Los Angeles - interesting spots

Sunset Junction, Los Feliz/Silverlake, Eagle Rock The stretch on LaBrea between Melrose and Wilshire (heck visit the Academy museum while you're around the area). Tons of shopping and good food.

thanks r1!

you're coming in for the cruel world festival. got it.

R3 Nope.

It sounds fun (Siouxsie!) but I am really soooo not a concert person any more. Sadly my last few were terrible experiences.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall is a great spot to go visit and take pics. It is fantastic architecture, the inside is cool too and a gift shop. It is not very DISNEY at all if you are worried about that.

One of my favorite places to take people is Westwood Memorial Park- You can visit Marilyn Monroe- TONS of people there- Dean Martin, Billy Wilder, Jack Lemmon, Carrol O'Connor, Truman Capote, and on and on. Some of the headstones are funny, like Merv Griffin's that says "I will NOT be back right after this message."

The Huntington Library

Driving around Bel Air. The high end residential neighborhoods are what I consider the most iconic and unique aspect of LA. Hollywood, the studios, downtown are all a letdown. Beverly Hills and Bel Air north of Sunset are what I always think about when I think LA.

I get R8s point. Even a drive up N. Beverly Dr. or around Rodeo Drive is iconic. Still think a minute to see Mann's Chinese and the Walk of Fame is worth it just so you can see it and get Hollywood as a physical place. Getty Center, Griffith Park Observatory and the Santa Monica Pier are solid. I liked this recent LA Times list.

Last time I was in LA we caught an improv show at the UCB theater. It was fun and there were other celebs in the audience.

Little Toyko is a fun area too, as well as the Sawtelle street area in West L.A.

OP again. (Ugh, yes, I'm still around.)

While we are not coming in for the Cruel World concert we may indeed be staying in Pasadena for some or all of our long weekend. (Which is NOT the concert weekend)

Apparently there's a really fabulous hotel there (Langham?) and a lot of the LA hotels seem to be booked and/or expensive. We wanted someplace that is a bit of a splurge without being >$1,000 which insanely, some of the places along the coast are. This seems to fit the bill.

Is it possible to do all the sights in that area in a day? I think we'd try to do the museum and gardens in Pasadena one day, then head into LA/Hollywood on Sunday (need to check out the farmers market and the new Amoeba).

Also, does LA have an online parking app? Thinking it would be wise to download it in advance.

TIA

Check out the after-hours nightlife in Compton, South Central & Inglewood.

R12 The Langham is a beautiful hotel. But it’s a bit expensive. If you’re only going to be in LA for a few days, it would be worth it. In Pasadena, there’s both the Huntington and the Norton Simon Museum, which is well worth a visit. Norton Simon gave his museum a boost when he bought Duveen Brothers.

The Huntington Library is in San Marino, not Pasadena.

San Marino is right next door to Pasadena.

Go to the beach and I don't mean Santa Monica. I would recommend Torrance Beach or Right After Torrance/Lunada Bay in Palos Verdes.

Go to Wayfayer's Chapel in PV and Point Fermin Park in San Pedro and see the Korean Friendship Bell. It's a beautiful drive from Torrance Beach/Lunada Bay to Wayfayers and Point Fermin.

R13 I'll get right on that. I hear it's a real pistol there, quite a banger!

Pasadena? Gamble House (pic here) and the many, many blocks of beautiful homes - the Arroyo Seco. The "old town" along Colorado. The Norton Simon museum as long as you are there.

If you are into hiking, there are some beautiful trails in those foothills above the Pasadena area. One minute you're in the city, and the next minute you're in wilderness. You might even see a bear. With all the rain we've had, it's a great time to check out the streams and waterfalls.

Go cougar hunting in the foothills.

r15 it's minutes away from Pasadena

For all practical purposes I think of San Marino (and Altadena, Flintridge, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena) as "one thing".... I do think it's a part of the metro area that is underappreciated by tourists. Odd artifacts to appreciate, like the old Green Hotel:

I went to the Beverly Hillbillies mansion. To me it was like actually seeing a movie star and swimming pools 🤩

[quote]Have been to downtown LA (which quite frankly was not impressive)

We never said it was.

