The Getty Center and other Los Angeles, CA Things to Do Tips

Los Angeles is fortunate to have several excellent museums of art. The Getty Center is one of them. It has an excellent collection of Impressionist paintings. Van Gogh's "Irises" is on display there. Its collection of paintings by the Old Masters is equally impressive.

The Getty Center's stunning architecture is beautifully complemented by its gardens. It sits on top of a hill so you need to take a tram to get there. It has many places where you can sit, relax, and enjoy either the art or the view.

Admission to the museum is free. It is closed Mondays.

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Phone: 310-440-7300
Address: 1200 Getty Center Drive, LA, CA 90049
Directions: Exit the 405 onto Getty Center Drive. Follow the signs.
Website: http://www.getty.edu/

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is a big museum. You may need a couple of days to really see its exhibits. They have the usual dinosaur and early mammal (cenozoic) exhibits. They also have dioramas showing African and North American mammals in their environment. I especially like the exhibits on American History and California History. They have many other exhibits including a stunning one on gems and minerals. It's definitely an information overload.

The museum is located at Exposition Park so there are many other attractions nearby. Within walking distance are the Rose Garden, the California Science Center with its IMAX theatre, the Aerospace Museum, the Afro-American Museum, L.A. Sports Arena, and L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Across the street is the USC Fisher Gallery which currently shows the works of four photographers.

The DASH Route F shuttle bus stops in front of the museum. Admission is free every first Tuesday of the month. Usually, adult admission is $9 while admission for kids 5-12 is $2.

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Phone: 213-763-DINO
Address: 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007
Website: http://www.nhm.org/

For ages, the La Brea Tar Pits have entombed many animals that were not able to escape its sticky grasp. A statue of a stricken mammoth calling out to its helpless family (see picture) illustrates the tar pits' role in natural selection.

Scientists were able to recover the bones of many animals that died in the tar pits. Many, like mammoths, mastodons, ground sloths, and sabertoothed cats, are already extinct. Skeletons of these ancient animals are on display at the nearby Page Museum.

You can see the tar pits for free. Adult admission price at the Page Museum is $7, however. If you go there on the first Tuesday of the month, you get to enter the museum for free.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Arts (LACMA) is adjacent to the tar pits. You may want to check it out, too.

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Phone: 323-934-PAGE
Address: 5801 Wilshire Blvd.
Directions: It's in Hancock Park, at Wilshire and Curson.
Website: http://www.tarpits.org/

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is a great museum with an excellent (and eclectic) art collection. There is something for everybody. My favorites include American Art, 16th- and 17th-Century English Art, and European Painting and Sculpture.

LACMA is also noted for the fine architecture of its buildings which works in complete harmony with its sculpture gardens. It is very visitor-friendly. I feel at ease there.

Adult admission price is $9. If you go there on the second Tuesday of the month, you'll get in for free. If you have time and are into natural history, you may want to visit the nearby La Brea Tar Pits.

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Phone: 323-857-6000 (general informatio
Address: 6060 Wilshire Blvd. LA
Website: http://www.lacma.org/

Hollywood Boulevard is a long road. Its most interesting stretch is roughly bounded by Vine and Highland Streets. That's where you'll find Pantages Theatre, the Egyptian, Musso & Frank Grill, several museums, Hollywood and Highland Mall, Kodak Theatre, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and El Capitan Theatre.

In front of the Chinese Theatre, you'll find Superman, Crocodile Dundee, Wonder Woman, Frankenstein, etc. milling with the crowd. Well, this is Hollywood. The courtyard of Grauman's has the foot- and handprint of stars cast in concrete. This is a popular tourist destination. This is where many locally-taped shows recruit their audience. This is also where you can join a tour of stars' homes.

