Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler What to do in LA?

I am going to be in Los Angeles again for work starting on July 25th for a few days.

I've got some usual "things to do" while I am there, such as going to the Griffith Observatory, drive the PCH and Mulholland Drive, and while I want to scope out some things to do for when I take my family next year, I want to focus on non-kid stuff, and of course, if it is free then it is even better.

Anyone have any ideas?

There's the Peterson Automotive Museum, that's pretty cool. Conveniently across the street from The The Tar Tar Pits. (aka The La Brea Tar Pits).

Dang... for a second there it looked like Louisiana (LA).

Maybe next time.

Oh, I should also mention that my wife will be joining me. While I am at work, she may need some things to do that are close to the hotel (Staying at the Embassy Suites in Glendale).

Scott, unfortunately, I have never been to your neck of the woods and my job won't take me there.

I managed to get tickets to see the taping of The Tonight Show. I don't watch it (much), but it will be fun to see live. Of course, I may have to fake "laugh" at some of the jokes.

There's a little dead end street off LaCienga (near LAX) where you can park and watch all the jets come in at about 250' directly overhead.

Venice Beach is a good place to kill a couple of hours people gawking.

Check out the new Disney Theatre in dwntn. LA. Amazing curved steel bldg by Frank Ghery.

The LA Zoo isn't bad--not San Diego, but not much else is. You'll be near there when @ Griffith. You'll also be near the Gene Autry Cowboy Museum.

Walk of Fame is free. So is "browsing" at Frederick's of Hollywood. They have live models who display the fashions now. Go now, before you have the family with you on the next trip.

You could do a drive-by @ 9292 Bundy. Might wanna save that for the family.

Then Chinatown, Little Japan, etc., also dwntn.

I love L.A.!

I've always liked the Museum of Natural History, but that's could be because of childhood memories.

It's great! And LA County Museum is right there. Japanese Pavilllion is kinda cool, and quick to see.

I won't mention the Museum of Science and Industry, since that's definitely a kid one. There's the Aerospace Museum there, too, I think.

Sweet. Keep the ideas coming. I am thinking about taking my wife to see the Korean Friendship Bell and then going down to the lagoons by the ocean for an hour or so too.

Dumb question, what is "9292 Bundy"??? I was thinking an address maybe, but google had no clue..

Do a drive by on a rival gang?

The LA Rising Festival is on July 30 and you could see Rage Against The Machine aka THE BEST Rock and Roll band IN HISTORY!

If you're in LA on the 30th, Nick, and don't attend, I'll hack your Axiom account and permanently change your moniker to PUSSY!

If you are a meat lover, eat here. My friend just went and loved it.

http://www.animalrestaurant.com/

A bunch of friends are into what's called a Paleo diet, kind of a new version of Atkins but more sustainable. This restaurant qualifies.

Rage Against The Machine does have some good "tunes". Haven't listened to them in a while... But alas, I won't be there. I fly home on the 29th.

That is a crazy sample menu for the 'animal restaurant'...

My wife probably wouldn't like it, but I am looking for dining options too. Nothing too fancy (on a budget) and nothing too unusual. She loves pasta for example, neither of us like seafood.

I like that place, too, Ken.

Also, the Aquarium of the Pacific is pretty enjoyable. It's in Long Beach.

Nick, since you're going to Griffith Observatory, you'll probably take in a show at the Planetarium. Another thing to do is to go in the evening to have a look through their 12" refractor. There's about an hour of darkness before they close at 10:00.

That sounds interesting. I haven't been in a planetarium in a long time...

I did the planetarium show last time I was there (December 2010) which was pretty cool and I think that it is a new show now.

Every time I've been there, it is either cloudy or the telescope is closed for one reason or another. I will definitely try again.

As for the Aquarium of the Pacific, I heard that it was pretty small. Is it worth the $25 or so?

I probably got the numbers wrong. Maybe it was 9294??

Anyway, it was OJ's crime scene.

I was in LA shortly afterward for a conference and had students with me. As soon as we got into the rental car @ LAX, it was the first place they wanted to go.

And, of course, I was kidding. Nothing to see there, folks. Move along, move along.

Find an In-N-Out somewhere. Excellent fast-food burgers.

For an odd-ball, change of pace experience, up in Hollywood, the Scientology anti-psychiatry "museum". It's called, "Psychiatry, an Industry of Death" or something like that. The experience of seeing a real life modern propaganda building was just funny to me. Good for sh!ts and giggles, anyway.