[quote]Just wondering if there are any cute little streets/neighborhoods with cafes/record stores/bookstores etc. or any sort of old eldergay approved places to check out (little farmers markets, vintage stores, pie shops, so on).

Back in the 40s, plenty of places. Now all gone.

OP, if you're looking for a cute mid-city area and you're already going to Farmer's Market on 3rd & Fairfax, check out Larchmont Village which is not far from there. It's cute and I think what you may have in mind.

I thought the Academy Museum sucked. The Hollywood Heritage Museum is small but has a lot more charm.

The Los Angeles County Arboretum is more “California” than the Huntington and recognizable from many movies and tv shows. Even Jurassic Park was filmed there. I would do the Arboretum over the Huntington.

I question your decision to go to Hollywood to see a record store and a farmer’s market. I mean WTF.

If you want a cute hipster neighborhood, Highland Park is your best bet considering your location. I don’t know why that wasn’t recommended, but this thread reeks of transplant.

(“Oh Go Drive Around Bel Air!” YOU CAN’T SEE ANYTHING BUT HEDGES, YOU FREAKING DUMBASS. Everybody knows this. If you insist on seeing beautiful prewar houses, given your location, there are plenty of them in Pasadena and San Marino that are visible from the street.)

R29 I grew up in Highland Park (across the street from Diane Keaton) and while it's got a lot of history, and it's a great find for real estate speculators in the last couple decades, it's not got much for tourists. What, walk down Fig, really? York Blvd (hipster paradise alway oversold) for tourists?

the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale

R29 Your comments are, well, mostly appreciated. Even with the dollop of bitchery.

I am a vinyl collector so I *do* want to see Amoeba, which closed and moved to a new location since my last visit just prior to the pandemic. I won't be spending hours there, but I haven't been inside a decent shop since before the pandemic so I'm hoping to pick a few things up. I'm not wedded to Hollywood/WeHo as a destination where I'd spend a long afternoon - I just remembered that the old Amoeba had the farmer's market nearby.

The Arboretum sounds like a great idea and I am definitely adding it to the list.

As for houses - not so much of a tourist that I want to drive around and look at random houses (I'm in another part of CA so....you see one palm tree, you've seen 'em all) but I would possibly spend 30 minutes or so looking for a home featured in a TV show I loved....it (and many other TV and film exteriors) is apparently located in South Pasadena.

I don't mind some tourist-y things - for example, we love walking the long walk oceanside in Santa Monica from the top of the road (Ocean Boulevard?) to the pier.....but (a) I try to avoid the duller parts of clusterfuck things - sort of the Bubba Gump of it all - and (b) some things will be saved for a longer vacation, where we can do something at a slow pace every day.

Oh, you want something for TOURISTS. I was under the assumption the OP wanted to see a regular neighborhood.

Then, Universal CityWalk is for you!

You're right, R33, but to clarify, when I said "regular neighborhood" I meant a neighborhood that has a nice little core to it with shops, cafe, maybe a few restaurants.

I think some posters above misunderstood me and thought I wanted to drive around and just look at a neighborhood's houses/architecture. I mean, I'd certainly enjoy a bit of that in midcentury areas, but it's not the driving initiative on the agenda, as it were.

On previous trips I've been with other people who really focused on downtown LA or things like Griffith Park, etc. and I spent more time in a car and/or waiting in line at places than I did actually enjoying the thing in question. (I know, quelle surprise, welcome to California.) Just trying to understand if there are little hidden gems around town.

Plan on a picnic, OP!

I was surprised that the Farmer's Market, on a weekday morning, was somewhat enjoyable.

The piers (Santa Monica, Redondo Beach), I can do without. IMO, the only beaches that are somewhat nice would be in Malibu.

Melrose Place has some nice shops - you can check out that block and window shop. Then down to La Ciengia to Melrose (1/2 block) to Robertson for some less expensive but fun shops.

Sunset Plaza is a nice place to have lunch or dinner - on the strip and outside dinning.

A drive up PCH is always nice.

