Holliver

Hey,

I'm in need of the experience and wisdom from my fellow expats.

We're planning a day trip from San Diego to LA this Sunday and I wondered whether anyone could give me some ideas of places to visit. I've got the Lonely Planet California guide which I've been looking through but don't really know where to start. Chinatown seems like somewhere we'd like to go (but there isn't really any info in my book about it). Is there much to see, is it easy to access other spots from there? What are the must see spots, free things to do. Would it be best to plan south LA?

I've been to LA before, traffic was a nightmare, it took us about 45 mins to drive a 15 minute distance - so places that are relatively close by would be great. I visited the Griffith Observatory and a museum about the first people to arrive in LA (can't remember the name of it though, something Indian or Native American).

What are your recommendations? Or must avoid spots?

Thanks for your help

Oh, meant to say, as we live in San Diego we can visit LA more than once, so quality overrides quantity in things to do or see.

Ozzidoc

Getty, LACMA.

http://www.getty.edu/museum/

http://www.lacma.org/

A drive through Hollywood Hills.

Santa Monica.

Dewey

Avoid Pico-Union unless you're a big fan of Massive Attack.

Dewey

If you're downtown and are into church architecture, the cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is worth a look.

Holliver

Ok, thanks.

Ah, yes, the art galleries. I'll have a look to see what exhibitions they have on this weekend.

md95065

... in other words, avoid Los Angeles itself as much as possible ...

Good advice

Sally Redux

Chinatown is small I think.

Olvera St (earliest part of LA) in downtown is interesting.

Things we usually do with visitors:

Getty, LACMA, Amoeba Records and Hollywood star walk - not a huge amount in Hollywood but the Ripley's and Wax Museum aren't too bad - Venice, Santa Monica, and the Universal Studios studio tour is quite good.

markwm

Farmers Market/The Grove are okay if you like shopping and it leaves you close to the Beverly Center for even more shopping. Larchmont is cute, Melrose east of Fairfax is ok, Rodeo Drive (whch isn't far from the Beverly Center) - bit cheesy but ok. Depends on how long you've got and what you want to do.

Sally Redux

Andre's for local color http://www.andresitalian.com/

markwm

LOL: had to think about that for a minute.

That's been there for donkey's years, certainly seem to recall it was here when this happened: http://www.stanford.edu/~meehan/la/fairfax.htm which means I would add the La bRea tar pits and museum as somehwre to visit (right beside LACMA).

There is alos the LA Museum of the Holocaust set at the Beverly end of Pan Pacific park.

Sally Redux

Yes since 1963 apparently. It gives me a nice homely feeling because we liked living in that area, much more than Calabasas.

GeoffM

I wouldn't make a special trip to see Chinatown. It's small and there's not really much there.

markwm

I lived nearby in the 80s and was visiting the parents-in-law who lived in Park LaBrea when it went off. It was great neighborhood in those days; pretty much still is though we are about to move to the valley: I'll miss it.

Sally Redux

Scary.

Yes it's nice there. Whereabouts in the Valley?

Hotscot

Or spend a lovely day in Laguna Beach instead