Los Angeles Travel Guide

Address: 1200 Getty Center Dr Los Angeles, CA 90049

Only open since 1997, the Getty Museum is already one of Los Angeles? most popular attractions. Rather than one large building like most museums, the Getty Center was built into a huge complex at the top of a hill with 360-degree views of Los Angeles. There are many different buildings that house the priceless art collection, and they are placed among gorgeous gardens and nature trails.

The architecture of the buildings along with the gardens are reasons enough for a visit, even if art in a museum setting isn?t your thing. The permanent collection mostly features European paintings from the 19th Century and earlier, but a newer photography exhibit and other temporary exhibits vary enough that there should be more than enough to interest most people.

Visiting is an adventure in itself, as it requires those with a car to park either at the bottom of the hill or at another lot a couple miles away, which is served by frequent free shuttle buses. Once at the entrance, visitors board a free electric tram that winds up the side of the mountain to the museum level on top. Even children find a relatively short visit to be fascinating based on this part. More information is available on the official Getty Center site.

Hours: Tuesday ? Thursday, Sunday ? 10am to 6 pm, Friday and Saturday ? 10am to 9pm, closed Mondays.

Admission: Free for all, but parking is $8 per car and is sometimes in short supply at the main lot.

Address: 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027

This giant urban park is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, but is itself mostly comprised of forests on a mountaintop. It?s a nice breath of fresh air during a visit to Los Angeles, and if it isn?t too smoggy there are quite a few excellent places in the park for views of the entire Los Angeles Basin.

There are hiking trails and many nature areas throughout the park, but it?s probably best known for a few key attractions that are completely contained within its borders. The Griffith Park Observatory has the best city views and is also a worthwhile attraction itself. You might recognize it from many movies and TV shows, most notably some key scenes in James Dean?s Rebel Without a Cause.

The Greek Theater is a large open-air auditorium that holds big name concerts, mostly in summer. Of course, if you want to attend an event there it is best to try to get tickets in advance. Parking can be tricky near the Greek, but the facility itself gets great reviews.

A large equestrian center and the famous Los Angeles Zoo also draw many visitors, especially during the summer months. You really need a car in order to appreciate the park since it?s sprawling and most of the roads are steep.

Admission: Entering the park is free, but many things inside charge admission

Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, but many attractions inside have separate normal daily hours.

Address: 2301 N. Highland Avenue. Los Angeles, CA 90078

Opened in 1922, this world famous outdoor concert venue is a Los Angeles icon that is just as popular with locals as it is with visitors. The notable bandshell has been changed several times over the years, but it?s still recognizable even to those who?ve never been here. With over 17,000 seats, the Hollywood Bowl is one of the larger outdoor venues of its type in the United States.

The concert season typically only runs from June through September, even though the weather is agreeable year round. Most concerts are classical music performances, but jazz and even rock show up on the calendar every year as well. Tickets are almost always fairly expensive, and of course should be purchased in advance if possible. Seating is reserved so even if seats remain for a performance on the same day, walk-ups will usually be watching from far away.

The Hollywood Bowl is also famous for its picnic policy, whereby food and even alcohol can be brought in from the outside. Most of the seating has table space with it, so a picnic at the Hollywood Bowl is a summer institution among Angelinos.

Hours: Performances can be day or evening, but usually only during summer.

Admission: Each concert is different, and purchasing tickets in advance is wise.

Address: Redondo Beach Pier Redondo Beach, CA, 90277

This area is what?s locally known as the South Bay, and is passed over by most tourists. It?s not particularly close to any other major attraction, but those who venture to this area are rewarded with more of a locals-only beach community. Redondo Beach is far larger than Hermosa, and its focal point is a huge triangular pier complex standing over the Pacific, with many shops and restaurants on top, as well as a fish market on the land-side. Downtown Redondo Beach is just off the water, and it?s filled with small and charming shops, so it?s a pleasant place for a stroll before or after a meal.

Hermosa Beach is only one square mile, and even further off the tourist map, although world-class beach volleyball players from as far as Europe train here during the winter so it does have something of an international flavor if you look hard enough. Pier Avenue is a pedestrian-only zone that connects the pier itself with the quaint downtown area, and it?s lined with bars and restaurants so it?s a very popular place for nightlife among people from all over the area.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Address: 350 Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica, CA 90401

Opened in 1909, the Santa Monica Pier is one of Los Angeles? most famous landmarks and is by far its most famous pier. It?s also the only pier in the Los Angeles area that has an amusement park and retail shopping based over the water. It?s been in countless films and TV shows, including Forrest Gump, which is one reason there is an outlet of the dubious chain of Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurants out on the pier.

The amusement park near the end is called Pacific Park, and its famous ferris wheel is the easiest thing to see at a distance, but there is also a roller coaster, bumper cars, and several other rides. It?s free to enter Pacific Park, but of course the rides each cost money. There is also a mini-golf course, an arcade, an aquarium, and various shops and restaurants within the large complex that overhangs the Pacific Ocean.

Parking can be challenging, but there are large lots beneath and next to the main portions of the pier itself. Just follow the signs as you approach. Not surprisingly, the Santa Monica Pier gets very crowded during summers and on nice weekends.

Hours: May ? August, 9am to midnight Sun-Thurs, 9am to 2am Fri-Sat September ? April, 10am to midnight Sun-Thurs, 10am to 2am Fri-Sat

Admission: Free to get in, but the rides cost different prices

Address: 1305 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA

Venice Beach is quite unlike most of the other beaches that surround it. The sand and water part is quite similar, but the neighborhood behind the beach and the crowds it attracts are far from typical in the region. Venice Beach is well known for its counter-culture and artist communities. A multi-use bike and skating path winds through the sand, but the main action is along the boardwalk, which is lined with shops and restaurants.

There is usually an outdoor flea market in the central area, with plenty of souvenirs for sale, but here you?ll also find smoking paraphernalia, tie-dye clothing, and other things associated with hippie culture.

The original Muscle Beach was located just northwest in Santa Monica, but now that name is used by a weightlifting pen just next to the sand on Venice Beach, which is in near constant use by bodybuilders. The area is a little more run down and a little more dangerous than most other beach areas in Los Angeles, so visiting late at night is not recommended, although things seem to be getting better lately.

Hours: Always open and usually packed all summer

Admission: Free