[quote] I meant a neighborhood that has a nice little core to it with shops, cafe, maybe a few restaurants.

There are dozens of little villages like this across Los Angeles but none of them are particularly special. Los Angeles is just not like that. Everything you’d find in Larchmont Village or Los Feliz would be found on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena.

Just go to Olvera Street.

^ I would pass on Olvera Street unless you are hispanic and that speaks to you. You can google Olvera Street.

Frogtown (LA River).

Pirates' Cove, Point Dume.

Malibu Creek State Park

Eaton Canyon (waterfall), Pasadena. Rose Bowl Flea Market (once a month).

If you are adventurous

The absolute most LA thing ever is seedy Los Angeles

Do yourself a driving tour of these holes

It will be like Once Upon A Time in Hollywood

My brother lives in the LA area and I've been there several times.

IMO, it simply is a driving town. San Francisco is a place where you can pick a neighborhood and walk around a bit. When I've been to LA, it involved getting into a car and driving from one place of interest to another.

That said, Downtown LA, on a weekday, is actually leafy and green and walkable. You can walk to Japantown easily. If you're into libraries, check out the library. Walt Disney concert hall is also in walking distance.

Hike up to the "HOLLYWOOD" sign. You can see the whole world from there 🙂

LOL I have NEVER EVER heard anyone say Olvera Street is for Hispanics. Hispanics never go to Olvera Street. It was created for Gringo tourists. Gringo tourists love it.

Pomona

[quote]I went to the Beverly Hillbillies mansion. To me it was like actually seeing a movie star and swimming pools

You mean "cee-ment ponds."

R44 Yes and no. "La Placita" and the old plaza church are totally "latino" and from the Plaza you can walk across the street to one of the most beautiful buildings in LA, Union Station. Also walk up the hill to the Cathedral, Our Lady of the Angels, interesting assertion of modern architecture.

R44, I stand corrected and should not said that. I didn't know and I said something with certainty.

MOKA museum. Long Beach promenade nice and flat Rent a bicycle and enjoy the people watching.

Some people have absolutely no sense

Yes, by all means, send somebody in Pasadena to go to Long Beach to people watch

[quote]MOKA museum

An espresso museum?

@r46, From The Ballad of Jed Clampett...

"So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly (Hills that is, swimming pools, movie stars)"

Hey folks - Olvera Street is right next to Union Station and while it may be historic, it's not only touristy but now the surrounding area is full of seediness and homeless people. I DO NOT RECOMMEND GOING THERE! Also, the food sucks there. I had to go there in college to do a report on the Pueblo of Los Angeles and it was less than thrilling. Rancho Los Cerritos in Long Beach or the Dominguez Adobe near Compton/Rancho Dominguez are better, prettier spots for historic LA. Union Station (next to Olvera Street) is nice architecture, but again, the area. Have you been to DTLA lately? It's not safe. People get randomly shivved.

You'd be better off taking a tour of Dodger Stadium if the gift shop is open and going to Phillipe's and from there going to Frogtown, there's a nice brewery there.

Seriously, r52?

^ Yes, seriously. The cee-ment pond had nothing to do with The Ballad of Jed Clampett played at the beginning of each episode... "swimming pools, movie stars". NO cee-ment pond 😠

Sierra Madre and Monrovia both have cute little downtown areas with restaurants and shops. Not large, however. They've filmed movies and TV shows in both of those locales as well. Notably, the first "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" featured a lot of shots of Sierra Madre. And it hasn't changed much since then. No stoplights or fast food places in the entire town.

We might actually end up in Long Beach, who knows. It's about as south as we'd want to go. I do love the Belmont Shores area there. If LB had a halfway decent hotel we'd stay there more often, but it seems to be a choice between old and dirty dives or tourist traps.

[quote] The piers (Santa Monica, Redondo Beach), I can do without.

Me too. I just like the walking path along the water - but not at the water level, since it's elevated. You can look down and take a rest here and there. It generally isn't too filled with people, not tourists, anyway. And there's a million cute dogs.

^ Good for you, if you want to walk on a pretty beach, go to Florida

[quote] the surrounding area is full of seediness and homeless people.

