 EVENTS/ATTRACTIONSDestination Guide (Source: Los Angeles Area Guides.net) Plus some personal comments Los Angeles is a bright and eclectic patchwork of neighborhoods and lifestyles. Made up of dozens of communities, there is no one unifying experience that sums up the life and the heartbeat of this city among cities. From the eternal sunshine and Hollywood glitz to the traffic and smog, this City of Angels will forever be many things to many people. When you visit Los Angeles, you'll discover that much of the vibrant life here seems to thrive somewhere between reality and dream. This alluring place is where trends are born. Convertibles. Unique hotels. Short skirts. Health food. In-line skaters. Etc. Since its beginning, L.A. has lived on the cusp of a trend, always re-inventing itself - from Mexican outpost to agricultural Mecca to boomtown movie colony to high-tech aerospace hub to the new economy. L.A. reaches new horizons everyday. L.A. first coined the world 'tourist.' Downtown While not exactly in the center of town geographically, downtown is still a major center of activity. But while the focus is mostly on business, downtown also features many shops, restaurants, bars and even a few museums. Hollywood The big sign just about says it all. The center of thing is, without doubt, Hollywood Boulevard, location of world-famous tourist spots that include Mann's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood Walk of Fame and countless souvenir shops. The Miracle Mile/Hancock Park area is another of L.A.'s historical neighborhoods. Here you will find Wilshire Boulevard's Museum Row. The museums are contained within Hancock Park, a small but peaceful oasis in the center of hectic urban activity. Ritzy West Hollywood is home to one of the city's most (or infamous) attractions: the Sunset Strip. Here you'll find most of the city's hippest and hottest clubs, as well as some of the city's finest shopping and hotels. West Hollywood is also the center of the city's gay and lesbian community, and it puts on one of the bawdiest and most exhilarating Halloween Parades in the state. Beverly Hills and the Westside This world-famous city with the world-famous zip code is synanymous with wealth, status and celebrity. The understated elegance and grace of the residential neighborhoods is balanced out by Rodeo, which offers some of the finest (and most expensive) shopping on the entire planet. Not too far from Rodeo is UCLA, one of the top universities in the world. They are known for their highly rated medical school and for their basketball program, once coached by the legendary Coach John Wooden, who took them to winning 10 NCAA championships, a feat unlikely to be duplicated in college basketball. Santa Monica and Bay Cities Back in the heyday of Route 66, this was the end of the line. Today, this beautiful beachfront community offers the best in shopping, dining and entertainment. The motto of the coastal community of Malibu is "27 miles of scenic beauty" and that about describes it best. The main attraction here is the drive along the Pacific Coast Highway, which takes you past beach after beach on one side of the road and million-dollar hilltop estates on the other. Make sure you have plenty of film and sunscreeen. Even at night, the stars just seem brighter. Venice, just south of Santa Monica, is the city's home to all things eclectic....and many things downright bizarre. This small, artsy beach town offers one of the greatest collections of cafes, bars, galleries, antiques and one-of-kind shops around. Weeekend afternoons on the boardwalk are definitely a memorable experience for any visitor to the city. San Fernando Valley On the other side of the Hollywood Hills sit "The Valley" as it is known to locals. It features a seemingly endless sea of suburban cul-de-sacs, strip malls, funky shops and restaurants. Hollywood makes its presence known in the cities of Burbank and Universal City, which are home to Warner Bros. Studio and Universal Studios, respectively. There are two things you always count on in the Valley: the earthquakes always feel stronger, and the temperature is always 10 degrees hotter. South Central and Compton Although the South Central neighborhood of Crenshaw gained worldwide publicity as the center of the infamous 1992 riots, this area remains one of the city's best-kept secrets. Home to a great number of African Americans, South Central communities such as Crenshaw and Leimert Park offer wonderful shopping, dining, recreation and live music clubs. It has also been a place of culture and diversity, as evidence by the African American Cultural Center and the Museum in Black. Long Beach and South Bay Long Beach is a fairly large city in its own. Aside from a plethora of shopping and dining options, this beach community is perhaps best known for the Queen Mary, a Titanic-esque ocean liner now permanently decked here and open for tours. The South Bay is made up of smaller beach towns and quiet neighborhoods such as Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, San Pedro, including The Peninsula covering: Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates. Nearby in the city of Carson is the new Home Depot Sports Complex, a sprawling $120 million sports complex. The primary tenants are the Galaxy, the United States Soccer Federation and the Pete Sampras Tennis Academy. Orange County As you drive south of L.A., the pastures seem to get greener....quite literally. Orange County is a collection of beautifully manicured suburbs and picturesque beach communities. Some great spots include Anaheim (home of Disneyland), Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Dana Point. Pasadena and Points East Pasadena is one of the most prominent communities in the entire state of California. Old Town Pasadena provides one of the greatest clusters of bars, shops, cafes and restaurants in the entire L.A. araa. And every New Year's Day, this not-so-sleepy