Recess!

Santa Monicas Clover Park Circuit

03.17.2015

Remember hanging upside down from the monkey bars? Indulge a blast from the past at a grown-up's version of a jungle gym followed by lunch at a retro-themed airport diner. Santa Monica's Clover Park is the place to break a sweat before breaking for lunch. It's got a 1-mile circuit of 15 exercise stations, including a rope climb, dip station, hamstring stretch, and vault bar. Start at any point and make your way around the perimeter of the park, jogging or walking between each workout. When you've completed the course, walk or jog 1.5 miles to the Spitfire Grill at the Santa Monica Airport. After your retro workout, this retro-plane-themed diner is the perfect spot to refuel. The outdoor patio is a prime viewing area for watching tiny planes take off and land. Although it's changed names over the years, this grill has been catering to the airport and surrounding neighborhood since 1954. Today its walls are covered with military and aircraft memorabilia, and menu items are named after planes and pilots, like the Spirit of St. Louis Burger, Howard Hughes salad, and Frequent Flyer—a classic Cobb salad. Kickin' it old-school.

Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica. Free parking onsite. Spitfire Grill, 3300 Airport Ave., at the Santa Monica Airport. Both the park and the patio at Spitfire Grill are dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Three Cheers

    Good things come in threes when you visit Sonoma. Head out on a short hike right from town, sip and stroll the historic plaza, then take in the magical holiday lights.

    View

  2. Island Tree Topper

    The light display atop Angel Island State Park’s Mount Livermore has long been a cheerful twinkle visible from many cities throughout the Bay Area on holiday season nights. Get into the festive spirit by hiking the 2-mile (one-way) trail from Ayala Cove up to the "Angel Lights."

    View

  3. Go, Tell It on the Mountain

    {NOTE: Due to atmospheric rivers that can come this time of year, always be sure to check ahead for trail closures and hazards. And of course, wait for better weather and drier con

    View

  4. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Woman swimming in Carson Hotsprings natural thermal pool

    Hot Springs, Naturally

    Thermal spring waters are famous for their curative, relaxing elements, and Reno Tahoe is filled with them! Sink into these amazing thermal respites for a wellness super soak.

    View

  2. Dune It Right

    Want a beach that will really get you away from it all? Monterey's Fort Ord Dunes State Park is just the ticket. And it often glows golden toward sunset.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Redding Lights and Silent Nights

    Give your holiday events calendar a major glow up this winter in California’s sunniest city. Redding is a revelation: Surrounded by iconic scenery like Mount Shasta, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.

    View
  4. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

    View