A hike

There's a good probability that your date will appreciate the suggestion to get to know you while staying fit on Los Angeles' miles of steep trails, as it is one of the fitness-obsessed cities in the world. The Runyon Canyon route offers some of the city's most beautiful vistas, including those of the Hollywood sign. The paths in Topanga State Park offer stunning views of the Pacific Ocean from certain vantage spots for couples who are closer to the west side. And while a Sunday morning hike before brunch is a classic Los Angeles activity, take a date to the next level by suggesting a hike at sunset so that you can both watch the city come to life below you.

In the Hollywood Hills (a region of the Santa Monica Mountains), above West Hollywood and the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, there are 130 undeveloped acres that make up Runyon Canyon Park. Dogs can use the off-leash areas at Runyon. Starting a few blocks from Hollywood Boulevard, Runyon Canyon Park ascends south-facing mountains all the way to Mulholland Drive (with trailheads at the top and bottom of the park). The middle canyon of the dog park is framed by two lovely ridges. View the Hollywood Sign in Griffith Park, the Los Angeles skyline, and whether Santa Monica Bay is visible to the west as you look out over Hollywood into the city.

North of the Pacific Palisades, east of Topanga Canyon, and south of Reseda, Topanga State Park protects nearly 11,500 acres of the Santa Monica Mountains (location map). The park, which is totally contained within the confines of Los Angeles, is referred to as "the largest wildness within the bounds of a major metropolis." When you take a hike in Topanga State Park, you won't feel like you're in a city at all. View the ocean from ridges covered with chaparral or unwind in shady oak trees.

Location:

• Runyon Canyon, 2000 N Fuller Ave, Los Angeles, CA, USA, +1 323 666 5046
• Topanga Canyon, 20828 Entrada Rd, Los Angeles, CA, USA, +1 310 455 2465