Things to Do in Los Angeles

Marilyn Monroe? 6774 Hollywood Blvd. James Dean? 1719 Vine St. Elvis Presley? 6777 Hollywood Blvd. No, not last known addresses, just the exact spot for the brass star honoring these celebrities on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
These stars and many others are sought out, worshiped, photographed, and stepped on day after day long this stretch of sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard. Since 1960 more than 2,000 performers - from legends to long-forgotten bit-part players - have been honored with a pink-marble, five-pointed sidewalk star.
Follow this celestial sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard between La Brea Avenue and Gower Street, and along Vine Street between Yucca Street and Sunset Boulevard.

One of LA's most distinguishing icons, the famous HOLLYWOOD sign proudly stands on the hillside of the Hollywood Hills, overlooking its namesake city and the movie industry it has come to symbolize.
LA's most famous landmark first appeared on its hillside perch in 1923, as a advertising gimmick for a real-estate development called Hollywoodland. Each letter stands 50 feet (15 m) tall and is made of sheet metal painted white.
Once aglow with 4,000 light bulbs, the sign even had its own caretaker, who lived behind the letter L until 1939. The last four letters were lopped off in the 1940s as the sign started to crumble along with the rest of Hollywood. In the late 1970s, Alice Cooper and Hugh Hefner joined forces with fans and other celebrities to save the famous symbol.

Stand in the footprints of your favorite silver-screen legends in the courtyard of this grand movie palace. The exotic pagoda theater - complete with temple bells and stone Heaven Dogs from China - has shown movies since 1927. In fact, it's still a studio favorite for star-studded premieres, captivating crowds of all ages.
It's somewhat of a tourist rite of passage to compare your hands and feet with the famous prints set in cement at the entrance court. There are some 160 celebrity squares to discover including R2D2's wheels, Jimmy Durante's nose, Betty Grable's legs, or Whoopi Goldberg's braids. Rumor has it that the tradition was started when silent film star Norma Talmadge accidentally stepped in wet cement the night of the theater's premier of Cecil B. DeMille's King of Kings.

This legendary 1.5-mile stretch of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood extends east-west from Beverly Hills to Hollywood, laid end to end with music venues, comedy clubs, boutiques, restaurants and hotels that attract music, TV, film and fashion celebrities. An assault to the senses in terms of both traffic and visuals, the Sunset Strip is studded with a trademark array of huge, colorful advertising billboards.
First developed as a haven for Prohibition-flouting bars and casinos in the 1920s, rising to prominence in the 1930s and '40s for its glamorous nightclubs full of Hollywood glitterati, and eventually becoming a magnet for the hippie counterculture in the 1960s, the Strip hit its most lasting stride in the 1970s and early '80s, when the drug and fashion excesses of disco, glam metal, rock'n'roll and stand-up comedy made the area both famous and infamous.

One of the largest urban green spaces in the country, Griffith Park is a wonderful playground for all ages and interests. The park embraces an outdoor theater, the city zoo, and observatory, two museums, golf courses, tennis courts, playgrounds, bridle paths, hiking trails, Batman's caves, and even the Hollywood sign.
For astronomy buffs, the landmark Griffith Observatory opens a window on the universe in its planetarium with the world's most advanced star projector; the Big Picture, a floor-to-ceiling digital image of the universe bursting with galaxies and stars; and rooftop telescopes. At the Los Angeles Zoo, you can wander among some 1,200 finned, feathered and furry friends, which promises to enthrall the kids.
Also here is the delightful Travel Town Museum, with its displays of dozens of vintage railcars and locomotives; the Bronson Caves, where scenes from Batman and Star Trek were filmed; the Museum of the American West.

Southern California’s quintessential bohemian playground, Venice Beach is a haven for artists, New Agers, homeless people, and free spirits of all stripes. This is where Jim Morrison and the Doors lit their fire, where Arnold Schwarzenegger pumped himself to stardom, and where Julia Roberts and Dennis Hopper make their homes today.
Life on Venice Beach moves to a different rhythm and nowhere more so than on the famous Venice Boardwalk, officially known as Ocean Front Walk. It’s a nonstop Mardi Gras of fortune tellers, street musicians, and characters of all colors, shapes, and sizes. This is where to get your hair braided, your karma corrected, and your back massaged qigong–style.
Encounters with hoop dreamers, a Speedo-clad snake charmer and a roller-skating Sikh minstrel are pretty much guaranteed, especially on hot summer days. The Sunday-afternoon drum circle draws hundreds of revelers for tribal playing and spontaneous dancing.

Whether it’s hiking or horseback riding, biking or busing, there are plenty of ways to explore the well-heeled neighborhood of Hollywood Hills. Its famous bright white Hollywood sign has become an iconic California image and its panoramic views of downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley have made it worth venturing outside the city for tourists hoping to capture the perfect sunset picture.
Travelers can climb to the top of Mt. Hollywood or wander through scenic Griffith Park. John Anson Ford Theater, the Hollywood Bowl, the Hollywood Reservoir and Forest Lawn Memorial Park are also popular sites on a visit to this famed high-rent neighborhood, but visitors would do just as well to drive around the quiet streets taking in some of the most classic (and impressive) residential architecture in California.