LOS ANGELES IS LIKE THAT! GOOD NIGHT!

What are the best public beaches in Los Angeles County?

LA in a Minute is a very good IG account for local color

You may find something to interest you there that wouldn’t be typical tourist stuff

If you visit Long Beach, OP, and since you like midcentury, you might enjoy driving around in the Rancho Park neighborhood.

R61, Will Rogers in Santa Monica is the gay beach

R63 Thanks. I really had no idea there was an MCM spot in Long Beach. Weirdly we've always sort of ended up just downtown and in Belmont Shores.

I just recently found out about this, so I don't know if it's worth it...

St. Vincent Court

^ wow - that is interesting. I didn't know that either and I have been in LA for 30 years.

We may be looking closer to LA for lodging.....

Really wanted to try the Langham Huntingdon but instead of a $500-$600/night splurge the prices seem to be quite a bit higher....over 1K a night for some rooms. Haven't eliminated it entirely but looking at Plan B ideas. (And no, we're not planning to be there Cruel World Weekend.)

OP, your spending some bucks. I would have done the Ramada Inn in West Hollywood

What is cruel world weekend?

I stayed at Pendry West Hollywood last year for around $500-600

Gorgeous hotel

Oh no! No Dearly Departed Tour for you, OP.

[quote] What is cruel world weekend?

Someone mentioned it upthread - a big concert in/near Pasadena the weekend before Memorial Day with Siouxsie and the Banshees and a fuckton of other 80s/90s acts.

[quote] spending some bucks

Willing to splurge within reason - even a basic hotel seems to run $250-300 a night. Some of the places in Southern California we used to stay when on longer vacation were $600-700 a night pre-pandemic....they are now over $2K a night! (And no, I don't have money to burn. Mostly a frugal person - travel is pretty much my only splurge.)

r72 = OP

R66 that looks lovely!

Here’s another good content creator in Instagram

This one is interesting as it points out why walking in LA is so boring

St Vincent Court is ugly as fuck

And read the comments, it’s apparently dangerous and dirty

Yeah it seems there’s a certain amount of malarkey that these social media “tour guides” offer you just to make a watchable video

The LA in a Minute guy I trust, he’s hardcore. Maybe not the Korean guy above.

Olvera Street

[quote]Will Rogers in Santa Monica is the gay beach

On Google Maps, that stretch of Will Rogers is labeled Ginger Rogers Beach (seriously).

Chateau Marmont

Someone above mentioned Larchmont, and I second that. If you like ice cream, Salt & Straw is the best I’ve ever had. And I’ve had a lot.

I'm not a local, but I really enjoyed Magnolia Park in Burbank. Lots of quirky shops and the amazing Porto's bakery.

Hey, me too! I'll be going to LA at the end of May! Definitely want to see the new AMPAS Museum, and I see the LA County Museum of Art is back. Is the new version worth of visit? Because I think I'll make a day of Museum Row, and have dinner at the nearby "Farmer's Market".

And definitely another day in Pasadena for the Huntington Gardens, and maybe some time at the LAC Arboretum if time allows. Gonna see some old friends, but spend my free evenings shopping. Dunno about the rest of the time, definitely a bit of hiking and birding, probably a day in San Diego and Coronado...

I kind of want to visit the scientology center and see their efforts at recruiting (but maybe a lot of people thought that and never got out).

Pssst

Salt & Straw is from Oregon and is a national chain

LA Bucket List is another great Instagram account featuring lots of nice, out-of-the-way (read: not crawling with tourists) spots to visit.

I always tell my visitors to stay at this place -- incredibly charming, quiet and within walking distance of, well, the few walking areas of West Hollywood.

If you or someone you know is morbid, op, you might want to swing by 3821 S Norton Ave in the Baldwin Park area of L.A. County. The address was once the vacant lot where the body of Elizabeth Short, aka The Black Dahlia, was dumped. You can pinpoint the exact spot by comparing the 100+ year old infrastructure to the crime scene photos (for instance, the street lamp is still located across the street from the spot)

Stay at the Garland, OP!

r89 No, dear. Baldwin Park is a city in the San Gabriel Valley. You're talking about Baldwin HILLS.

