Top 15 Things To Do in Whittier, California

Whittier sits inland from Southern California's coastline, but the day's boating possibilities are closer than you might expect: quiet paddlecraft and small motor outings on local waterways, plus a short drive to coastal marinas for larger powerboats, sail charters, and island day trips. This guide focuses on renting boats from Whittier—how to find the right craft, what terrain and water conditions to expect, seasonal considerations, and practical steps for planning a paddling, fishing, or coastal cruising day that starts from the city or begins with a short drive to nearby harbors.

Nestled between the gentle slopes of the Puente Hills and the broad flats of the San Gabriel Valley, Whittier is a compact, surprising place for sightseeing tours. From civic-era architecture and public murals to short nature loops and panoramic hilltop vantage points, guided and self-guided tours here stitch history and landscape together into half-day and full-day experiences.

Whittier condenses Southern California's suburban mosaic and open-hill relief into a surprising playground for bike tours. From mellow greenway rides that thread the city to punchy climbs into the Puente Hills and exploratory gravel tracks near riparian corridors, Whittier delivers varied terrain within short, rideable distances. This guide focuses on bicycle-first experiences—urban rides, gravel loops, and hill climbs—while weaving in practical planning, seasonality, and local context.

Whittier is an unassuming hub for short rides, family outings, and a surprising stretch of mixed-surface routes that edge into the Puente Hills. Bike rental in town covers everything from kid-size cruisers to e-bikes and gravel setups, making it easy to pair a relaxed neighborhood pedal with a splash of singletrack or a greenway cruise along the Rio Hondo corridor.

Whittier isn’t on the coast, but it sits a short, purposeful drive from some of Southern California’s most varied and accessible surf. From mellow, longboard-friendly sandbars to peakier beach breaks that light up on northwest swells, the beaches around Whittier deliver surf for learners and seasoned wave riders alike. This guide focuses on how to pick the right spot for your skill level, when to go for the best conditions, and what to pack for a day on the water.

Whittier’s walking tours bundle a layered Southern California story into approachable, walkable routes: Mission-era adobe markers, mid-century neighborhoods framed by citrus-era streets, and the tidy, tree-lined avenues of Uptown where cafés spill onto sidewalks. These tours favor human scale—short climbs, hidden public art, neighborhood stairways, and greenways that stitch suburban blocks to preserved hill country. Whether you want a gentle historical loop, a targeted architecture walk, or a longer greenway route that connects to regional trails, Whittier’s walking-tour scene is compact, practical, and rewarding for curious travelers.

Bus tours around Whittier put the city's layered history and suburban-natural edge on a comfortable, informative loop. Expect neighborhood history runs, mural and architecture shuttles through Old Town, nature-focused drives that reach the Puente Hills and Whittier Narrows, and curated culinary or brewery circuits that take the legwork out of tasting local flavors. For travelers who prefer to sit back and listen while scenery and stories unfold, Whittier's compact footprint—just east of Los Angeles and buttressed by foothills—makes it ideal for half-day and full-day coach experiences that pair accessibility with variety.

Whittier compresses Southern California variety into a compact, rideable grid: suburban lanes that spill into preserved hills, canal-side greenways, and a patchwork of fire roads and singletrack that reward an extra boost from an e-bike. This guide focuses on exploring Whittier by electric pedal-assist—short commutes, purpose-built loops, and hill-busting outings into Puente Hills that make the most of battery power and a rider’s curiosity.

Whittier compresses a surprising diversity of photo subjects into a compact driveable radius: sun-blushed ridgelines and rolling restored grasslands, a patchwork of wetlands and ponds that draw migratory birds, and a small-city downtown full of historic façades and community murals. Photography tours here blend landscape sunset runs on low-elevation ridges with intimate wetland birding sessions, composed street walks through Uptown, and workshop-style studio-and-location shoots that make the most of Southern California light.

Whittier sits at the edge of a dense urban tapestry and open coastal sky, where airplane experiences range from quiet plane-spotting sessions to short scenic flights that trace the Pacific Coast. The city itself is no longer defined by a working municipal airfield, but its proximity to several regional fields and coastal approach routes makes it a surprising hub for aviation-minded travelers. This guide focuses on the ways to experience flight around Whittier—scenic tours, introductory flight lessons, aerial photography outings, and the simple pleasure of watching traffic move through the complex Los Angeles airspace from thoughtfully chosen vantage points.

Whittier sits at the edge of suburban Los Angeles and the varied waterways of the San Gabriel Valley, making it an unexpectedly practical base for anglers. From morning bank sessions at urban ponds and river bends to short drives that open onto reservoirs, estuaries, and Pacific nearshore options, Whittier’s fishing opportunities are defined by accessibility, variety, and short travel times—perfect for anglers who want solid action without a long road trip.

Though Whittier sits inland, its outdoor life reaches the Pacific: the nearest marinas and harbors—Marina del Rey, Alamitos Bay, Long Beach, and Newport—serve as launch points for quintessential Southern California days on the water. This guide focuses on marina-based experiences and practical logistics for Whittier travelers: launches, rentals, charters, harbor cruises, and the small-port culture that shapes coastal days out.