The Great LA Walk Is Back for a Socially Distanced Stroll

The Saturday-before-Thanksgiving tradition will look different in 2020, but the route is a longstanding favorite: Wilshire Boulevard.

JGI/Tom Grill

What to Know

  • Saturday, Nov. 21; no set start time this year, so it is up to you
  • Several aspects have been cancelled, including the big pre-gathering and the group photo, though a socially distanced day-long stroll remains
  • Walk Wilshire Boulevard from DTLA to Santa Monica

Does your Thanksgiving to-do list seems at its most sizable a few days before the eating-oriented occasion?

Do you spend the Saturday prior to the celebration stocking up on stuffing, and turkey, and tofurkey, and then even more stuffing, because some family members like it cooked inside the turkey and some do not?

It's a day that seems to be especially frenetic for many people, especially if they're the ones who will be in the kitchen on the fourth Thursday in November.

There's a remedy for the hectic-est day of the food-prep year, and it involves walking, like, a lot, down a major Los Angeles thoroughfare.

Many city explorers have been doing just that over the last 15 years, thanks to The Great Los Angeles Walk.

Helmed by Michael Schneider, a longtime champion of LA's charming corners, quirky attractions, and small businesses, the walk has drawn curious-minded locals eager to connect with new sights and, potentially, new friends they meet along the way.

That second part, the making-friends bit, may be rather muted in 2020, given the walk's safety-minded stance and the circumstances of the pandemic.

The Saturday-before-Thanksgiving tradition will not include the big kick-off or group photo, as social distancing will be key. And sauntering in a socially distanced way? That, too, will be important.

Be sure to remember your face covering as well.

The multi-hour walk, which takes place on Nov. 21, will wend from DTLA to Santa Monica, passing landmarks like MacArthur Park and the Wiltern Theatre.

There is no set start time, but consider that covering 15.6 miles on foot will take up a chunk of the day. Reading up on past walks, and what to expect, is a great idea.

Several municipalities and distinct towns will be called upon along the way, including Koreatown and Beverly Hills.

As always, it is free to join, though keep in mind that you'll need a way to return to your start point if you left your vehicle downtown. So consider your transportation options well in advance.

And if you'd like a t-shirt? They're for sale through The Great Los Angeles Walk site.

Fresh air, city-sweet pleasures, and exercise, too, just a few days before Thanksgiving?

Shop for the stuffing early, then make a date to wander down Wilshire Boulevard, one of our city's most magnificent thoroughfares.

Contact Us