[quote]Stay at the Garland, OP!

We really should support the Garland.

You can also still stay at the hotel the black dahlia may have been murdered at

R88, I was trying to get some rates at the Charlie -- all dates I plugged in were unavailable. Can you say what the average rate is? TIA.

What's at the Broad Museum?

Echo Park offers a glimpse of old LA, albeit with some creative energy. Malibu Canyon Road is one of my favorite nature drives. You can take in the Getty Villa and have lunch at Dukes or Moonshadow (both very touristy but worth it for the views). Pasadena attractions can easily fill a day: Norton Simon is a must.

r91 Dammit, I always get those mixed up -- you're right; Baldwin HILLS

"Just wondering if there are any cute little streets/neighborhoods with cafes/record stores/bookstores etc. or any sort of old eldergay approved places to check out (little farmers markets, vintage stores, pie shops, so on)"

In LA? Are you kidding?

Go to San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle for that neighborhood vibe environment. Or -- any other city on the planet.

Spending hundreds of dollars per night to be in SoCal when you'll just be in ugly traffic on ugly boulevards lined with endless strip malls, chain stores, and freeways all day is insanity. Why not just go to Paris?

For walking and exploring, Santa Monica Blvd in WeHo and Ocean Walk between Santa Monica and Venice is your best bet. Save your money and rent an AirBnB apartment with a kitchen in a residential area. Take home some pototoe shalad from Gelson's.

Hey OP! As a fellow vinyl collector, I’m very blessed to live in Highland Park which has been mentioned already but what they haven’t mentioned is that there are three absolutely incredible record stores in this neighborhood! Gimme Gimme Records on Figueroa, Arroyo on York and a brand new one -On Maritime - on Monte Vista.

Also, if you’re going to Amoeba, definitely also stop by The Record Parlour on Selma a few blocks away. A little pricey but the selection is great!

I'm not suggesting this so much for the OP (although, maybe?)...but more so for people who live in, or are from, the San Fernando Valley and want to take visiting family/friends somewhere kinda different & fun? The Valley Relics Museum in Van Nuys! It's housed in an airplane hanger, adjacent to Van Nuys airport....and it's fantastic!

I have to agree with R98 about trying to finding walkable little neighborhoods in L.A. I've posted above that my experiences in LA mostly involved driving from one point of interest to another. San Francisco is better for that quaint type of experience.

Also, I have to agree that paying $500-$600 per night for a hotel, esp. a middling hotel in LA, just sounds like so much money. Multiply that by 4 or 5 nights and I think I'm priced out of traveling, right now. That said, I think I would prefer a hotel to an AirBnB.

OP, not trying to discourage you, just expressing my thoughts.

The Broad Museum has a wonderful contemporary collection but requires times reservations so you have to plan your day around it.

Given OP’s limited schedule, I wouldn’t bother with anyplace downtown. The San Gabriel Valley and Hollywood attractions should occupy enough time.

I've stayed at The Langham, my room was lovely. The place is big and didn't seem very full. Just know that a leisurely poolside breakfast for four cost $175.

The the thing about “interesting neighborhoods” in LA is that they never developed them so they had to build fake ones that draw upon a nostalgia for something there never was. In that sense, visiting The Grove or the Sixth Street Promenade or Two Rodeo is actually MORE authentic and fulfilling than trying to find some little neighborhood that never was, because that fakeness IS the real Los Angeles. An entirely postmodern city.

Thanks to those who mentioned the lack of "charming " neighborhoods.

I hear you - and it wasn't a prerequisite to find one. I hadn't really located one in my previous visits and I thought maybe I'd missed where they were, but I do understand that LA just isn't that type of city.

As for hotels, so many of the hotels we've stayed at in/near LA or ANYWHERE in Southern California have been loud hotels - and I understand that's because of the structure of the area, too. It's dense and land is at a premium, so hotels are either built very close to major roadways (loud car noise) or close to the beach (which can be more of a loud party scene).

