Top 10 Things to Do (or don't do) While in Los Angeles

If you ever end up visiting, you'll find there's a lot to do in Los Angeles (and the surrounding cities). Which is why this post is so long...so feel free to skip around.

So here are my top 10 things to do while visiting us on the left coast.

Do...
#1. Take Metro's Red Line from the North Hollywood station to Downtown's Union Station.

• Buy a day pass for a few bucks and make stops at Universal City. Aside from the "thrill rides," take a back lot tour at Universal Studios and shop, dine, and fight crowds at CityWalk).
• Then get off at the Hollywood/Highland stop to visit popular destinations like Grauman's Chinese, the Walk of Fame, El Capitan, and a wide variety of novelty Hollywood-esque museums.
• For me, everything between here and the next stop are rubbish. Keep going.
  
• Keep going to the Pershing Square stop where you'll land in the heart of Downtown. LA's jewelry district and the Millennium Biltmore are nearby.
• End your day at Union Station - a great study in architecture. Take a walk across the street to Olvera Street - the birthplace of Los Angeles. Stroll through this beautiful street and stop for the popular variety of traditional authentic Mexican cuisine, with delicious enchiladas, mole and other native dishes.

#2. Attend a sporting event. Baseball (2 teams), basketball (3 teams), hockey (2 teams), football (1 professional team ...USC..and a lesser-known powder blue high school team...UCLA), and David Beckham-filled soccer are all available within a 30-mile radius.


#3. Visit Fern Dell. LA is unique - and Fern Dell is just one example of how. At the very edge of the Los Feliz/Western entrance to Griffith Park, Fern Dell is quite literally a dell full of ferns. Fifty different varieties at last count, along with a thick tangle of tropical trees and plants that fight for space amongst cedars and coastal redwoods planted along a lively brook that hosts a number of crayfish within it.



#4. Go to a concert on the Sunset Strip. I wouldn't recommend taking public transit there, but certainly attend a show at the House of Blues, the Whisky, or the Viper Room, the Key Club, the Troubadour, or the Roxy ...you know, just to name a few legendary venues.


#5. Walk Rodeo Drive / Robertson Boulevard. If you're looking to catch a glimpse of a celebrity, this is the place to do it. Not my cup of tea. Sorry, won't be joining you here. You can take Emma, but only if I have her wallet.


#6. Go to a theme park. Disneyland, its lesser-visited sister park, California Adventure, Knott's Berry Farm - which is apparently America's 1st amusement park, Six Flags (ugh), Hurricane Harbor, and Raging Waters are all within an hour or so from each other. If you're choosing just one...do you really need to ask for our recommendation?



#7. Walk along a boardwalk. Both the Santa Monica Pier and the Venice boardwalks offer unique perspectives on the California culture. Our choice? Visit Santa Monica for the pier (with the first and only solar powered Ferris Wheel) and hit up the Third Street Promenade after.


#8. Go to a museum. There's a lot to offer, and you're not going to be able to see everything in one day..so choose carefully. Choose from Santa Monica's picturesque Getty Villa, or the Getty Center perched high above the 405. The Griffith Observatory offers fantastic views of both an oft-used movie set as well as greater Los Angele and the Huntington Library hosts a wealth of gardens and historic art (Blue Boy and Pinkie included). The Page Museum/La Brea Tar Pits and LA County Museum of Art are other popular choices. So get to choosing.



#9. Go to a television shoot. With all the major studios just a few minutes away, get your tickets to a prime time sitcom or late night show before you make your trip. Make sure you're wearing something you won't be embarassed by.


#10. Walk around the Hollywood Reservoir. You wouldn't think 2.5 billion gallons of water are located just below the Hollywood sign. Take a 2-mile hike around the lake with fantastic views of the sign.


Don't...
-#1. Expect to move very fast on any SoCal freeway. Especially the 405..or 101, or 10...or 5..or the...

-#2. Think the ocean will be warm just because we have 3-digit heat. Frankly, the water's cold, murky...and not exactly healthy.

-#3. Have high hopes for the Hollywood/Vine/Sunset area. You'll find it isn't as clean or luxurious as shown in the movies.


So...enjoy your stay! We look forward to your visit.