Los Angeles Things to Do Tips by Erin74

The Hollywood Bowl is one of the greatest cultural landmarks in Los Angeles, and it's also one of the most fun places to spend a summer evening. Pack a picnic basket with dinner and wine. Then sit back under the stars and listen to the Philharmonic or the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Many of these shows are very popular (especially the movie-themed nights, like John Williams or the Sound of Music sing-a-long) and sell out quickly, so reserve tickets in advance.

The Hollywood Bowl's first concert was held on July 11, 1922. It is one of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of about 18,000. The Los Angeles Philharmonic has performed concerts here since opening in 1922-- and the Bowl is now also home to the wonderful Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. One of the most famous events here was in 1964 when The Beatles played at the Bowl! More than one million people attend concers here each summer. Come and experience the Hollywood Bowl!

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Phone: (323) 850 2000
Address: 2301 North Highland
Directions: From the 101 fwy., exit at Highland Blvd.
Website: http://www.hollywoodbowl.org

The Los Angeles Country Museum of Art (LACMA) has the best and broadest collection of art in Los Angeles. While the building is not as architecturally interesting as The Getty Center, LACMA is still the #1 place to visit if you are interested in art. The permenant collection here includes large amounts of American Art, European paintings & sculpture, ancient and Islamic Art, Chinese and Korean art, modern and contemporary art, photography, drawings and sketches, costumes and textiles and exciting touring collections.

LACMA regularly shows films in their theatres-- everything from student short films to retrospectives of the work of acclaimed directors. You can also listen to music at LACMA. In the summer there is free jazz on the patio. In the winter there are evening concerts indoors.

The gift shop here has wonderful art books, posters, jewelry and items related specifically to the collections.

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Phone: 323-857-6000
Address: 5905 Wilshire Boulevard; Los Angeles, CA 90036
Directions: On Wilshire Blvd. just east of Fairfax.
Website: http://www.lacma.org

Forget about Universal Studios (unless you have young children) and go take a tour of an actual studio. My favorite is the Warner Bros. tour. You'll watch a film about the studio's history, and then be driven around the lot on a cart and shown various elements of a working studio. Depending on what is shooting at the time, you'll usually be able to peek at a film or TV show in production. In summer, TV shows tend to be on hiatus, so you might just get to wander around the dark set. At the conclusion of the tour, you can walk through the Warner Bros. Musuem and see some amazing bits of film history (including James Dean's motorcycle).

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Phone: (818) 954-1744
Address: Intersection of Olive Ave, Pass Ave. and Barham
Directions: The studio is located in in Burbank (in the San Fernando Valley) just a few blocks southeast of NBC Studios and Disney Studios.
Website: http://wbsf.warnerbros.com

The Huntington Library and Gardens are in Pasadena, but it is really worth the 40 minute drive from L.A. to see them. The Gardens are spectacular-- from rose gardens to a Japanese garden-- and the art collection in the houses is wonderful. This is a great way to spend an afternoon! Also, The Huntington Gardens offers a formal English Tea which is very popular. You'll need to make reservations for the tea in advance.

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Phone: 626-405-2100
Address: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108
Website: http://www.huntington.org/

The Santa Monica Municipal Pier opened to the public on September 9, 1909, after sixteen months of construction. It is a 1,600-foot-long wooden pier which features restaurants, a Ferris Wheel, small roller coaster and carnival games-- not to mention sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the coastline.

The Pier is open 365 days a year and admission is free. Parking can be difficult or expensive, however. You can park in the garages up on 2rd Street and walk down or park on the beach for a higher fee.

On the Pier, play some vintage PacMan at the local arcade. Eat some cotton candy, get a henna tattoo. Then take a ride on the Ferris Wheel for amazing views of the coast.

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Address: 350 Santa Monica Pier
Website: http://www.downtownsm.com/

The Getty Center is one of the most disinctive architectural achievements in Los Angeles and an excellent place to spend an afternoon when you are in town.

The Getty Center was completed in 1997. While it doesn't have the sort of broad collection that LACMA has, the Getty Center does have a few interesting displays and pieces of art. The Getty's collection consists mainly of Greek and Roman antiquities, European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture, decorative arts, and European and American photographs.

Just as compelling as the art at the Getty is the wonderful architecture of the buildings and the panoramic views from the property. If you visit on a clear day, you can see the beach and downtown Los Angeles from here. Also, don't miss the beautiful gardens on the property. Be sure to bring your camera when you visit!

The museum itself is free, but you'll pay to park. Check the museum's website for details.

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Phone: 310.440.7330
Address: 1200 Getty Center Drive, LA, CA 90049
Directions: Exit the 405 onto Getty Center Drive. Follow the signs.
Website: http://www.getty.edu/museum/

The Farmer's Market has been a Los Angeles institution since 1934. Located at the corner of 3rd Street and Fairfax Ave. the market is a collection of food and vegetable stands, housed in an old wooden structure. Here, you'll find everything from farm-grown corn to exotic hot sauces and imported candy. There are also several sit-down restaurants, including the wonderful Kokomo cafe (try their pumpkin pancakes!), Du-Par's and Johnny Rockets. If you're hungry, this is the place to find what you want. There are also lots of souvinier trinkets to be had here and there is a popular karaoke event on weekends. The Farmer's market is a feast of smells and sights and a delightful place to visit (and eat!).

