Top 10 Places and Things to Do in Los Angeles
By: Patricia
By: Leslie G. Follow her incredible travel adventures and tips here: http://cgtravelsblog.com Twitter: www.Twitter.com/CGTravels
One of the biggest challenges as a native Angeleno is trying to direct friends and colleagues to Los Angeles where to go while visiting. Not only am I battling a multitude of frustrating clichés (celebrity-fueled trends, celebrity-frequented neighborhoods, celebrity-owned restaurants, traffic, smog, etc.) but frankly, to narrow down the overwhelming amount of opportunities in this sprawling metropolis is nearly impossible.
The truth is that the clichés DO exist. But so does a vibrant city teeming with art, music, culture, natural beauty and a wonderfully stubborn follow-your-dreams mentality. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing a tourist say, “Wow – I had no idea LA had all this!” And so with that, I present you with a list that will take someone to the far corners of the city, from delicious eats to world-class culture and back – yes, even to Sunset Blvd itself. Los Angeles is a place where you can be whoever you want – why not let go and discover it for yourself?
1. Catch a concert at the Hollywood bowl
Photo By _e.t This iconic outdoor amphitheater has hosted some of the world’s greatest musicians, conductors, orchestras, artists and performers since its opening in 1922. Nestled into the Hollywood Hills and open during the summer season only, it has become one of the locals’ favorite nighttime spots for entertainment and relaxation, especially thanks to a lenient policy that allows concertgoers to bring their own food and drinks (even alcohol!) into the venue, thereby encouraging a longtime tradition of picnicking. Once you’re ensconced in your seats (or for the lucky few, a box), sipping a glass of wine under the stars to the classical strains of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the rousing chorus of voices at the annual Sound of Music sing-a-long or the smooth sounds of the Playboy Jazz Festival, you’ll know why there’s no place like LA.
2. Hike the Santa Monica Mountains
Photo By barbsteele Forget Runyon Canyon and it’s overpopulated bevy of dogs, spandex and noise – real rugged outdoor beauty lies just a few miles north in the Santa Monica Mountains that hug the coast along Malibu. Trails range from the challenging to the near-effortless, with everything in-between. At Sandstone Peak, the highest point, gaze upon the sparkling Pacific Ocean to your left and the bustling valley below to your right – a view of Los Angeles most people have never seen but will never forget. Then sign the visitors log, return to your car and head down the road a few miles to secluded Malibu Winery for a glass of crisp chardonnay in their charming outdoor garden.
3. See the stars (literally) at the Griffith Observatory
Photo By neebski Opened in 1935 and nestled snugly atop Mount Hollywood in the hills above Los Feliz, where it is visible from points all over Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory has become one of the country’s premier venues for the study and exhibition of astronomy and the science of space. The recently renovated facility boasts several enormous state-of-the-art telescopes, including the massive Zeiss Telescope, which is regularly trained on the moon, a visible planet or other night sky phenomena and includes a planetarium with unrivaled projection capabilities and a series of visually stunning exhibits that is sure to make any visitor marvel at the world beyond us. Housed in an stunning art deco-style building and surrounded by lawn and gardens, it promises the kind of out-of-this-world experience tourists expect from LA – in the most unexpected way.
4. Surf Zuma Beach
Photo By mcshots With some of the best waves in the state and a consistently top-notch water quality rating, Zuma Beach is a healthier, less-crowded and more visually appealing stretch of coastline than Santa Monica, Huntington or Manhattan Beaches together. Leave the crowds (and the inevitable flurry of hungry pigeons they attract) and spend a day at Zuma – it’s a premier spot for local surfers and perfect for beachgoers looking for a pristine piece of coastline where they can truly relax in the sunshine. And for all you entertainment buffs – it’s where Baywatch was filmed.
5. Grab a burger at Bob’s Big BoyLA’s retro culture continues to thrive even today, and perhaps nowhere is that more prevalent than at the oldest original Bob’s Big Boy Restaurant in Toluca Lake. Nothing - from the décor to the staff – has changed much since the ‘60s, and that’s exactly the way it’s entire customer base loves it. Bob’s has been serving up their famous grilled double-decker burgers with secret sauce and signature small sesame buns for decades, and the iconic checkered boy holding a giant hamburger still stands, polished and jolly, on Riverside Drive beckoning all who drive by to step back in time for a bit and savor the best diner cuisine in the city. Stop by on Friday “car night” for traditional car-hop service and watch the parking lot behind the restaurant as it fills with restored vintage cars driven in by enthusiasts from all over southern California.
6. See the masters at the Huntington Library
Photo by http://www.huntington.org
7. Tour the Kodak Theatre
PhotoBy Leopostle
Far be it from me to prevent any tourist from walking the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame, passing by the Chinese Theater and posing with one of 6 Marilyn Monroes who’ll gladly take photos with you along Hollywood Blvd. But once you’ve discovered which celebrity’s hands and feet match your own, stop inside the Kodak Theatre for an inside look at the current home of Oscar. Their daily tours take visitors into VIP rooms and onto the incredible stage where the annual telecast happens (and where, the rest of the year, it is fantastically rigged to support LA’s new Cirque de Soleil show) – you even get to see an Oscar statue up-close! Even as a native there is something magical about walking the very corridors and sitting in the same front row seats as the modern actors and actresses we have come to love and respect over the years. Watching the next Academy Awards will never quite be the same!
Technically it’s part of LA County, but in reality it’s a world away. Once you’ve tired of the bustle and traffic, take a 30-minute boat ride from San Pedro or Long Beach harbors and spend some time on Santa Catalina, one of California’s Channel Islands. Spend the evening in a cozy B&B in the main town of Avalon, rent a bike and ride through the quaint streets and hike or camp all over the island, among wildlife like foxes, bald eagles and bison. Catalina also has incredibly clean, clear waters offshore, making kayaking and snorkeling perfect almost year-round. Coming face-to-face with sleek, harmless leopard sharks and the island’s signature fish, the gentle, bright orange garibaldi, you’ll almost think you’re in Hawaii.
OK, so I slipped in something a little trendy for good measure. But a list like this just wouldn’t be complete without including the legendary hotel and bungalows, located smack dab on the Sunset strip and teeming with celebrity ghost stories and folklore. Infamous former guests include Jim Belushi, Greta Garbo, James Dean, Vivien Leigh and Howard Hughes, and today you’re likely to rub elbows with Johnny Depp, Demi Moore or Jake Gyllenhaal, all of whom frequent the hotel’s hard-to-get-in restaurant and bar. This is the stuff LA is made of. If you can’t get in, hop next door to Bar Marmont, where although the drinks are pricey and poorly-mixed, the scene is great and the décor magical – all the way to the silk monarch butterflies that dapple the dimly-lit ceiling.
London it isn’t, but Los Angeles may just be second-best in the world of great vintage discoveries. From Ventura Blvd. to Melrose, from Silver Lake to downtown, LA is a mecca for time-worn treasures from any decade. Exploiting it’s status as a haven for designers and the world capital of film, LA finds often include chic retro cast-offs from the likes of Chanel and Christian Dior, as well as items once worn for film or television. But perhaps the most charming of all are the enormous collections of denim, boots, hats and blouses that evoke the carefree days of the sixties and seventies that put a blonde-haired, hippie California look on the stylish map.
Leslie is a travel blogger, hotel publicist, art history junkie, Venetophile, wanderluster, globetrotter, Californian. Always on-hand: a passport and a pencil :) |
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