Eat at any taco stand anywhere. The more out of the way the better. You will never get a better $4 meal.

Watch out on the freeways, people in LA drive like maniacs.

Go to the ocean. It's everywhere. Just enjoy it.

I'm off to Los Angeles in the morning. It will be nice to have some decent weather for a few days (about 10F cooler than here in Iowa). Should be a good trip.

So I am 10 days out from the family trip that I was thinking about when I started this thread almost a year ago.

Some of the things that made the final "for sure" to do list are:
LA Live
Disney Concert Hall
Hollywood Sign
Griffith Observatory
Universal Studios
Hollywood Blvd
Beverly Hills
Mulholland Drive
Sight Seeing Tour
Star's Homes
Hollywood Bowl
Movie Premiere - Spiderman
Getty Center
Korean Friendship Bell - Lunch
Tide Pools
Disneyland
Venice Beach Canals
Randy's Donuts
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Beach/Shopping
Drive PCH to Malibu
Palisades Park, Santa Monica
Movie Shoot Locations
TV Show Taping


Being a techy and organized (albeit maybe "overkillish") guy, I put these, and some others that didn't make this list, into an excel spreadsheet with an estimated amount of time needed at each location, how much it would cost (minus food), the general area so that some things could be grouped together, and any special notes about it.

We were going to do the Rainbow Harbor Boat Tour to see the whales, but the family didn't want to drop $160+ tax, travel, food to have teh *possibility* to see whales.

The tar pits didn't make the list either. Too educational for my wife and oldest.

Chinatown or Little Tokyo were on my list, but they axed them too. And yet they are fine to drop some dough to drive around on a "star's home" tour. I told them that they won't see anything but gates and hedges, and I can't in good concience pay for that, so I told them that we would do a different tour and then I will drive them past some of the star's homes. I managed to get what is supposed to be a "real" and current list of where a couple dozen stars actually own homes, so we will do that ourselves.

Lots to do in the 8.5 days that we are there, but we'll get through it.

If it was me, I'd probably just want to sit at the Pier all day. Good thing we're not going together.

Sounds like a pretty ambitious list. I think you should add "gt intimately acquainted with the bumper of the car in front of me" between each of the sites you have listed there.

I think it's probably a little ambitious... esp considering the distances involved. My choices on your list would probably be something like this:
Disney Concert Hall
Griffith Observatory
Universal Studios
Hollywood Bowl
Getty Center
Tide Pools
Disneyland
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Beach/Shopping

add in The The Tar Tar Pits and the Peterson Automotive museum, and you're set. Maybe add in the Natural History Museum, 'cause who doesn't want to see a 30 foot long partially decayed fish preserved in alcohol?

Uh-oh. I'm having to seriously thing about changing my mind from all day at the pier.

Nick, I really think Ken is on target. I'm a maniac traveler, and your list is like a 16-hour-per-day, full-tilt push, without traffic issues, as Peter mentioned.

Ken's list, though you and your family may want to substitute some things, is much more realistic and allows you all a little time to have fun OUT OF THE CAR.

Not sure if this was mentiioned, too lazy to read back lol. but the computer history museum for me would be a must see. Its in mountainview california.

http://www.computerhistory.org/exhibits/

Why drive everywhere? Why not use the subway?!










HA ha!

Now THAT would be a drive, Socketman... 6 hours, no traffic.

So, you're saying about 17 hours?

Leave LA around 8 AM, hit the SF Bay Area in late afternoon... yeah, that's about right, Mark.

If you leave LA at 8 AM, it could be 17 hours before you get to Bakersfield. And if there's fog in the Grapevine, you may not get there at all. JP's right. Use the subway. Get on in Santa Monica, so you'll all be sure to have a seat. I'll come with you. Just keep your eyes on me and get off at the stop before I do.

We'll see how we do on the list. You would be surprised what I've been able to do while in LA in the past. Heck, I did a chunk of that list in a couple of (long) evenings and 2 full days.

One note, a few things will split the family. My youngest daughter is 13 and can't go to a TV show taping (anything that she was old enough for was Disney channel crap shows that you can't get ticket for because they "sell out" instantly), by my oldest wants to do one, so there is about 4-5 hours that my wife and her will sit and wait to get in, plus watch the taping. My youngest and I will tackle some other stuff at that time.

