LA Discovery Walk

Urban Hike from Vincent Lugo Park to Almansor Park in Los Angeles County

Urban Hike in LA County

{FEBRUARY 2024 NOTE: Due to the recent storm, please check the official website for updates and status on the roads, the park, and events.}

Wide-open spaces, hidden art, local cuisine, unique wildlife: Take a cultural walk through San Gabriel Valley on a 3-mile park-to-park discovery route. Park and start at Vincent Lugo Park to explore your first wide-open green space.

From the lot, walk across the giant grassy lawn to find a dirt trail crossing a dry streambed. This shaded path takes you to La Laguna, a sandy area with colorful, climbable creatures by artist Benjamin Dominguez, including a dragon, octopus, and whale.

The cultural landscape is also known as Monster Park and is on the California Register of Historic Places. Continue on and explore the Alhambra Wash Trail, taking it back to Ramona Street, where you’ll cross to the corner of New Avenue and Adams Avenue and follow the sidewalk west along the golf course. Soon you’ll reach an opening to Almansor Park, a massive recreational area whose baseball fields were once home to Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner. Take the well-maintained jogging track.

Or walk across the lawn and pass the Kiner statue to get to the park ponds. Relax by the fountain waterfall, jacarandas, and loads of unexpected wildlife. Canada geese, cormorants, storks, ducks, and turtles relish the oasis. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of a huge resident softshell turtle basking on a rock. When you’re ready, head back to the 1-mile walking path and complete the loop at the gate you originally entered, then follow the road back to Vincent Lugo Park.

BONUS EATS & BEERS: We love Banh Mi My Tho, a small Vietnamese deli that has been serving locals incredible sandwiches, coffee, and more for almost 30 years (try the #8 with an iced coffee and three egg rolls!). There's also Ogopogo Brewery, a friendly craft ale spot with a huge selection of cans and growlers, all named after mythical creatures. There is something for everyone, but two of our favorites are the Sharlie Hazy IPA and the Boeman Belgian White. Oh go, pogo! (That’s the beer talking.)

BONUS LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENT: Sunday, February 18 on Main Street: 2024 Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival

The park to park walk is dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Golden Gate's Blue Heron

    Golden Gate Park’s Blue Heron Lake is home to birds of many feathers, turtles lounging on rocks, visitors from afar, and locals who love this urban oasis in San Francisco. Try the "Boats and Breakfast" rowboat or pedal boat deal.

    View
  3. Rio Del Mar-velous

    Rio Del Mar State Beach in Aptos might be one of the best places for a treasure hunt. Its location between two other beaches makes for a good stroll featuring a spectacle of wildlife as you search the sand for sea glass and seashells.

    View
  4. Hiker taking a photo of sunset at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve

    Sunshine and Skyline

    Head to Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve for a 4-mile out-and-back hike on the Bay Area Ridge Trail that offers a front-row seat to spectacular sunsets.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Gentle Giants

    Some people visit national parks to marvel at the iconic sights, while others come seeking solitude in nature. With visitation on the rise, it can be hard to find both. But in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, this pair of trails offers both....

    View
  2. Walking the Los Angeles River Trail Through Frogtown

    Frogtown Strutter’s Stroll

    Don’t go dismissing the Los Angeles River as merely a 51-mile concrete channel. It’s a genuine urban artery that links real neighborhoods, and its riverside bike/ped paths endear i

    View
  3. Griffith's Golden

    With over 4,200 acres and hundreds of trails, Griffith Park is the gold standard. Opt for the lesser-hiked northwestern end of the park and visit the 2.25-mile Skyline and Oak Canyon loop from Travel Town.

    View
  4. Sponsored

    Fall for It All in Reno Tahoe

    The best kind of getaway? Less time on logistics, more time on memory-making. Jackpot! You’ve got Reno Tahoe.

    View