A Been-There-Done-That Guide to Visiting Greater Los Angeles
Just to make sure that you have hit all of the area’s majors, the following are not-to-be-missed attractions in the L.A. Basin:
1. Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach-Ocean Aquarium
2. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles-Tours, Concerts
3. Disneyland, Anaheim-Amusement Park
4. Graham’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood-Walk of Fame
5. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles-Art Museum
6. Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park-Amusement Park
7. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills-Shopping
8. Universal Studios, Universal City-Amusement Park
If you have been to all of these places, there are other attractions that are fun to visit. For example, there are great places to visit in Orange County. If you go to Laguna Beach during the summer, you can enjoy the annual Laguna Art Festival and Sawdust Festival. The Laguna Art Festival is a juried art show, while the Sawdust Festival offers all sorts of jewelry, pottery, and art for sale along with crafts demonstrations and music. After you peruse the Festivals, you can wander down to Las Brisas, a restaurant on the cliffs of Laguna Beach, and have a margarita and appetizers while sitting in the patio area along with the beautiful people and the bikers. Or, you can meander up Pacific Coast Hwy. to the Royal Hawaiian and check out their bar. They specialize in Lapu Lapus and Blue Hawaiians, but be careful! These drinks are not to be trifled with. Both restaurants have been in business for years and are open year round.
Are you interested in horticulture? As you go up the coast towards Los Angeles, you can stop at the Sherman Gardens and Library in Corona del Mar. The Gardens are home to rare cacti and succulents, and offer displays of both seasonals and perennials to please the eye. The Library is only open on weekends, and check ahead if you are interested in any tours or programs that might be available. There is also a lovely tea garden on the grounds where you can relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
If you drive inland for a while, you will arrive in Orange. Old Towne, as downtown Orange is called, is “the Antique Capital of California,” and is also listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. Browse through the antique stores and look for a hidden treasure to take home with you. If your feet get tired, take them into Watson’s Drug and Soda. Since 1899, Watson’s has served locals and visitors good old-fashioned American food and still operates an honest-to-goodness soda fountain. By the way, do not be surprised if you see movies being filmed in Old Towne, as it is frequently used as a backdrop for period pieces.
What is one of the sports that Southern California is known for? Surfing! Huntington Beach is the home of the International Surfing Museum. The Museum not only documents the legends of surfing, including the great Duke Kahanamoko, but the culture of surfing as well. It celebrates surf music, and commemorates the movie classic “The Endless Summer.” The Museum also features exhibits on skateboarding and skin diving.
Moving back inland, you can check out some neighbors of Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. Have you haunted Hollywood hangouts looking for movie stars and seen nary a one? You can cheat and go to the Movieland Wax Museum, located down the street from Knott’s Berry Farm. Not to be confused with its cousin, the Hollywood Wax Museum, the Movieland Wax Museum is the largest wax museum in the United States. From Rudolf Valentino to Madonna, they are all there. Across the street from Movieland is Ripley’s Believe It or Not “Odditorium.” Ripley’s is the home of a “genuine 16th century Iron Maiden” and other strange and interesting items. Movieland and Ripley’s offer a combination package so that you can visit both of attractions at a discounted price.
Located in downtown Los Angeles, Olvera Street is well worth the visit to learn the hsitory of Los Angeles. Olvera Street, or El Pueblo Historical Monument, is considered to be the original site of Los Angeles. Visit the oldest existing brick house in the area, the Pelanconi House, built around 1855, and the Avila Adobe, built by the former mayor of Los Angeles, Francisco Avila, around 1818. As you stroll through the plaza, you can buy traditional Mexican wares and sample traditional candies and sweets. You can sit in a caf�¯�¿�½ and enjoy tasty Mexican food while being serenaded by mariachis. This is a wonderful place to learn about the Hispanic origins of the El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles, the original name of the emerging village that would become Los Angeles.
What would Los Angeles be like without automobiles? The Peterson Automobile Museum, on Wilshire Blvd., traces the development of the automobile and the impact that cars made on the development and culture of Los Angeles. Home of an incredible collection of beautiful autos, the Museum is a must see for anyone who loves automobiles. The Museum also has a gallery featuring vintage motorcycles, and Discover Center for children and the-children-in-adults to learn more about science and cars.
Now it is time to hit the trail and find some cowboys. The Museum of the American West, formally known as the Gene Autry Museum, is located in the world-famous Griffin Park. The Museum’s permanent exhibits include the history of cowboys from the Spanish vaqueros to cowboys working on present-day ranches, a collection of vintage Colt firearms, and explanations of law and order in the Old West. For cowboy movie buffs, arguably the best part of the museum is devoted to cowboy movies, radio shows, and television shows.
If you are heading into Hollywood and are looking for someplace with character at which to dine, make reservations at Musso & Frank’s Grill on Hollywood Blvd. Established in 1919, Musso & Frank’s claims to be the oldest restaurant in Hollywood. Celebrities have supped at this restaurant for decades. Keep in mind that there is a dress code and the food can be expensive. There is a bar if you choose to skip eating and would just like to have a drink and soak up some atmosphere.
Have you already explored not only the J. Paul Getty Museum but the Los Angeles County Art Museums and still want more? Go to the UCLA Hammer Museum in West Los Angeles. Their permanent collection includes Vincent van Gogh’s “Lilacs,” “Salome Dancing before Herod” by Gustave Moreau, and “Portrait of a Man Holding a Hat” by Rembrant. There are also canvases by Mary Cassat, Paul Gauguin, and Claude Monet, among other celebrated artists.
Last, but not least, go to Venice Beach, just down the road from the Santa Monica Pier. You will find everything from fortune tellers to Muscle Beach, the famous outdoor bodybuilder’s club. You can buy cheap t-shirts for souvenirs and watch jugglers or see a man lie down on a bed of nails. On any given day, you will find dancers, musicians, and magicians performing on the walkway by the sand.
Enjoy your trip to the L. A. Basin. Be prepared for a variety of experiences that you will remember with pleasure for years to come. Drive carefully, and do not forget sunscreen, even in the winter!
