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Orientation
The greater Los Angeles area is a vast and sprawling metropolis with many cities, neighborhoods, and micro-communities.
Amusement Parks, Rides, and Zoos
Location | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Disneyland |
...
In |
...
Anaheim. |
...
A |
...
significant |
...
commute |
...
from |
...
downtown |
...
LA. |
...
Universal |
...
Studios |
...
...
A |
...
short |
...
freeway |
...
drive |
...
from |
...
downtown |
...
LA. |
...
Six |
...
Flags |
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Magic |
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Mountain |
...
...
In |
...
Santa |
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Clarita/Valencia. |
...
A |
...
commute |
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from |
...
downtown |
...
LA. |
...
Knott's |
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Berry |
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Farm |
...
...
A |
...
significant |
...
drive. |
...
Not |
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as |
...
impressive |
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as |
...
the |
...
others, |
...
IMO. |
...
Santa |
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Monica |
...
Pier |
...
...
Carnival-style |
...
rides |
...
and |
...
games, |
...
food, |
...
beach... |
...
LA |
...
Zoo |
...
...
Great |
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for |
...
kids. |
...
Gene |
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Autry |
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Museum |
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across |
...
the |
...
street. |
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Aquarium |
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of |
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the |
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Pacific |
...
...
Long |
...
Beach. |
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A |
...
significant |
...
commute |
...
from |
...
downtown |
...
LA. |
...
The Arts,
...
Museums
...
There
...
are
...
many
...
great
...
art
...
and
...
history
...
museums
...
in
...
Los
...
Angeles.
...
Here
...
are
...
some
...
resources
...
to
...
explore
...
and
...
just
...
a
...
few
...
options
...
to
...
consider:
...
Location | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Discover the Arts in Los Angeles |
...
Resource |
...
to |
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find |
...
deals |
...
for |
...
numerous |
...
museums, |
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plays, |
...
etc. |
...
LACMA |
...
(Los |
...
Angeles |
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County |
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Museum |
...
of |
...
Art) |
...
...
An |
...
amazing |
...
museum, |
...
including |
...
two |
...
new |
...
complexes. |
...
Check |
...
our |
...
BCAM |
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for |
...
contemporary |
...
art. |
...
Getty |
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Two |
...
locations, |
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one |
...
in |
...
LA |
...
off |
...
the |
...
405 |
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and |
...
one |
...
at |
...
the |
...
coast |
...
on |
...
Pacific |
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Coast |
...
Hwy. |
...
Both |
...
are |
...
amazing |
...
! |
...
MOCA |
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- |
...
Museum |
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of |
...
Contemporary |
...
Art |
...
...
South |
...
Grand |
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Ave |
...
near |
...
Pershing |
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Square |
...
exit. |
...
Annenberg |
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Space |
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for |
...
Photography |
...
...
A |
...
small |
...
space, |
...
but |
...
great |
...
photography. |
...
In |
...
1-2 |
...
hours, |
...
you'll |
...
see |
...
it |
...
all |
...
and |
...
be |
...
ready |
...
for |
...
your |
...
next |
...
adventure |
...
in |
...
LA. |
...
Petersen |
...
Automotive |
...
Museum |
...
...
If |
...
you're |
...
a |
...
car |
...
nut, |
...
this |
...
place |
...
is |
...
for |
...
you. |
...
Just |
...
across |
...
the |
...
street |
...
from |
...
LACMA. |
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Hollywood |
...
Bowl |
...
...
Music, |
...
performances. |
...
Walt |
...
Disney |
...
Concert |
...
Hall |
...
...
Not |
...
sure |
...
if |
...
there |
...
will |
...
be |
...
performances, |
...
but |
...
worth |
...
a |
...
look |
...
! |
...
Ahmanson |
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Theater, |
...
Mark |
...
Taper |
...
Forum |
...
...
If |
...
a |
...
play's |
...
your |
...
thing, |
...
check |
...
out |
...
these |
...
great |
...
venues. |
...
Griffith |
...
Observatory |
...
...
Great |
...
view |
...
of |
...
LA, |
...
planetarium, |
...
and |
...
much |
...
more |
...
! |
...
The |
...
Huntington |
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Library, |
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Art |
...
Collections, |
...
and |
...
Botanical |
...
Gardens |
...
...
In |
...
San |
...
Marino-Pasadena. |
...
Independent |
...
Shakespeare |
...
at |
...
Griffith |
...
Park |
...
...
Shakespeare. |
...
Griffith |
...
Park. |
...
Check |
...
schedule |
...
to |
...
see |
...
if |
...
playing |
...
during |
...
conference. |
...
