Seeking easy hikes/picnic areas in LA,
 

I'm looking for easy hikes for my parents with nice picnic spots with a view in LA area (topanga canyon,santa monica mtns)<BR>Thanks!

Check out thebackpacker.com and trails.com

one really nice hike I've liked is the little hike around the hollywood reservoir... also did an easy hike in Charmlee Park which is really pretty and has a great nature center - near malibu

A few days ago the LA Times had an article and photo of a wind-cleared LA with a fabulous view of snow covered mountains--taken from Kenneth Hahn Park off LaCienega (south of Venice Blvd).<BR>It's a very urban park but has fishing and so on. Don't know the age and abilities of your parents, but you can drive to to the view spots. Also check out Elysian park for a similar kind of park and view. A very easy hike is in Solstice Canyon, north on Pacific Coast Highway and turn right at Corral Canyon (Just past Beau Rivage Restaurant). This is a very accessible hiking area but it does not have great views--but it does have a creek.

A place that is nice to hike is Will Rodgers State Park in the Palisades. You can drive up to the entrance and the hiking is easy. There's also a small free museum for Will Rodgers which is fun to see.<BR><BR>Palisades Park in Santa Monica offers very nice ocean views and is a very easy walk, but there are a lot of homeless people there, which may or may not be a problem for you. (Very depressing to me.)