We've been very boring and sticking with a somewhat dowdy but very quiet hotel we found in San Diego because it was very quiet and in a somewhat charming area, near other charming areas, so I was trying to duplicate the experience a bit. But I have been properly schooled that LA ain't it! LOL

Thanks for all your replies. I do appreciate all of them. Your cuntery, when applied, has been grade A++! And it's been a very helpful discussion. Lots of great suggestions for this trip and/or future ones.

Let's talk museums. I'm going at the end of May, and want to see a bit of Museum Row, and I've already seen the Getty, the Getty Villa, and the Norton Simon.

What about the Academy of Motion Pictures museum, good or not? Any other less famous art museums worth a stop?

And what's a good shopping area in the south of the LA Basin, which has good stuff for less than Bloomingdales' prices? My wardrobe needs beefing up, the small town I live in can't get the job done, and I'm leaving my suitcase half empty!

[quote]What about the Academy of Motion Pictures museum, good or not?

I vote *not*.

Agree with R108. Kind of underwhelming.

R107 Less than Bloomingdale's prices? Go to Sri Lanka then, and buy the clothes right from the kid's hands...

On a more serious note, you want a mall, even though it's all just a couple clicks away on your keyboard anyway? Weird. if you can't get to the Beverly Center and want to stay in the south bay, Del Amo Fashion Center has both middle and high end stores.

The Academy Museum is worth a visit just to see what works and what doesn’t. The building unfortunately does not break out of the fact that it is built into an old department store, and it feels that way as you navigate the galleries.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, which is so recognizable from its use in hundreds of entertainment programs. Even if Natural History is not your thing, it may be worth it just for the deja vu of being in such a heavily filmed (and often uncredited as itself) location. The beaux-arts wing in pink Californian sandstone is one of the most authentic “old Los Angeles buildings” in the city, as iconic as the Bradbury.

Has anyone else been to the Nethercutt Collection? I found it fascinating. One part is all beautifully restored vintage cars; the other has some incredible musical instruments and devices.

OP - Have you decided on a hotel yet? If you’re going to be spending most of your time sightseeing, then any of the big chain hotels should do. However, if you’re willing to spend a bit more and experience older, fashionable Los Angeles, then you could look into the Hotel Bel-Air, the Chateau Marmont, or the Sunset Tower Hotel.

Hotel Bel-Air

Chateau Marmont.

Sunset Tower Hotel.

The bitch already said he was too poor for the Langham and you want to send him to the Bel Air

INFER, people, INFER

Sonder Beacon Hotel, on the bluffs in Santa Monica. Under $400 a night.

This is what I hate about Datalounge

Poster: I will be visiting Los Angeles, visiting this area (Pasadena and Hollywood) and want to spend this amount of money (500 a night)

Another poster: Have you considered the Resort at Pelican Hill? It’s 3000 a night and in Orange County but I stayed there so therefore you must accept my main-character-syndrome recommendation!

the Normandie

r120, isn't that the hotel with the dead girl in the water well on the roof?

Sorry -- meant water TANK!

Good lord, no, r121.

Hotel Sheshil

Are there any good consignment stores in LA?

For men? I'm not sure, but Decades and the Real Real are on Melrose, less than a mile apart.

R117, R119 OP was considering The Langham, so the Bel-Air wouldn’t be any less affordable.

And the OP SAID that the Langham was too expensive. Why do you bother to not read the thread and then act like an expert?

@r112, That car museum looks fantastic

Will the Cecil Hotel ever reopen?

R119 Your post made me laugh! Pelican Hill was the place we stayed circa 2016-2017 where we were happy to splurge and pay around 700 a night for a room - and now, with no improvements to the property, they are charging 2200+ for the same room. It's crazy.

R117 I didn't say we were too poor for it. But one of us has bad knees and to have an basic ADA room (needed only for the guarantee of a walk-in shower, really) they tacked an additional 300+ onto their base price and want almost 900 a night for a room that is otherwise rather standard IMHO. I guess ANY additional amenity carries its own price tag, but it felt a little skeevy to me, all the same.

PS several of you have made good suggestions re hotels - am going to check them out.

This was a hotel on another trip (Central CA) that was 550-600 a night and well worth every penny. I don't mind splurging when it seems to be worthy of the splurge. It was also very new, clean, modern, etc.

