Thursday, November 14, 2013

Outdoor Activities That Are Close To Paramount

There are several great city parks in Paramount, including the Village Skate Park located at Lakewood and Somerset Avenues. 12,500 square foot park features tranny and street terrains and is open daily from 7 am to dusk and helmets and pads are required for all skaters. Nearby is All American Park located on Orizaba Avenue which features a huge playground, meandering walkways, a stream and a pond. Ralph C. Dills Park, located on San Juan Street is another great park that offers playgrounds, exercise stations, a nature trail and a jogging path. The El Dorado Nature Center is located a short 15 minute drive south to Long Beach and offers 105 acres with a lake, forested areas and nature trails. There is also a bridge that connects to a small island in the middle of the lake where the visitor's education center and gift shop are located.An hour north is Topanga State Park offers 36 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails situated among the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains. Topanga State Park is open daily from 8am to dusk and camping is available on a first come first serve basis. Also an hour north, but a little more east than Topanga is Angeles National Forest. This 1,000 square mile forest offers a ton of different trails for hiking, mountain biking, equestrian and ATVs. These trails meander through tall trees, canyons, creeks and beautiful landscapes. If planning on visiting this park along with any other national or state parks in the area, you can purchase an adventure pass for more convenience.The Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge is located in Anaheim Bay, just 30 minutes south of Paramount. This refuge features 911 acres of saltwater marsh and offers guided tours on the last Saturday of every month. This park is a hotspot for several different species of birds that winter in the Southern California area. Unfortunately due to the need for a high level of protection the park is not easily accessed by the public so the tours are only offered on the last Saturday of each month and reservations must be made the Wednesday before the tour. The tours are free for all guests.Golf enthusiasts have several options for a day of golfing near Paramount. Public courses in the area include the Lakewood Golf Course in Lakewood, the Cerritos Iron-Wood Nine in Cerritos, the Bixby Village Golf Course in Long Beach and the Rio Hondo Golf Course and the Los Amigos Golf Course, both in Downey. There is also the Recreation Park Golf Course complex in Long Beach that offers both an 18-hole course and a 9-hole course and welcomes beginners of all ages. In nearby Cypress you'll find the public Navy golf course which features several different courses.Of course no trip to the Paramount area would be complete without a trip to the Pacific Coast. There are tons of great spots along the coast from Santa Monica, just 35 minutes northwest of Paramount, to Laguna Beach, just 40 minutes from Paramount. At almost any beach in this stretch of coastline offers various places to rent kayaks for ocean kayaking and there are several places that charter boats or rent boats for recreational use and deep sea fishing alike. Another fun activity to try while on the Pacific Coast is surfing, there are lots of different companies that offer surf board rentals and surfing classes for beginners to advanced. Other activities along the beach include paddle boarding, parasailing and kite surfing. Or you can simply spend a lazy afternoon sunning on the beautiful beaches.The coastal San Pedro area that just out into the Pacific is home to several beautiful parks. These parks include White Point State Park, Angles Gate Park, Point Fermin Park, Cabrillo Beach Park. White Point State Park, like all of these parks is a great place for picnics and great views of the ocean, but it is also one of the 24 Nike Missile Sites.