Autry |
...
Museum |
...
Of |
...
Western |
...
Heritage |
...
...
Learn about the American West. | |
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles |
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Exhibits on earth's biodiversity. | |
California Science Center |
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Future home of Space Shuttle Endeavor. | |
Los Angeles Central Public Library |
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Check |
...
out |
...
the |
...
art |
...
and |
...
architecture. | ||
Culver City Art District | Cool place to explore contemporary art for sale. | |
Bergamot Station | Cool place to explore contemporary art for sale. |
The Beach
The main beach communities of the Los Angeles Area are, from north to south: Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice and Maria Del Rey. Unfortunately, Downtown LA is on the east side of town, so in order to dip your toes in the Pacific, you'll need a car or a bus trip. Access to the beaches is free, but parking is not.
If you're looking for suggestions, here is a link to recommendations for 8 great LA area beaches.
| Info |
|---|
Please be aware that we sometimes have coastal fog in June. It usually burns off my midday, but something to be aware of. Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Gloom |
Dining
There are many, many restaurants and eateries in the LA area.
First, you'll notice that restaurants have a letter grade on the door. This is a rating of cleanliness from the city. You want to eat at an "A" restaurant. Less than an "A" means the establishment hasn't met all health codes. You can learn more here: http://lapublichealth.org/eh/misc/ehpost
...
Location | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
The Original Pantry |
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An |
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LA |
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landmark. |
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Good |
...
ole |
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American |
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diner |
...
fare. |
...
Urban |
...
Spoon's |
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Picks |
...
...
| |
Yelp's |
...
Picks |
...
...
|
If you're
...
interested
...
in
...
exploring
...
LA's
...
food
...
truck
...
scene,
...
try:
...
...
...
...
...
If you're
...
interested
...
in
...
sampling
...
some
...
of
...
LA's
...
amazing
...
tacos
...
and
...
taco
...
trucks,
...
a
...
great
...
resource
...
is
...
...
...
...
...
.
...
But
...
seriously,
...
almost
...
any
...
taco
...
trunk
...
you
...
come
...
upon
...
is
...
going
...
to
...
have
...
something
...
unique
...
and
...
delicious.
...
You
...
may
...
have
...
heard
...
that
...
LA
...
has
...
excellent
...
Chinese
...
food.
...
The
...
best
...
place
...
to
...
get
...
some
...
of
...
the
...
most
...
authentic
...
and
...
regional
...
cuisines
...
is
...
in
...
the
...
various
...
towns
...
of
...
the
...
San
...
Gabriel
...
Valley,
...
just
...
east
...
of
...
Downtown.
...
Hiking,
...
Outdoors
Location | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Griffith Park |
...
| |
Los Angeles Mountains |
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Trails, |
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parks, |
...
etc. |
...
Off the Beaten Path
Location | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Adamson House, Malibu |
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Beautiful |
...
location, |
...
learn |
...
about |
...
Malibu |
...
history, |
...
amazing |
...
tile. |
...
Bergamot |
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Station |
...
Art |
...
Center, |
...
Santa |
...
Monica |
...
...
A |
...
collection |
...
of |
...
art |
...
galleries |
...
with |
...
new |
...
and |
...
old |
...
art |
...
and |
...
photography |
...
for |
...
sale. |
...
Bradbury |
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Building, |
...
Downtown |
...
LA |
...
...
Architecture. |
...
Culver |
...
City |
...
Art |
...
District |
...
...
A |
...
collection |
...
of |
...
art |
...
galleries |
...
with |
...
new |
...
and |
...
old |
...
art |
...
and |
...
photography |
...
for |
...
sale. |
...
Gamble |
...
House, |
...
Pasadena |
...
...
Architecture. |
...
Pasadena. |
...
Might |
...
remember |
...
it |
...
from |
...
Back |
...
to |
...
the |
...
Future. |
...
Grand |
...
Central |
...
Market |
...
...
Food, |
...
etc. |
Graystone Mansion, |
...
Beverly |
...
Hills |
...
...
Nice |
...
grounds, |
...
good |
...
view, |
...
free... |
...
Hollyhock |
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House, |
...
Hollywood |
...
...
Frank |
...
Lloyd |
...
Wright. |
...
'Nuff |
...
said. |
...
LA |
...
Metro |
...
Art |
...
...
The art at bus stations, rail stations, etc. | |
MAK Center at the Schindler House, West Hollywood |
...
Art |
...
and |
...
architecture. |
...
The |
...
World |
...
Famous |
...
Magic |
...
Castle |
...
...