town becomes the focus of the entire world for the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. East L.A., as evidenced by its name, forms the eastern edge of the city and is home to the large part of L.A.'s Latino population. Perhaps nowwhere else in the city is L.A's cultural diversity better represented than here. LAX and Inglewood LAX is the third largest airport in the United States, when it comes to the sheer number of people passing through its hallways. The airport is the main feature of the otherwise sleepy, suburban neighborhood of Westchester. This pocket of quiet, tree-lined streets and neighborhood schools and churches is refreshing oasis in an often-frentic city. Inglewood, home to many of L.A's African American population, features a wide variety of restaurants, music and sports venues. Here you will find Hollywood Park Racetrack and the Great Western Forum sports arena, old home to the NBA Los Angeles Lakers and WNBA Los Angeles Sparks, both of which now play at the Staples. Inglewood also hosts the annual Hollywood Black Film Festival which pays homage to African American filmmakers...past, present and future. Los Angeles Harbor Los Angeles Harbor along with its neighbor Port of Long Beach, make this west coast port one of busiest and biggest ports in the world. It is the home of San Pedro, Wilmington, and Harbor City, all of which belong to the city of Los Angeles. San Pedro, the port community of Los Angeles, is a world cruise center having Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines as part of its cruise clientele. Top 20 Los Angeles Attractions California Science Center 700 State Drive Los Angeles, CA 90037 213.744.7400 Formerly known as the California of Science and Industry, the California Science Center is a wonderfully interactive museum that includes exbibits such as World of Life, Creative World, World of the Pacific Worlds Beyond Disneyland 1313 South Harbor Boulevard Anaheim, CA 92803 714.781.4565 World famous as the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland is an enchanted kingdom of fantasy and imagination filled with classic family-friendly attractions and magical entertainment, dining and shopping. Farmers Market 6333 West 3rd Street at Fairfax Los Angeles, CA 323.933.9211 Started by growers during the Depression era, this popular spot features foods from around the world, entertainment and hundreds of booths with fresh meat, fish, and candies. Farmers Market is an outdoor marketplace with rows of shops and eateries, some of which are family owned and operated, and have been handed down from generation to generation. Grauman's Chinese Theater 6925 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA 323.464.8111 Opened in 1927, Grauman's Chinese Theater(seats 5000) is the most famous movie theater in the world. Millions have visited the theater's famous entry court, where big Hollywood stars, both film and recording, have set their signatures hand/footprints in concrete. Griffith Park Los Feliz Blvd at Riverside Drive Los Angeles, CA 90027 323.662.5874 With over 4,107 acres, Griffith Park is the largest municipal park and urban wilderness area in America. An amazingly large portion of the Park remains virtually unchanged from the days of Native American villages occupied the area's lower slopes. Today's Griffith Park offers numerous family attractions, an educational and cultural institutions and miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. J.Paul Getty Museum 1200 Getty Center Drive Los Angeles, CA 310.440.7300 The J.Paul Getty Musuem at the Getty Center houses European paintings, drawings, sculptures illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts and European and American photographs. Artists featured include Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne, along with the architectural triumph of its six buildings and gardens. Knott's Berry Farm 8039 Beach Boulevard Buena Park, CA 90620 714.220.5200 Build on 160 acres that was once an actual berry farm, Knott's Berry Farm blends the perfect mix of yesteryear warmth and state of the art adrenaline packed rides. Thrill seekers should check out the Ghost Fider wooden roller coaster and Perilous Plunge, the world's tallest, steepest and wettest water ride. And if you're feeling really brave, ride into the Super Scream, a 250 foot tall free fall that instantly make men to boys. La Brea Tar Pits 5801 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036 323.857.6311 Rancho La Brea is one of the world's most famous fossil localities, recognized for having the largest and most diverse assembling of extinct Ice Age plants and animals in the world. Visitors can learn about Los Angeles as it was between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago when animals such a saber-toothed cats and mammoths roamed the Los Angeles Basin. Los Angeles County Museum 59050 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036 323.857.6000 The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is the premier visual arts museum in the Western United States. Its holdings include more than 150,000 works spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present. LACMA was founded in 1910 as part of the Museum of Science, History and Art in Exposition Park and moved to its current location in 1965. The Japanese pavilion and B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Garden both opened in 1968. Los Angeles Zoo 5333 Zoo Drive Los Angeles, CA 90027 323.644.6400 The Los Angeles Zoo features over 1200 animals and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the year except Dec 25. Special summer extended hours are until 6 p.m. from July 1 through Labor Day in early September. The Los Angeles Zoo starts putting animals in for the night at 4 p.m. during regular hours and at 5 p.m. during summer hours. Malibu Malibu, California Featuring beautiful beaches such as Surfrider Beach, Zuma Beach and Leo Carillo Beach, Malibu