Black and White Biplane, Los Angeles
Black and White Biplane
Toyota Speedway Irwindale
Rockreation
The Velodrome at the ADT Event Center
We know your type: adrenaline junkies who scoff at the glitz and glam side of Los Angeles. Give me something really exciting, you say? No problem. In LA, urban adventures and extreme sports provide high-octane thrills, and you don’t even have to go far to experience them. Here’s to all the folks out there that want entertainment of a different sort — five active things that will make visiting LA truly unforgettable.
If you thought Los Angeles was just an urban jungle, think again. This part of Los Angeles is all nature — hiking up a mountain trail with whitewater in the canyon below, rappelling off waterfalls, swimming around obstacles. It’s what outdoor junkies call canyoneering. Register through CalActive.com.
Imagine manning these World War II antique planes — originally produced by the WACO Aircraft Company — and flying out of Santa Monica Airport and over the ocean. There are few better ways to see Los Angeles. The tour can go where you like: toward Malibu or Point Dume, Downtown LA or to the Hollywood Sign. www.blackandwhitebiplane.com.
The Fast and the Furious got some hot press for drag racing, and in Los Angeles the buzz seemed to spark an increased popularity for the pastime. Too bad it was illegal. Then again, there’s Toyota Speedway, which began hosting a 1/8-mile drag racing strip for guys and gals who get a rush out of racing. Racing heads up costs $20, while entering the Summit Street Legal Drag Racing events to win a purse costs $55. Spectators pay $10. www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com/dragstrip/index.asp.
Get some height and rock climb in Rockreation’s 9,000 square feet of routes. Experienced climbers head for the lead climbing arch to traverse, upside-down, a route that goes from one side of the gym to the other. For free-climbing action, the gym’s bouldering cave tests strength, agility and precision. www.rockreation.com.
The need for speed — on wheels. This $15 million, 250-meter indoor track was designed for intense cycling races for pro and amateur athletes. The velodrome offers a “first time” ride — by appointment only — for anyone who wants to give the track a go. Contact track director Roger Young at adteventcenter@aol.com.
