Fantastical Fig Trees

Giant Fig Trees on La Mesa Drive

In a land of redwoods and sequoias, it's a bit unexpected that a residential street tucked in one of LA's toniest Westside neighborhoods is home to some of the most impressive-looking trees in California. They go by the name of Moreton Bay fig—or, if you want to be technical, Ficus macrophylla—and are related to the Ficus benjamina trees that line so many Los Angeles streets. But unlike your run-of-the-mill ficus, Moreton Bay fig trees are positively primordial in appearance. The trees—lining a half-mile parkway between the street and the sidewalk—were apparently mistaken for magnolias when originally planted nearly a hundred years ago. They've since grown to proportions original landscapers could hardly have imagined. Their long, snaking roots can reach as high as an adult's chest and are pretty irresistible to daredevil kids who will no doubt want to hop up and walk along these nature-made balance beams. Fortunately, the residents of this quiet street don't seem to mind, so the half-mile stroll along La Mesa Drive can easily become a means of whiling away a good part of the afternoon, pondering what can become of an unassuming little sapling with the passage of time.

SWEET TIP: Treat yourselves to freshly made ice cream at Sweet Rose Creamery in the nearby Brentwood Country Mart.

Start at the intersection of La Mesa Dr. on the northwest side of San Vicente Blvd. in Santa Monica (map); note that it is called 19th Street on the southeast side of San Vicente. Follow La Mesa Dr. to where it ends at 26th St. before walking back to your starting point. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. 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
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View