Right next door to the Farmer's Market is a new addition: The Grove shopping center. A large, open-air mall, The Grove looks like a mini-city, complete with a grassy common area (where musicians often play), outdoor cafes and a trolly that runs though the center of the mall, connecting The Grove to the Farmer's Market. The hub of activity at The Grove is the Grove 14 movie theatres, which are supposedly the highest-grossing movie theatres in the USA. Outside the theatres is a dancing fountain (a small scale version of the Bellagio's dancing fountain in Las Vegas). You'll find tons of shops here, from Banana Republic to Barnes & Noble to a large FAO Schwartz store. This is a really popular place for L.A. locals, so expect it to be packed on weekends.

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Address: 3rd and Fairfax, LA
Directions: At the intersection of 3rd Street and Fairfax Ave.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall just opened in 2003 and is the new home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A remarkable piece of architecture, the building has evoked comparisons to the Sydney Opera House and is surely one of the most significant new buildings in the USA. When you're in Los Angeles, you should stop by and see it!

Tours are set to begin in early 2004. You should contact Disney Hall directly for information and details.

Information about Disney Hall:

AREA: 293,000 square feet
Completion October, 2003

SEATING CAPACITY: 2,265 seats

COST: $274 million

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: Designed by internationally renowned architect, Frank Gehry, the 293,000-square-foot Concert Hall features a wavy, steel exterior designed to look like a ship with its sail at full mast. Gehry wanted to create the feeling of traveling along a ceremonial barge to music. The centerpiece of the Concert Hall, a 2,265-seat auditorium with natural lighting in which the audience surrounds the orchestra, was designed to look and feel like the ship's hull. The auditorium's curved wood ceiling is meant to evoke the feeling of billowing sails. The "vineyard" shape of the Hall with its curved wood ceiling is designed to retain the superb acoustical characteristics of a traditional "shoebox" style concert hall. Audience members surround the orchestra platform for a uniquely interactive and intimate experience.

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Phone: (213) 972-7211
Address: 135 North Grand Avenue; Los Angeles, CA 90012
Website: http://www.musiccenter.org/wdch/index.html

Mann's Chinese Theatre opened over 70 years ago and is one of the most famous landmarks in Los Angeles. The first film ever shown here was the silent film "King of Kings," produced by the legendary Cecil B. DeMille. Since then, the Chinese Theatre has been the site of more Hollywood movie premieres than any other theatre. The outside of the theatre was updated a few years ago, so it is more accessible than ever. This is a great place to see a movie while you are in town!

Mann's Chinese Theatre was orginally called Grauman's Chinese Theatre, after owner Sid Grauman. You'll still hear it refered to as such in Los Angeles. Sid was the one who came up with the idea of putting the stars' handprints and footprints in wet cement in front of the theatre in order to attract more customers. Now, the large entryway is covered with them. A little known fact.... Sid's co-owners were Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks!

Inside the theatre, there are 2,200 bright red seats and red carpeting. Overhead, a chandelier is set in the center of a large, ornate starburst, surrounded by a ring of dragons - which is, in turn, encircled by a ring of icons portraying scenes from Chinese drama. Smaller Oriental lamps glow at the sides of the auditorium, hanging between intricately-carved stone columns; black & white murals of trees and pagodas fill the spaces in between.

The Chinese Theatre now offers a half-hour guided walking tour of the theatre. The charge is $5 (and kids under 5 are free). The tour takes guests inside the historic theatre, and the guide tells guests about the the history of the theatre, the footprints in the forecourt, the architecture, and the premieres that have been held there.

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Phone: (323) 464-8111
Address: 6925 Hollywood Blvd.
Directions: The Chinese Theatre is located at the northeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Orange Drive, just west of Highland Avenue, and just eleven blocks west of the corner of Hollywood & Vine.
Website: http://mann.moviefone.com/services/graumanmain.adp

There are many old and wonderful movie theatres in Los Angeles, many of them dating from the silent era and decorated with lavish, themed embelishments. The Vista is a great example of an old theatre and a fun place to see a movie while you're in town.

The screen here isn't large, so maybe it's not a great place to see a big, highly visual epic (like Lord of the Rings or Braveheart)... but that's about the only downside here. The prices can't be beat ($8 adult tickets) and the seats are very comfortable (some have about 6 feet of leg room in front!). Also, the decor here is wonderful! It's a sort of Egyptian theme, with colorful sconces and busts of Egyptian figures placed all around the room. The ceiling is very colorful and interesting, as well.

Out front, there is a mini-walk of fame, featuring handprints from a few stars and a number of interesting local personalities.

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Phone: (323) 660-6639
Address: 4473 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90027
Directions: At the intersection of Sunset and Hillhurst, in the neighborhood called Silverlake.