LAist City Treks: Inglewood is having a moment. Here's how to explore it on foot

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Welcome to LAist City Treks, a series of easy hikes and walks that will help you explore the parts of Los Angeles and SoCal that we rarely get to see — or only see through the car window. Expect to get about 5K steps, and plenty of photos for your social media channels. Keep scrolling, because you'll also find recommendations for grabbing a bite to eat once you're finished, so you can make a day of it. If you go, tag us on social media @ LAistOfficial and #LAistTreks

Where are we headed?

Old and older Inglewood: Market Street, whose pedestrian-friendly central business district hearkens back to the 1920s, and Edward Vincent Jr. Park, where Centinela Springs provided fresh water from prehistoric times through the 1940s.

Why now?

Inglewood, if you haven’t noticed, is having a moment. During the L.A. Lakers’ Forum days, it was the “City of Champions.” Now it’s home to the Rams’ SoFi Stadium and the Clippers’ brand new Intuit Dome . But Inglewood is far more than its multi-billion-dollar sports shrines. This route retraces the city’s roots and leans into its African American footprint.

Quickly, what can I expect?

• Route conditions: Flat with slight grades
• Difficulty: 2 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the hardest
• Distance: 2.8 miles
• Dog friendly: Yes
• Costs/Parking: Free parking lot at approximately 700 Warren Lane, or on Warren Lane itself, which skirts the northern boundary of Edward Vincent Jr. Park . (The Metro K Line stops just south of here.)

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Inglewood has undergone major demographic shifts throughout its history beyond the well-trodden succession of Indian, Spanish and Mexican communities. Beginning in the 1970s, the city increasingly drew Black professionals and working-class families. This route covers all eras, with an emphasis on Downtown, which has vacillated between vibrant and struggling conditions over the decades.

Like many SoCal communities, water is at the heart of why Inglewood is where it is. What better place to start this hike than at the place that nourished its rise? Twenty feet beyond the eastern driveway of the parking lot for Edward Vincent Jr. Park, look for a gated walkway that advertises the “ Willie Agee Playhouse ,” a beloved 55-seat community theater. Follow the path to the playhouse. Just before its entryway, turn right at the palm tree. Cross the grass to two stone markers nearby.

One of the monuments contains a capped valve that used to control the bubbling waters of Centinela Springs (or as the Spanish called it, Aguaje de Centinela). An inscription reads, “From Time Immemorial God’s Blessing of Sweet Water to All His Creatures.” Next to it, a plaque details the history of the former artesian well, one of the first Registered Historical Landmarks in California. Amazingly, the spring quenched the thirst of Inglewood residents as late as 1949 before it ran dry.

What is a 'pumptrack'?

The concrete foundation that supports the old well includes a short, paved connection to another pedway. Turn right on this path, away from a magnificent outdoor amphitheater. Honestly, this whole park is the bomb, bustling with families and well-maintained recreational facilities, including the first pumptrack in Greater L.A. What’s a pumptrack, you ask? Imagine a self-contained bicycle and skating course with lots of whoop-de-doos (mountain biker lingo for fun trail humps). Take in the organized chaos from the park’s southern walkway, or relax on one of several mosaic-tiled benches melded into an old stone wall.

Rise. Fall. Repeat.

Exit the park at its southwest corner, crossing to the other side of E. Florence Avenue. After three blocks, turn left onto North Market Street, the northern portal of downtown. Interestingly, Inglewood was rejuvenated after a damaging 1920 earthquake. Investors swooped in, making it the fastest-growing city in America from 1920 to 1925! As you stroll down Market, note the ornamental center median, which used to support the Los Angeles Railway.

Despite having good bones, many historically significant buildings have struggled to secure tenants. At 115 N. Market, a former Fox Theatre has been slowly decaying for decades. Across the street, at 100 N. Market, a longtime bookstore never recovered after the pandemic. Its Mediterranean Revival building, erected in 1927 as the Bank of Inglewood, also awaits new life.

Exploring the DT hub

Another block, however, reveals a brighter side of Downtown. Black pride public art abounds , and 139 S. Market hosts the popular Inglewood Marketplace (once a JC Penney). On the northeast corner of Market and Manchester Boulevard, the World Hat & Boot Mart occupies a Streamline Moderne building from 1927 that underwent a funky makeover in the 1960s, creating the architectural Frankenstein you see today. This intersection of Market and Manchester represents Inglewood’s cultural nexus, as street events ranging from Jazz Fest to Juneteenth celebrations often spoke off from here.

One place that remains fixed: Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen at 202 E. Manchester — one block west of Market — an institution since 1975 and well worth visiting for their cornbread and candied yams alone.

What’s old is new

As you continue south on Market, the middle of the next block (233 S. Market) features an ornate brick building once owned by S.H. Kress, a defunct department store chain . Now a clothing outlet, the “Kress” insignia is still visible near the roofline.

On the east side of the street, the former Ritz cinema fared better than the Fox. In an era of theatrical X-rated movies, it became a Pussycat Theatre in the 1970s, morphing, at long last, to the Miracle Theatre , a live-events venue that kept the marquee.

This is the turnaround point

Time to return from whence you came. Go right on East Nutwood Street and right again on North La Brea Avenue, whose original name in these parts — Commercial Street — telegraphed its importance to the town’s nascent business district. Today, the street’s junction with Queen Street affords the best view of the nine-story Inglewood City Hall, erected in 1973. Its architect was Charles Luckman , he of the Los Angeles Convention Center, Madison Square Garden, and Inglewood’s own Forum. More importantly, Luckman’s pedigree was a symbol that Inglewood had truly arrived.

With plans afoot to further revitalize Downtown, ever-evolving Inglewood will no doubt look different upon subsequent visits. For now, after leaving City Hall, turn right on Florence Avenue to retrace your steps to where it all began.

Done! Where to eat?

All that walking works up an appetite, right? We've already mentioned Dulan's. LAist's Associate Editor for Food and Culture Gab Chabrán also suggests the following:

Woody’s Bar-B-Que #2

Don't be surprised to see the lines at Woody’s Bar-B-Que spilling out into the moderately sized parking lot. It's that good. Chicken, chopped beef, ribs, rib tips... you can't go wrong here. With each dish, diners have their choice of a signature homemade sauce (mild, hot, or mixed).

Location: 475 S. Market St., Inglewood
Hours: Monday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wings 2 Go

Wings 2 Go is a small but mighty wing shop that sits in a tiny strip mall along Crenshaw Boulevard, attracting wings fanatics from far and wide looking to get a fiery bite.

Location: 10925 Crenshaw Blvd. #101, Inglewood
Hours: Open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Carnitas El Artista

Carnitas El Artista sells their offerings by the pound with the choice of different parts that include carnitas (pork shoulder), costillas (ribs), lengua (tongue), buche (stomach), cueritos (skin) or a mix of everything, so consider taking some home. Want to eat in? You can’t go wrong with tacos de carnitas.

Location: 510 N. La Brea Ave., Inglewood
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where to next?

Any suggestions for great hikes in and around L.A.? Don't keep it to yourself! Let us know, and we might check them out for a future story.