is right next door and a world away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. A leisurely drive along the Pacific Coast (preferrably in a convertible) up Pacific Coast Highway is an experience not to be missed. Melrose Avenue Los Angeles, CA 310.469.8311 Yes, there is a Melrose Place, but the place to visit is the street of eclectic, funky shops, restaurants and galleries named Melrose Avenue. Slightly similar to parts of Soho and Greenwich Village, Melrose Avenue has a flair all its own and much more interesting than the fabled Melrose Place. Natural History of Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Boulevard Exposition Park Los Angeles, CA 90027 213.763.3466 The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is the largest natural and historical museum in the Western United States. Complete skeletons of a Tyranmosaurus rex and Triceratops greet visitors in the majestic Grand Foyer. The Museum features grand diorams of African and American tammlas, rare dinosaurs and fossils, marine animals, Native American and Pre-Columbian cultures, historical artifacts from California and Southwest history. Queen Mary 1126 Queens Way Long Beach, CA 90801 562.435.3511 One of the most famous passenger ocean liners in history, the 81,237 ton Queen Mary entered service in 1936 and was retired in 1967 when it arrived in Long Beach. A self-guiding tour takes you to the bridge, ward rooms, officer's quarters, engine rooms and upper decks. The 365-staterooms now serve as a hotel and the bar is a great place to have a drink and watch the sunset. Rodeo Drive Shops Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills, CA Beverly Hills Visitors Bureau 310.271.8174 The three block long stretch of shops and boutiques on Rodeo Drive constitute the most expensive shopping district in the United States (including the most expensive store in the world, Bijan). Clothing designers and jewelers include Armani, Tiffany, Gucci, Christian Dior, Cartier, Coco Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Valentino. Universal Studios Hollywood 100 Universal City Plaza Los Angeles, CA 91608 818.l508.9600 Get an inside look at the sets and uncover the behind-the-scenes secrets of legendary films. Then, immerse yourself into the the thrilling worlds of your favorite movies. Unleash the power of movie magic inside the Special Effects Stages. And, for a big Hollywood finish, visit Universal City Walk for the hottest entertainment, dining and shopping. Venice Beach Boardwalk Ocean Front Walk Venice, CA 310.399.2775 Want to know where Jim Morrison of the Doors got a lot of his lyrical ideas? Anything and everything on two (and four) legs dances, shuffles and skateboards along this famous concrete strip in Venice Beach. By far, Saturday is the best day to soak up the sun and see the psychedelic sights. Strange days, indeed. Sunset Strip Sunset Boulevard between Crescent Heights Blvd. and Doheny Drive Los Angeles, CA The Sunset Stip embraces a neon, collage of rock clubs, restaurants, boutiques, and Hollywood nighspots that have been the launching pad for many a career in the entertainment business. At night, the Sunset Strip comes alive as a virtual traffic jam of young cruisers people watchers and celebrity wannabees get together. Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance 9786 West Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90035 The museum of Tolerance is a high tech, hands-on experienced museum that focuses on two central themes through unique interactive exhibits: the dynamics of racism and prejudice in America and the history of the Holocaust - the ultimate example of man's inhumanity to man. The museum, the educational arm of the Simon Wisenthal Center, was founded to challenge visitors to confront racism, and to understand the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary contexts. Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica Beach Santa Monica, CA 310.458.8900 Opened on September 9, 1909, the 1600 foot Santa MOnica Pier has been completely restored over the years and the Ferris wheel is a traditional family favorite. The western terminus for the fabled Route 66, the Santa Monica Pier is a favorite film location of movie makers - Ruthless People, The Sting, Beverly Hills Cop III, Funny Girl and They Shoot Horses Dont They were all filmed here. Legoland 1 Lego Dr. Carlsbad, CA 92808 760.438.5346 There are plenty of kids around 5 or 6 who consider this their favorite them park. And, for the first hour or so, anybody would be fascinated by the fact that virtually everything here is built from Legos. But once it sinks in that grown men and women spent countless hours making this world out of a small plastic bricks, everything starts to seem downright creepy. There is a children's driving school that is not only fun for the kiddies, it's hilarious for adults to watch their offspring run through traffic lights and hit other cars. It's like watching an episode of World's Best Car Chases. Sequestered away in Calrsbad (a 45 minute drive form L.A.) near an Ostrich farm, this is definitely a unique experience - especially for anyone still using a sipper cup. Aquarium of the Pacific 100 Aquirium Way Long Beach, CA 90802 562.590.3100 Located south of L.A. in the seaside city of Long Beach, this sparkling aquarium is far less populated than the famous fish tank up in Monterey. Nevertheless, it's one of the Los Angeles area's best bets for a great time. Its 17 major tanks and 30 smaller tanks can be taken in an afternoon, and along the way there are some amazing specimen to be found in an ocean of more than 12,000 species. There is an iridescent jellyfish exhibit, a rare dragonfish that has to be seen to believe, and an array of toothy mammals in the Shark Lagoon, where one can get up close and personal with the feared predators. None of the fish here seem to be complaining, but then again, in modern saltwater tanks no one can hear you scream. |
