LA river adventure
The LA River Adventure:
Ever since moving here, we have been fascinated by the Los Angeles River. It never quite made sense to us how it could be such a historic icon in Los Angeles, yet appear so neglected and underused.
Fast forward to now & the L.A. River has been adopted by it’s surrounding communities.
Angelenos are making a point of using the bike paths, supporting new cafes & shops along the river, & people – along with organizations like Friends of the Los Angeles River, are helping to keep it litter free, too.
Hearing Mayor Eric Garcetti’s sentimental chat during a cleanup effort we participated in for Earth Day 2016, has us thinking that before long, all of us will have our personal, favorite part of the L.A River.
One of our go-to, all-ages places to hang out is The Frog Spot, which is Friends of the Los Angeles River’s pop-up visitor center on the LA River bike path. It’s definitely the hub of activity in Frogtown since it’s the starting point for all of their guided nature river tours, kayaking trips, cycling adventures, & Saturday music shows that take place during the summer.
Urban kayaking (as we like to call it) down the L.A. River is much different than paddling along in Montana or Washington State. Depending on the time of year, the water can be kind of shallow, which makes paddling constant along the way. Being surrounded by street art, train depots, patches of green, micro- habitats & anything else that pops up makes the adventure that much more unique to L.A.
We enjoyed it so much that we keep talking about going again.
Three Tips for LA River Adventures:
1) Local artists have created nature inspired entryways like this one in the Elysian Valley’s Rattle Snake Park. Totally worth checking out before going on a bike ride, walking along the path or just sitting & taking in the scenery.
2) Frogtown Art Walk is August 13th, 2016 – starting at 4 pm. Eat, drink & be merry. This (almost) annual event is a true community-supported & locally loved event. (www.frogtownarts.com). A yearly free tour of the studios of the artists & artisans of Elysian Valley (Frogtown) – run & supported by the Elysian Valley Arts Collective (EVAC) & co-sponsored by LA City Council District 13 & Council Member Mitch O’Farrell.
3) Interested in kayaking or taking a guided bike tour? Book LA River Kayak & Safari early as tours book up. This is a perfect gift for the person that has everything they need & thinks they have seen it all. It’s a great surprise gift (we know from experience)!
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