Downtown’s Views and Brews

Walking Los Angeles State Historic Park and Beer Tasting at Highland Park Brewery

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

Take a sizable public park and a craft brewery, put them near one another, and what do you have? Well, in this case, a walk through LA’s back pages at Los Angeles State Historic Park and a refreshing beverage afterward at the Chinatown location of Highland Park Brewery.

Your 1.3-mile park loop begins at the ranger building. Head right (northeast) along the path that borders a vast manicured lawn that is perfect for playtime—bring your best recess activities and picnic gear. You’ll also have views of the imposing DTLA skyline—most beautiful at sunrise or sunset. Continue across a bridge beside native flora and public art as you walk toward the viaduct. Follow the path as it curves, looking to the west to see the Radio Hill Gardens and the lights of Dodger Stadium.

Keep walking southwest around the circumference, eventually arriving at a modern bridge above a bit of history. Interpretive signs tell the history of the park, and a concrete circle marks the spot of a onetime Southern Pacific Railway depot. Get onto the bridge for views of the park framed by the urban jungle. Head toward the Chinatown metro station and wave at a passing car as you turn a corner and complete the final stretch to your starting point. Last, you’ll pass by citrus trees in steel barrels with uplifting messages inscribed on them in multiple languages. Enjoy the scent and the scene one last time before you walk to the brewery.

Cheers! Visit Highland Park Brewery in Chinatown for a huge selection (wine too) suitable for any occasion. Try their house beer, Refresh, perfect after a brisk stroll in the park, or Terrific Personality, a hazy IPA that has, well, terrific personali-err ... taste! There's a dog-friendly patio and a wide range of delicious bar eats—try the fried cheese curds or the homemade sausage plate.

BONUS LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENT: The 125th Golden Dragon Parade happens February 17, 2024

To get to Los Angeles State Historic Park, take the I-5 to the Main St. exit and head west on Main. After a half-mile, turn right onto Wilhardt St., and then take the second left, onto Spring St. The park will be on your right. Park at the lot at the intersection of N. Spring St. and Sotello St., or avoid the fee and park on the street outside the gates. Highland Park Brewery is just a quarter-mile southwest along Spring St.—look for it on your left. The park and the brewery patio are dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View
  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

    View
  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View
  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View
  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

    View
  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View