I’m heading off to attend a conference in Los Angeles in late March and have tacked an extra day onto the beginning of my trip – as per usual.
As I’ve only been to L.A. a couple of times and only for very short durations, I haven’t seen or done much more than shop on Rodeo Drive, a movie star home tour, trip along the Walk of Fame and stroll the beach and pier in Santa Monica.
This time I’m contemplating either the Universal or Warner Bros. studio tours, seeing the Dr. Phil Show, maybe checking out the Fashion District or the The J. Paul Getty Museum.
So, tell me… what would you do with one day in Los Angeles? Got any other suggestions or ideas? Appreciate anything you have to offer!
Anthony says
Rosalind,
I live in Santa Monica and have a connection at the Getty in Brentwood. Let me know if you’d like to visit. Have a safe trip.
Anthony
Cindy Daoust says
Well, I’d go to Disneyland. But I’m a real Disney fan and had an annual pass when I lived in LA.
But my real advice is to head north to Santa Barbara. It’s a beautiful drive and a charming city. Whether you want an outdoor experience or just an elegant lunch and shopping – it’s a great place to visit. And you’ll get a nice break from LA.
Enjoy!
Cindy
Stephen Carter says
Hey, don’t waste your time going to a Dr. Phil show. Seriously, you can see the guy on the tube any day of the week.
Universal Studios is a great place to visit if you want to get that “L.A. is all about Hollywood” feel. It’s a lot of fun too. Worth a visit.
There is also the nearby Griffith Observatory, which was closed for 4 years or so while they restored it. Don’t worry, it’s a lot more than a telescope. It’s like an exhibition devoted to all things celestial. It’s so popular that you have to get tickets months in advance, I believe. I haven’t been there in 10 or so years, but I understand it’s one of those things worth putting on the list. I’m sure you can find out more about it on the web.
On the other side of the hill is the L.A. Zoo. There is a new gorilla exhibit that takes up what seems like a third of the park at the center. They have been building this for years and now it is finally open. I haven’t been yet, but if you like zoos, the L.A. zoo is more than decent.
Further around the same hill is Travel Town, where you can find old locomotives collected there for train enthusiasts to enjoy. Next door to that is Live Steamers, which is mini trains you can hop on and ride for 5 minutes at a time (but this is only open on Sundays).
A bit further away, on WestWood Drive, is the La Brea Tar Pits. This is the site of about a half dozen tar pits that have managed to suck in mammoths, sabre tooth, tigers, wolves, and who knows what else over the years. It’s quite odd to find this place in the center of a built up area with traffic and office buildings surrounding it. They have constructed a museum on the site dedicated to the history of the pits and you’ll find lots of reconstructed skeletons, and so on in there. It’s one of those places that kids love to go and you never mind taking them.
The Getty Museum. That’s OK too if you want a really peaceful day. It’s up on a hill outside the LA area. Very quiet up there and you get to look out across L.A. Maybe a little boring unless you’re really into art.
My last suggestion is the Longbeach Aquarium. This is worth a look in, if you have time to get down that way. But that’s about an hour’s drive south of where you’ll be.
OK. That’s my take on things to do in L.A. Enjoy your time there. Heck, maybe you’ll even stay another day!
Michael Rytter says
Disneyland! San Diego Zoo! Sea World in San Diego! Legoland!
I used to spend roughly 5 days a week down there, but my vocation radically changed 15 years ago, now we only get down there once every couple of years.
Still love it though. We are going again in March. Taking our eight year old daughter to Disneyland…should be a blast!
Michael Rytter
Chilliwack, BC