LA Live
L.A. Live is at the heart of the action in downtown Los Angeles. It is the sports, music, and entertainment hub surrounding venues like the Staples Center and Los Angeles Convention Center. The energetic collection of nightclubs, restaurants, venues, movie theaters, and even museums truly has something for everyone. A few highlights include the iconic Conga Room, the Nokia Theater, and Lucky Strikes and Lounge bowling center. L.A. Live is also home to the GRAMMY Museum and its decades of music industry history.
With more than twenty restaurants there plenty of dining options. Some of Los Angeles’s best luxury hotels can be in surrounding skyscrapers. Live entertainment and special events are frequent, and award shows and red carpets can also be seen here on a regular basis. The ever-modern structures and lights of L.A. Live are set to continue to expand, so we can expect much more entertainment to come out of this cultural center in years to come.
More Things to Do in Los Angeles

Universal CityWalk
Universal CityWalk is a 3-block-long stretch is filled with restaurants, shops, bars, and entertainment venues, all glittering and glossy. It is an unabashedly commercial fantasy promenade. It's also the place to go before or after your visit to nearby Universal Studios.
Start with the flashy name-brand stores, such as Billabong, Fossil, Abercrombie & Fitch, or take in a film at the six-story 3-D IMAX theater or the the 18-screen CityWalk Cinemas. There’s even NASCAR virtual racing and an indoor sky-diving wind tunnel. Restaurants include the Hard Rock Café, Daily Grill, and Saddle Ranch. And if you’re staying late, check out the nightclubs including Howl at the Moon, the dueling piano bar or Rumba Room Latin dance club. And if you’d just rather relax, stop in at the Zen Zone to indulge in a 20-minute "aqua massage,” where you lay down fully clothed atop a rubber sheet and feel strong rotating jets of water massage your backside from neck to toe.

Dolby Theatre
Renamed in 2012 when sponsor Eastman Kodak filed for bankruptcy, this 180,000-square-foot, 3,400-seat theater now showcases Dolby Laboratories' state-of-the-art sound technologies. Situated in the popular Hollywood & Highland mall complex, the elegant Dolby Theatre hosts both the Academy Awards and Cirque du Soleil's Iris, a resident stage show which celebrates the history of film.
Periodically, the Dolby also plays host to charity benefits, movie premieres, special events and other televised award shows. The theater's soaring stage, one of the largest in the United States, has featured the national premiere of Pixar's Brave, the American Idol finals, the Daytime Emmys, the American Ballet Theatre and even President Barack Obama, while out on the campaign trail.

Los Angeles Original Farmers Market
A historic Los Angeles landmark, the Los Angeles Farmers Market is a bustling market of food stalls, eateries, prepared food vendors, produce markets, and much more. You can easily spend a morning or afternoon here browsing the more than 100 restaurants, grocers and tourist shops.
Opened in 1934, the Farmers Market is a popular destination for foodies in search of the market’s wide assortment of flavors and cuisines. The market started when a dozen nearby farmers would park their trucks on a field to sell their fresh produce to local residents. It quickly grew in popularity, especially when CBS Television City opened next door and began providing those working or visiting that television studio a convenient place to shop or eat.

Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles is full of shopping and entertainment diversions, but one of the most famous areas is Melrose Avenue. Even before the popular 1990s show Melrose Place was set in the area, at least part of the avenue was already a shopping and hangout destination for the burgeoning new wave crowd. The neighborhood remains an excellent spot for shopping, with more than 300 boutiques lining the street, as well as trendy restaurants and bars.
Unlike in the TV show, the actual Melrose Place doesn't have apartment buildings – it has yet more shops. In addition to the places to shop and eat, Melrose Avenue is also home to some of LA's best-known street art. Artists whose work you can see along the corridor include Annie Preece, Sebastien Walker, Ivan Preciado, and Jules Muck.

Historic Core
Centered on Pershing Square, this condensed collection of city blocks once comprised the most glamorous commercial area in Los Angeles; after a decade’s worth of rejuvenation efforts, it has once again become a desirable destination. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it encompasses the Broadway Theater District, the Old Spring Street Financial District and Bunker Hill.
Crowned by the gilded Art Deco splendor of the Biltmore Hotel, buildings like the Los Angeles Central Library (a columnar fusion of Art Deco and ancient Egypt), Grand Central Market (the oldest food market in the city); and the Bradbury Building (built in 1893 and famed for its Victorian interior) make this one of the most architecturally significant swaths of L.A.

Japanese American National Museum
Located in the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles, the Japanese American National Museum tells the story of Japanese Americans. Opened in 1992, it is the first museum in the United States dedicated to the topic.
The Japanese American National Museum hosts many changing exhibits, but Common Ground: The Heart of Community is its ongoing central exhibition. Using an assortment of objects, documents and photographs, the exhibition covers 130 years of Japanese American history. It begins with the early days of the Issei pioneers, and continues through the World War II incarceration to present day. The museum’s calendar of events is loaded with all sorts of events and programs, so be sure to check the schedule when you visit.