Also, a number of things are drive-by or short stops or "kill two birds with one stone"...
We won't actually stop at the Disney Concert Hall. The family wants to see the building, but it isn't high on their list to stop at. Also LA Live will be a 2-birds thing with us going there some evening for dinner at a restaurant.

Movie shoot locations will be just finding a couple of spots where they filmed some recognizable scene from a movie that the family has seen. Since 9/11 it is pretty much impossible to get a list of what is shooting where for the day, so we aren't going to worry about any live shooting.

Those things alone will really trim down the amount of time required, plus like I said we will group things together and some of the long days will actually be Univerisal (even though they aren't open super late), Disney, and then the Hollywood Blvd day which will include the 2 hour tour.

Abitious? Yes. Doable? Sure. Enjoyable? THAT is the important part. If we don't get to everything, then we don't get to it. Oddly the low thing on the list that gains us the most time back is Disney. I thought that it would have been high on the family list, but they know that a lot of it is the same as what they've already done at Disneyworld, only a lot smaller. Plus it is the most expensive thing that we would do.

I will definately report back after the 4th of July when we get home on how we did.

Do I win anything if we do it all and still had a good time?

L.A. subway passes.

helicoptor baby im techy right to my guts. could not go to la and not see that.

If I had to go to LA, I'd get a hot hooker for a night, then spend the remainder of the trip locked in my hotel room. Otherwise, I'd take a street sweeper (no, not the cleaning machine) down Rodeo Drive.

That may not fit Mrs. Nicks idea of a family vacation!

"May" is the operative word.....

I've been living here in LA since '94...here's some things I suggest you not miss (some you've already noted).

Griffith Observatory Historical, brainy, AMAZING views of the city. Just plain great.

Randy's Donuts Best damn donuts EVER. You'd think a gimmicky place like this would suck - you'd be wrong!

Museum of Tolerance Not the feel-good museum of the year, but very, very well done. Makes you want to be a better person. Highly recommended.

Amoeba Music Best selection of used music and movies on the planet. Warning: you could spend HOURS here!

Upright Citizens Brigade Theater Live comedy. 'Nuff said.

Grauman's Chinese Theater You can't come to LA and not see the hand and foot prints outside the Chinese Theater (as well as the walk of fame!)

See Brave at the El Capitan . STUNNING theater!

Take a studio tour! Universal Studios Tour or Warner Bros. Studio Tour

Magic Mountain If you like roller coasters you gotta go here!

Want to shop? LA has some great outdoor shopping areas. The Grove, Century City Mall and the Third Street Promenade. (Third Street is the least "mall-like" and always has lots of fun street performers!)

Have a great trip!

Awesome! Thanks for the links. I was looking for some shopping areas for my wife and kids in Santa Monica while I am at work for a couple of days. Some of the other stuff is already on the list, but a number of items aren't. We will have to look and see what we might add/change/adjust.

Thanks!

Delta Airlines was kind enough to call me at 3:15am that my 6:15am flight was delayed until 8:00am. I would really have appreciated that had they not already called me and emailed me at 11:20pm last night with the same information. Oh and then they called again right afterwards for the same thing since my family is travelling under two reservations. At least I didn't get to the airport and sit here for an extra 105 minutes... Of course it started storming this morning and now there is talk of being further delayed even though it is fine right now and he are half way between the orignal departure and the delayed time. I say let's go!

I wish I could be annoyed like that. Air Canada only calls us names.

Going to see Brave at the El Capitan theater in Hollywood. The movie is in 3D and featuring the new, 128 channel, Dolby Atmos sound. Should be fun.

You lucky so-and-so.

Indeed; and note that Patrick Doyle, who composed the score for Brave, will be the guest tomorrow night on Jim Svejda's music program on KUSC.

If that is how a movie is supposed to sound, I am clearly not watching mine loud enough. VERY impressive imaging. Besides a flawless sound field everywhere, the overhead arrays were neat. Subtle and not an overpowering "wow" factor all.of the time, but the scene with the rain hitting a make shift roof as impressive. I dont see how this would really help much in a home theater since it takes a massive space to work....

Oh and the El Capitan Theatre was amazing. There was a live show before the movie, a lot of pomp and circumstance... Awesome experience..

Can you believe it? We have 1 day left and are racking our brains as what to do. We got almost all of our list done (skipped Disney) and a bunch of other stuff that wasn't on the original list, but now we are struggling with what to do Monday. Our flight leaves at 11:00 pm (yuck, red-eye) so we have most of the day. We could always go back to Universal since we have a free 2nd day, but it would only be for about 3 rides.... We'll find something I am sure...

