Top LA picks
Los Angeles County covers 4,061 square miles. There's so much to see and do, that sometimes it's a bit overwhelming. Here's 10 picks from an LA native.
Never been to LA? Here's what I would do.
- Disneyland. You know what they say about Disneyland, and they're right! It really is a wonderful place. And not just for 5 year olds either. The price is a bit steep at $66 but hey, it's a whole day's worth of entertainment. If you've been to DisneyWorld or another Disney theme park then please don't expect Disneyland to be the same. But what it might lack in size, it makes up in charm. Also, unless you're not worried about that little thing called money, in my personal opinion I wouldn't bother paying the extra money to go to California Adventures.
1313 Harbor Blvd
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/ - The Grove/Farmers Market. Yes the Grove a mall, but it's a nice one. If you're up-to-date with current TV, you might be able to spot a minor celebrity. Score. Plus, next door is the old Farmers Market for an unpretentious look at Los Angeles.
189 The Grove Drive
http://www.thegrovela.com/ - Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood Blvd is on my list mainly because if you don't go, you might regret it, it's so "LA". Don't expect it to be super glitzy, it's not. There's still a fair amount of lingerie shops there, but fortunately it's been getting better. The streets are cleaner and there's an mall with shops that are to expensive for me (don't forget to look at the outside of the mall, there's some bizarre elephant statues). Don't forget to see the Grauman's Chinese Theatre. There's also a Ripley's Believe It or Not, and several museums. El Capitan is a nice theater that plays Disney movies. It often has special exhibits related to the film. The Egyptian Theater is also nice, they often have special events with question and answer sessions with directors or stars. If you want to see a play, there's the Pantages Theater, currently playing Wicked.
- Hollywood Bowl. A great place for a nice night out. You can hear everything from Radiohead to Mozart. They even have fireworks for 4th of July. Plenty of areas for picnics, though not so many tables, so bring a blanket! It also gets chilly at night, so don't forget your jacket.
2301 N. Highland Avenue
http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/ - J. Paul Getty Center. Nice architecture, nice art. Actually, nice is an understatement, their collection includes Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne.
1200 Getty Center
http://www.getty.edu/visit/ - Venice Beach Boardwalk. Crazy place and a great spot to people watch. You can pick up funky souvenirs here, many of which are hand-made.
- Griffith Park Observatory. I haven't been here since they revamped it a few years ago, but I hear it's even better. Assuming their planetarium hasn't changed I would recommend buying a ticket. If you're a tesla coil fan, and who isn't, you really, really need to check this one out. The observatory also has one of the best views in LA.
www.griffithobs.org/ - California Science Center. Some great hands-on exhibits for children. I have fond memories as a child of watching baby chickens hatch. They also host many special exhibits, recent past exhibits include Star Wars and Goosebumps.
700 State Drive
http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/ - Los Angeles County Museum of Art. LACMA has a very large collection, with over 100,000 works of art! Throughout the year they have free concerts and other free stuff. Plus the LA Brea Tar Pits is just a stone's throw away.
5905 Wilshire Boulevard
http://www.lacma.org/ - Canter's. A Los Angeles institution. Don't expect anything fancy from the decor, but do except some great matzo ball soup.
419 North Fairfax
http://cantersdeli.com/
Tips:
Don't forget the car. You may have heard that LA's public transportation system has gotten much better. It's true, but since LA is so huge it still takes a long, long time to get anywhere.
Use a sat-nav, or a really good map. It's very easy to get lost.
If you can, take a visit to one of the smaller LA communities. I recommend the small "town" of Eagle Rock (you can find some recommendations on where to eat in ER here), they have interesting shops, like the family-owned That Yarn Store and Regeneration, which sells eco-friendly wares.
Use a sat-nav, or a really good map. It's very easy to get lost.
If you can, take a visit to one of the smaller LA communities. I recommend the small "town" of Eagle Rock (you can find some recommendations on where to eat in ER here), they have interesting shops, like the family-owned That Yarn Store and Regeneration, which sells eco-friendly wares.
Think my list is in the wrong order? You can rearrange it.
dd
Flights to Los Angeles
Package Deals to Los Angeles
-
$343 from San Francisco: flight + 2 nights hotel
- $415 from San Jose: flight + 2 nights hotel
- $421 from Phoenix: flight + 2 nights hotel
- $421 from Las Vegas: flight + 2 nights hotel
- $463 from Indianapolis: flight + 2 nights hotel
- $415 from San Jose: flight + 2 nights hotel
Tour books
Walking L.A.: 36 Walking Tours Exploring Stairways, Streets and Buildings You Never Knew Existed (Walking La: 38 Walking Tours Exploring Stairways, Streets &)
True, you'll have to drive from one destination to the next, but once you get there (think Hollywood, or Laurel Canyon) author Erin Mahoney will guide you through some interesting walks.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/07/2008)
Resident Tourist: Los Angeles
For those who want to know about the less touristy, but still fun LA activities, like a horseback ride through Griffith Park!
Amazon Price: $11.66 (as of 10/07/2008)
Forgot to Buy Souvenirs? Great Stuff on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
New Guestbook
|
KimGiancaterino
Nice list. I've been to every place mentioned, and have been craving Canter's lately. Gotta make a trip over there soon! Posted February 17, 2008 |
