trails depending what view you want of the sign – front, back, near, or far. You are already hiking, so I assume you want near? Some may go in the early morning, and others enjoy a late afternoon view with the sunset. The sign has not been lit up at night consistently for many years and the park is open from sunrise to sunset. Two thorough websites to check out are Hikespeak and HollywoodSign.org.
4. Sun covering like a hat and long sleeve shirt, and are good to have in a backpack, along with a flashlight if later in the day. This time of year, the sun is hot on the way up in the afternoon and the temperature gets significantly cooler as shade hits the trails. Pack extra water, trail mix, wear comfortable shoes, and bring a great attitude for a higher altitude adventure.
5. Remember the usual – take your trash, no smoking, respect the land – there are LAPD stationed at the Sign 24/7 with an electric fence and motion detectors. Please…enjoy the view from the Sign versus the back of a police car! You will have a better time guaranteed!
So as you do the hike uphill, chatting with others who are coming down about how much farther it is to the Sign, you may realize some have turned around before getting to their destination! Hearing this, I was determined, almost running up parts of the steep incline, so excited to see the sign I felt a high! Coming around a corner from what took twice as long uphill as coming back down, I see the full Hollywood sign in view! Check mark on my Bucket List and I got this great shot for our LA Style readers at the top!
Next stop was to eat along Sunset Strip and get a great night’s sleep dreaming about my next adventure in LA-LA-Land…stay turned!
Anna Stavaridis is a Professional Speaker, Founder, and CEO of Meraki Fitness helping clients achieve their wellness from within in any space, any place.