Venice Beach.

Keep your eyes out for the men with short shorts and no shirts on roller skates. Maybe take a few pictures for Bob.

Aren't there women with short shorts and no shirts on roller skates?

Fixed it for ya, RandyCam style.

Hey, wasn't the RandyCam what they used to get the POV concert footage for Negative Orange's live Blu Ray?

I don't know, but I bet CV has a bunch of five-fingered red marks on his face to prove it.

We went to Venice Beach yesterday. Saw lots of interesting people...

WHAT ARE YOU DOING POSTING, MAN, YOU'VE GOT STUFF TO DO!

Especially the one with the Fender and the battery amp on his back who plays Hendrix only. The guy who used to juggle chainsaws was pretty good, too! Whoa!

did i miss..


Do some blow off a hooker?

Or, was it left out?

Oh, it's called a "Hugh Grant."

Yeah, Nick.. Try one of those.. Bob approves.

We did see the guy skating around playing the guitar. Saw LAPD have to remove someone who was dancing to the music of this guy trying to cell CDs. She was a bit inappropriate and definitely not quite with it. Now we are down to the last couple of hours. Traffic is bad all over, so we are going to hit up a saltwater fish store, grab some food, and head to the airport. Full report to come.

Hugh Grant.

Letterman leads Leno in the ratings.

Hugh Grant apologizes on Leno.

Leno takes over ratings lead and never looks back.

So they've taken down a President AND Letterman?

Wow.

So we survived. A lot lighter in the pocket, but we'll recover from that too.

We did really well with everything. So much that on the last day, we were struggling to decide what to do. We did change some things on the fly, but still hit a majority of the stuff, and added a few others. Below is the list and I put a "Yes" or "No" after each item if we did it...



We got through everything but scrapped Disney and we did our own sight seeing tour.

We added:
Cirque du Soleil - Iris show
Brave at the El Capitan Theatre (Dolby Atmos)
Warner Brothers Studio Tour
Driving to Redondo Beach andand eating at Old Tony's
Visited 3 pet stores specializing in parrots (my youngest LOVES bird) and held/played with dozens of small/medium/large parrots
Went to an aquarium
Swam in the pool
Ate at just about every burger joint possible (Five Guys is my favorite for taste, but isn't cheap and is HORRIBLE for you)
Went to Pinks to get a very good hot dog ($36 for 4 of us for hot dogs... Crazy)
Took the family to a Churrascaria
Oogled over some of the nice cars in the area. Bentlys, Porsches, and Ferraris are too common. Lambos were a little harder to find, but I liked the McLarens, Maseratis, Aston Martins, and Audi R8s. I like the Pagoni and Bugatti best though since I only saw 1 of each of them.

I loved driving, even in the traffic. Gave me something to do than just mindlessly drive. I was good at crossing all of the lanes of traffic eficiently to get into the HOV or to my exits.

I did learn though that everyone in the Los Angeles area with a Mercedes is a jacka$$. If someone is cutting you off, not givng you room to merge, changing lanes right into someone else and expecting the other person to move, then they are the ones driving the Mercedes. My wife noticed this too.

So overall, we got a heck of a lot done. Keep in mind that I also was in the office for a few days (while my family did the Santa Monica beach and shopping stuff).

I am sure that I am forgetting a couple of things, but I knew that we would get through a lot in our time there.

I will say this though. Even with free flights (normally $650 round trip each), free rental car (premium class), 1/2 of the hotel covered, and a few hundred $$$ for food and parking, it was horribly expensive. I mean, we spent well over $1000 in food, and most meals were reasonably priced. We spent several hundred bucks just in parking since you have to pay EVERYWHERE.

While the family had a great time, they also said that they don't feel a need to go back any time soon. I think that they are used to the Florida trips that we've done so much in the past where you drive at or above speed limits, can get to any of the parks in a matter of minutes, have warm air and water temps at the beach, don't have to pay to park everywhere, and can eat for a lot less.


Still, a great family trip. Thanks to everyone that offered up ideas.

Now, I have 3 weeks to recover before heading to North Myrtle Beach for an extended family vacation with the in-laws.

Wow, action packed. You should have filmed a reality TV show of the trip.

Nick, I'm glad you got to experience so many things during your visit to L.A.

Man, it makes me tired just thinking about doing all that stuff in a short period!