Once in a while, you'll see a publicity stunt (see picture). Only in Hollywood... You may also chance upon a movie premiere or an award show. Their red carpet is where you can see some stars. Or you may see a star getting his/her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That's how I saw Kevin Costner, Harrison Ford, Nicole Kidman, and Jackie Chan in person

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Website: http://www.hollywoodchamber.net/

The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena is one of Los Angeles County's great museums of art. I particularly like their collection of Impressionist paintings. Edgar Degas is well-represented with many of his paintings and sculptures on display. The most famous among them is probably this sculpture of a young ballerina titled "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen."

They also have on display several of Van Gogh's important paintings. The "Portrait of the Artist's Mother," the "Portrait of Patience Escalier," and "The Mulberry Tree" are there, for example.

Aside from the Impressionists, the museum has a fine collection of Old Masters like Rembrandt and Rubens. Their collection of Modern Art as exemplified by the works of Picasso is equally impressive. Mr. Norton Simon's eclectic taste included Indian and Southeast Asian art. The lower level of the museum is dedicated to the display of this collection.

Adult admission fee is $6. The museum is closed Tuesdays.

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Phone: 626-449-6840
Address: 411 West Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91105
Website: www.nortonsimon.org

If you're a baseball fan and it's baseball season, you may want to watch a ball game at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are always competitive and Dodger Stadium is considered as one of the best ballparks in the country. Watching a Dodgers game with thousands of screaming fans while eating a Dodger Dog is definitely an experience.

Tickets go for as low as $6. Shuttle bus service between Patsaouras Transit Plaza (beside Union Station) and Dodger Stadium is provided by MTA for Friday night home games. Round-trip fare is only $2.

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Address: 1000 Elysian Park Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Website: www.dodgers.com

Santa Monica is a separate city from its neighbor, the City of Los Angeles. It is basically a coastal city. Its charming and unique character reflects this geographical fact.

There are many reasons to visit Santa Monica. Among them are its public beaches, Third Street Promenade, and Santa Monica Pier. Even Main Street, which also has fine shops and restaurants, is worth a visit.

The Tide Shuttle Bus takes you to these attractions. Fare is only 25 cents.

By the way, if you want to hit two birds with one stone then visit nearby Venice Beach while you are in Santa Monica. Just take Big Blue Bus #1 (fare: 75 cents) in front of Santa Monica Place and get off at Windward Circle. From there, the beach is just a few blocks to the west.

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Address: PCH in Santa Monica
Directions: Take I-10 West until the end.

For surface streets, go west on Wilshire Blvd. until you see the Pacific Ocean.

MTA Bus Routes 20 and 720 connects Downtown L.A. with Santa Monica via Wilshire Blvd.
Website: www.santamonica.com

Universal Studios Hollywood (USH) is the nearest theme park to the City of Los Angeles. You can easily get there via MTA Red Line subway trains.

USH is not only a theme park; it is also a working studio where movies and television shows are produced. The Studio Tour gives you a glimpse of some movie-making magic. For example, you'll see a typical cowboy movie set where some doors are scaled smaller to make the average-sized stars look bigger.

The theme park is relatively smaller than most theme parks. Its attractions can be described as eclectic. There's a stunt show (Waterworld). There's also a 3D show (Terminator 2) and a 4D show (Shrek). Jurassic Park The Ride is still popular. There's a new ride called Revenge of the Mummy. Back To The Future The Ride is still going strong.

After your tour of Universal Studios Hollywood, explore Universal CityWalk which is just outside the park. It has many shops and restaurants. It also has many movie theatres. They say that the place really rocks at night.

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Website: www.universalstudioshollywood.com

For some reason, Venice Beach reminds me of a carnival. Perhaps, it's the weird and wonderful street performers. Or it could be the many shops and food stalls catering to the tourist trade. Maybe, it's the people just doing their thing: biking, rollerblading, lifting weights at Muscle Beach, swimming, sunbathing, people watching, etc.

Just walk along Ocean Front Walk and you'll know what I mean. If you have the time, visit also the canals of Venice nearby. Marina del Rey is likewise within walking distance.

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Directions: Venice Beach is sandwiched between Santa Monica and Marina del Rey. Go west on Venice Blvd. and you'll definitely hit the beach.
Website: www.venicebeach.com