Can you still walk to the Hollywood sign? I thought that was verboten now.

They had enough Peg Entwistles, r133!

I guess it had something to do with the overpriced Sunset Ranch and its horseback rides.

If you’re interested in old-time Los Angeles, a tour of the 1899 Doheny Mansion is a must. Advance reservations are a must, and the mansion isn’t always open. If you’re interested in this kind of thing, it’s worth the effort.

R136 The Princess Diaries was filmed in the Doheny Mansion.

*

R136 If the lavish interiors of the Doheny house interest you, the interior of the Natural History Museum, which is nearby, would also be worth seeing. The oldest portion of the museum has some spectacular areas, particularly the Haaga Rotunda. There is a huge bronze statue in the rotunda of the Three Graces holding a lighted sphere.

Other guy visiting LA here, it looks like I'll be staying around Irvine or Newport Beach, to be near some old friends I'm going to see. And I'm fine with that, because if you go that far enough from LA Proper, at least some of the hotels seem to have parking lots rather than fucking valet parking. I hate valet parking SO much!

So, any hotel recommendations in that area? Looking for under $300 a night, but yeah. The temptation to sneak off for a night or two at the Langham in Pasadena won't go away...

If you’re going to visit the Natural History Museum, take a look at the future Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is being built next door. It won’t be completed until 2025, but the exterior is largely complete. I saw it a week ago and it’s stupendously large. It’s going to be a jaw-dropping building when it’s finished.

LA is a fantastic city but it's made up of many little points of interest that are far apart. Unfortunately, it's not very tourist friendly unless you have some money to spend on transportation and tickets. Driving around is mandatory to see the place and knowing where to go *next* will save you lots of time and money.

The suggestions above are pretty good. My brother gets on one of those tourist double deckers when he travels to a new city to get a sense of the place, then explores the ones that peaked his interest. That might not be such a bad idea here in LA because the place is huge, very spread out and very different from neighborhood to neighborhood. Unless you have friends who can take you around.

Jeez, R141, it looks like a giant stationary version of Padme's personal spaceship!

Which may be deliberate.

I drive up into the hills to look at it one day. It was fenced in. I'm 6'5 so I stood my my tippy toes to get a look. Suddenly I hear "WHO ARE YOU??" I don't respond. "WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU WANT??" The voice sounded deadly serious, so I hightailed it out of there.

From what little I saw, I could see there was a ton of renovation/ construction happening.

*

R144 Look at what?

r146, I'm assuming the George Lucas museum. Construction guys can be pretty hostile- I was walking by a single family housing construction in West Hollywood (some developer has been purchasing 18 properties here on my street in the past decade) and had stopped to look at it, when one of the guys shouted, "KEEP ON MOVING", as if I was contemplating stealing the designs or sabotaging the construction. I m a woman, and I wanted to scream, "I've lived in the neighborhood for 3 decades, and was interested in the style of house you asshole!", but that would've been stupid.

R147 Is the museum actually up in the hills, though?

Ummm the George Lucas Museum is in Exposition Park

I endorse R8. I'd also suggest just driving down Sunset. Watching it 'change.' Huntington Gardens is lovely, Griffith Observatory is a must. La Brea Tar Pits were fascinating. And Check out the art museums. The Broad and the Norton Simon are convenient. The Getty is a bit of a trek. It is also overwhelming. If you're just there for the weekend the Broad, Norton Simon Museum, very manageable. So is the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art.

OP, drive to the Santa Monica Pier/ beach and ride around the nearby neighborhoods. Go for a walk on the beach. If you go in the morning, before 11 it is very pleasant.

R149 That's why I didn't think R144 was talking about it, as R147 suggested.

R147 here. Yes, the Lucas Museum is in Exposition Park. No human is tall enough to look over the construction fence at the Lucas, but the new museum is so huge that you can see it even from hundreds of feet away. There are several large museums in Exposition Park, including the California African American Museum and the California Science Center, besides the Natural History Museum. Another museum that’s under construction in the park is the building that will house the space shuttle Endeavour. You can relax in the seven-acre Rose Garden.