Venice Canals (Venice Canal Historic District)
In 1905, tobacco millionaire and real estate developer Abbot Kinney sought to simulate the romantic feel of Venice, Italy in America by creating the beach resort town of Venice just south-west of Santa Monica. Kinney wrangled the area's marshland into a series of canals that, initially, were traversed by ornate gondolas piloted by gondoliers in traditional Italian garb.
The first incarnation of Venice also had an elaborate amusement pier, a miniature railroad, and a block-long street of faux-Venetian buildings, all sloping towards a wide swath of Pacific Ocean shoreline. Its commercial success inspired competition from neighboring piers in Santa Monica, but Kinney's Venice held onto its popularity even after 1920 when its founder died and his original pier burned down.

J. Paul Getty Museum (The Getty)
In its billion-dollar in-the-clouds perch high above the city, the Getty Center presents triple delights: a stellar art collection (Renaissance to David Hockney); Richard Meier's cutting-edge architecture; and the visual splendor of seasonally changing gardens. On clear days, you can add breathtaking views of the city and ocean to the list.
Even getting up to the museum aboard the computer-operated tram is fun. From the sprawling arrival plaza, a natural flow of walkways, stairs, fountains, and courtyards encourages a leisurely wander between galleries, gardens, and outdoor cafes. Must-sees include Van Gogh's Irises, Monet's Wheatstacks, and Rembrandt's The Abduction of Europa.
When not wandering the galleries, take time to visit the lovely Cactus Garden for those amazing Los Angeles city views. Sunsets create a remarkable alchemy of light and shadow and are especially magical in winter, when the orange orb drops straight into the Pacific.

Hollywood
The Golden-Age glamor image of Hollywood may not be as evident as it once was, however, its very name is synonymous with the entire movie industry. For this is the shrine to the movie industry: stars in the sidewalks, the sign, glorious old theaters, the places where the movie industry grew up.
Most of the sights line up neatly along a 1-mile (1.6 km) stretch of Hollywood Boulevard between La Brea Avenue and Vine Street. Find your favorite stars along Hollywood Walk of Fame, the celestial sidewalk gallery on Hollywood Boulevard.
At the grand entryway to Grauman's Chinese Theater, you can actually match your handprints and footprints of stars who've have had theirs embedded in cement. Other famous theaters include the Eyptian and El Capitan, all flamboyant icons from Hollywood's glitzy past.

Hollywood & Highland
One of L.A.'s most visited tourist attractions, this 387,000 square-foot shopping mall and entertainment center makes an enormous, colorful splash on the sometimes scruffy Hollywood Walk of Fame. The complex includes the Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre) which hosts both the Oscars and Cirque du Soleil's Iris, a resident stage show which celebrates the history of film.
The core of Hollywood & Highland is arranged around a three-story courtyard, where soaring, elephant-topped columns evoke the Babylon set of D.W. Griffith's 1916 epic, Intolerance. Fanning out from here, you'll find over a dozen restaurants ranging from food-court outposts to destination dining, two night clubs, a bowling alley and 75+ retail shops, including large national chains like Gap, Build-A-Bear and Sephora. Adjacent to the main mall is the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, an ornate movie palace festooned with Far East flourishes and featuring a cement-paved forecourt.

Runyon Canyon Park

Madame Tussauds Hollywood
Unlike her lifelike figures, Madame Tussaud was a real human being, a wax sculptor in 1770s Paris who became an art tutor at the Palace of Versailles. During the French Revolution, she was forced to prove her allegiance to King Louis IVX by making death masks of executed aristocrats; lauded for her work, she eventually left for Britain with many of her works in tow. In the early 19th century, a showcase for her wax likenesses of famous -- and infamous -- contemporary figures was built in London; the Madame Tussauds brand has since become a popular global franchise, spreading across Europe, Asia, Australia and several American cities.
One of the most-visited Madame Tussauds sits on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. The wax figures featured here depict famous Hollywood icons, contemporary movie stars and TV actors, auteur film directors (such as Alfred Hitchcock) and movie-franchise characters (like E.T. and the X Men).

The Magic Castle

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
As the main hall of the Los Angeles Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is home to some of the best musical performances in the LA area. It was built utilizing a “total design” aesthetic, meaning that every detail from the carpeting to the engineering was coordinated for uniformity of design. Historically its halls and stage have been home to everything from the LA Philharmonic to the Academy Awards, though these days it’s the site of the LA Opera and Glorya Kaufman dance performances (which often brings in traveling dance troupes.)
Excellent acoustics create resonating sounds across its four-tiers of seating, while crystal chandeliers and wide stairways add to the ambiance of elegance. The Los Angeles Music Center that it is part of it is one of the three largest centers for performing arts in the United States, and some of classical music’s greatest performers have graced its stage.
Things to do near Los Angeles
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