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Photo: Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Lake Shrine Temple's 10-acre site has lush gardens and a large, natural spring-fed lake which is framed by natural hillsides, and is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including swans, ducks, koi, water turtles, and lotus flowers. A highlight of this spiritual sanctuary is the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial, where a portion of Gandhi's ashes is enshrined.
The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine lies a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean, on Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades, California. It was founded and dedicated by Paramahansa Yogananda, on August 20, 1950, and is owned by the Self-Realization Fellowship. The 10-acre (40,000 m2) site has lush gardens, a large spring-fed lake framed by hillsides, and a variety of flora and fauna, swans, ducks, koi, turtles, and lotus flowers. The property is situated in a landscape shaped like an amphitheater. Thousands of visitors come each year.
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Offers swimming, volleyball, and a bike/running path. The beach will be familiar to fans of the TV show Baywatch.
An extension of the world-famous Getty Center in West Los Angeles, the Getty Villa is a separate location built in the style of an ancient Roman villa that features statues and other cultural artifacts from Greece and Rome. You can visit both the Villa and the Getty Center in the same day (Wednesday through Sunday) and pay the parking fee only once (save your ticket stub), but don't expect to have any time left over for other activities.
Temescal Canyon
From the Nahuatl and Spanish word for "sweat lodge", this nature reserve is the gateway from Pacific Palisades up into the Santa Monica Mountains, connecting to a vast network of hiking trails. Starting in Temescal Canyon, a nice 3-mile (5-km) loop combines the Temescal Canyon Trail and Temescal Ridge Trail, going past a waterfall and taking in views of Pacific Palisades mansions, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and the Pacific Ocean. Bring water and wear sunscreen, as the Temescal Ridge Trail is pretty exposed.