Will Rogers State Historic Park

Will Rogers State Historic Park is one of my favorite places to recreate in Los Angeles. I especially enjoy the three-mile loop that leads to Inspiration Point.

Legendary actor, humorist, columnist and cowboy Will Rogers lived with his family (his wife, Betty, and their three children, Will Jr., Mary and Jim) in a 31-room ranch house on the 186-acre property. Tours of the family's home are available Thursdays and Fridays, at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the top of the hour. Docents share stories about Rogers and talk about his art collection featuring notables Charles Russell and Edward Borein.

Today when I arrived at the park, I saw children kicking around soccer balls, throwing Frisbees and playing croquet on the large grassy lawn near Rogers' ranch house, while couples talked quietly over their picnic spreads.

Along my hike, I spotted six deer grazing next to Rogers' old horse stables. I took my time to appreciate this opportunity to see wildlife.

Once I reached Inspiration Point, I could see all the way to downtown Los Angeles, Century City, Santa Monica and Catalina Island. I have heard that Will Rogers often rode his horse to this very point.

This park, located at 1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd., is a peaceful getaway.

Abalone Cove Shoreline Park

Abalone Cove Shoreline Park has 5 miles of trails across rocky bluffs with great views of the ocean and Catalina Island. The park features two beaches and a grassy area with picnic benches. My husband and I brought a picnic basket and enjoyed a nice lunch before hiking. As an ecological reserve, the park has spectacular tide pools. We saw a number of star fish, sea anemones and hermit crabs. The park is located at 5970 South Palos Verdes Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes.

Charmlee Wilderness Park

This past weekend, my husband and I hiked for the first time at Charmlee Wilderness Park, northwest of Malibu. It was a beautiful January day in Southern California, meaning the temperature was 80 degrees. We hiked to vistas with dramatic views of the Channel Islands and Catalina Island and picnicked in a shaded oak grove. This is the perfect hike for a sunny, clear day. The park is located at 2577 Encinal Canyon Road, off the Pacific Coast Highway. The 532-acre park includes a picnic area and has more than eight miles of hiking trails.