If |
...
you |
...
know |
...
a |
...
magician |
...
or |
...
member, |
...
ask |
...
for |
...
passes... |
...
it's |
...
worth |
...
the |
...
trip |
...
! |
Shopping
More places than can be mentioned here. Just a sample:
Location | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Americana - Glendale |
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Popular |
...
new |
...
mall. |
...
Beverly |
...
Hills |
...
- |
...
Rodeo |
...
Drive |
...
...
Iconic. |
...
Expensive. |
...
Beverly |
...
Center |
...
...
Not |
...
in |
...
Beverly |
...
Hills, |
...
but |
...
a |
...
mall |
...
nonetheless. |
...
3rd |
...
Street |
...
Promenade, |
...
Santa |
...
Monica |
...
...
Open-air |
...
walking |
...
mall. |
...
Moments |
...
away |
...
from |
...
Santa |
...
Monica |
...
pier |
...
and |
...
beach. |
...
Another |
...
major |
...
mall |
...
next |
...
door. |
...
A |
...
commute |
...
from |
...
downtown |
...
LA. |
...
The |
...
Grove |
...
...
Another |
...
popular |
...
open-air |
...
mall. |
...
Farmer's |
...
market |
...
nearby. |
...
Hollywood |
...
and |
...
Highland |
...
...
See |
...
the |
...
sights, |
...
buy |
...
some |
...
things. |
...
Mann's |
...
Chinese |
...
next |
...
door, |
...
El |
...
Capitan |
...
Theatre |
...
across |
...
the |
...
street. |
...
Los |
...
Angeles |
...
Farmer's |
...
Market |
...
...
| |
Los Angeles Fashion District, Flower District |
...
| |
Universal City Walk |
...
At |
...
the |
...
steps |
...
to |
...
Universal |
...
Studios. |
...
Sightseeing
Location | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Discover Los Angeles |
...
Links |
...
to |
...
options |
...
big |
...
and |
...
small. |
...
Hollywood |
...
Sign |
...
...
A |
...
popular |
...
symbol |
...
of |
...
LA. |
...
Hollywood |
...
and |
...
Highland, |
...
incl. |
...
Mann's |
...
Chinese |
...
Theater |
...
...
See |
...
the |
...
Chinese, |
...
glimpse |
...
the |
...
Hollywood |
...
Sign |
...
from |
...
the |
...
observation |
...
level, |
...
see |
...
the |
...
El |
...
Capitan |
...
Theatre |
...
across |
...
the |
...
street, |
...
gawk |
...
at |
...
people |
...
dressed |
...
in |
...
costume. |
...
A |
...
short |
...
subway |
...
trip |
...
from |
...
downtown. |
...
Griffith |
...
Park |
...
...
| |
La Brea Tar Pits |
...
LACMA |
...
next |
...
door. |
...
Petersen |
...
across |
...
street. |
...
Beverly |
...
Hills |
...
...
The Graystone Mansion is a free place to visit. | |
Santa Monica Pier |
...
Rides, |
...
food, |
...
beach... |
...
Venice |
...
Beach |
...
...
Famous |
...
or |
...
infamous? |
...
Chinatown |
...
Culture, food, shops, and more. Downtown LA. | |
Union Station | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_%28Los_Angeles%29 |
...
Check out the architecture. Downtown LA. | |
Olvera Street |
...
Culture, food, shops, and more. One of the oldest parts of downtown. | |
Little Tokyo |
...
Culture, food, shops, and more. Downtown LA. | |
Queen Mary |
...
Long |
...
Beach |
...
Angel's |
...
Flight |
...
Railway |
...
...
Shortest |
...
railway |
...
in |
...
the |
...
world. |
...
LA |
...
Conservancy |
...
Walking |
...
Tours |
...
...
|
Sports,
...
Concerts
...
Location | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Staples Center |
...
Lakers, |
...
Clippers, |
...
Kings, |
...
concerts, |
...
etc. |
...
LA |
...
Dodgers |
...
...
Home |
...
of |
...
the |
...
Dodgers | |
Anaheim or LA Angels |
...
Home |
...
of |
...
the |
...
Angels |
...
The |
...
Greek |
...
Theatre |
...
...
Concerts, |
...
etc. |
...
Nokia |
...
Theatre |
...
at |
...
LA |
...
Live |
...
...
Concerts, |
...
etc. |
...
LA |
...
Forum |
...
...
Concerts, |
...
etc. |
...
House |
...
of |
...
Blues |
...
Los |
...
Angeles |
...
...
Concerts | ||
Sunset Strip | Concerts, comedy, etc. |
Just a sample of things to do in LA...
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| ]{panel} |