R153 But the original poster wrote:

[quote]I drive up into the hills to look at it one day. It was fenced in. I'm 6'5 so I stood my my tippy toes to get a look. Suddenly I hear "WHO ARE YOU??" I don't respond. "WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU WANT??" The voice sounded deadly serious, so I hightailed it out of there.

The site isn't in the hills.

R140 OP here.

Have stayed in both the AC and Element in Irvine. Both had nice rooms. Liked them both - the garage at Element was a bit easier to use and it was overall quieter, more of a business hotel. The AC is closer to a little plaza, though, for food, etc. Despite being near the airport it was quiet. We usually stay in one of those if we're doing a run of activities along the coast (Newport Beach/Dana Point etc.)

Newport Beach has a few lovely visiting spots despite being Rich White Lady Paradise. But hotels there are off the charts expensive and make the Langham look like a Motel 6 pricewise. (They're mostly resorts). The Resort at Pelican Hill was a former favorite splurge spot when a room was 600-700 $$ in pre-pandemic days, but sadly the same room is now somewhere over $2000 (yes, two thousand) a night.

There are some boutique hotels in various spots along Highyway 1/Pacific Coast Highway in that area. But for me, the benefits of having the roar of the ocean at your window were outweighed by the loud party scene, the dense cloud of pot smoke, and the fact that literally every flat surface was caked with seagull/bird shit. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Hi OP- Friends recently stayed at the Short Stories Hotel and liked it very much. It’s across the street from Farmers Market and within walking distance of La Brea Tar Pits and museum, the new Academy Museum, Petersen Museum, and the portions of LACMA that are currently open. I believe they said it was less than $300 per night.

R156 BTW, my visiting friends are WGA members and were in town because of the impending writers’ strike. The WGA headquarters is just one block from this hotel. Most writers, like my friends, really aren’t that well paid. They had spent some time investigating affordable, well-located hotels in the LA area prior to their visit.

So much is gone. All the classic homes Pickfair,Falcon Lair gone. Ambassador Hotel gone. They've even gutted Mann's Chinese. The new AMPAS museum on Wilshire is an abomination. If you are a classic movie buff I'd recommend lunch at the Polo Lounge at BH Hotel. Drinks at Musso & Franks. Walk thru Whitley Heights. Perhaps dinner at Yamashiro's with lovely view of Hollywood Blvd at night. The Getty Villa in Malibu is a must see.Troppo Bella. Pretend your Spartacus.

R156 r157 Shit! I just looked at their website and they’re temporarily closed!

Just for shits and giggles, I'm going to ask if anyone has ever stayed at the Angelino, that weird round tower looming over the 405 near the Getty?

I thought about staying there, but well. I hate valet parking.

A really quirky local museum is the Finnish Folk Art Museum in Pasadena.

OP, check out the Chamberlain Hotel in West Hollywood. Sweet boutique place with mildly reasonable prices.

[quote] Just for shits and giggles, I'm going to ask if anyone has ever stayed at the Angelino, that weird round tower looming over the 405 near the Getty?

I fucked a guy there once.

The rooms are trapezoid-shaped Holiday Inn level rooms.

It used to be a Holiday Inn.

Bullocks Wilshire

I honestly hate posts like R158

“Oh they demolished Pickfair” So what, it’s not like the public could fucking go to it. Jesus Christ no one mourned the Ambassador Hotel, it was a monstrosity. Eldergays pretending they enjoyed Chasen’s or Perino’s in their imaginary past lives. For Fucks Sake these people would mourn the removal of the elephants from the awful Highland shipping center.

OP Hollywood Roosevelt should be in your price range. It has a bit of not unappealing shabbiness if you don’t mind that, plus is close to everything.

r57 OP, go south to San Juan Capistrano, visit the mission, enjoy the old part of town, especially across the RR tracks.

Again, why would you tell the OP to go to San Juan Capistrano? Why not just tell him to go visit Hearst Castle or Death Valley?

There are lots of nice places in Southern California, but this is irrelevant to anything the OP asked.

For people who LIVE in LA, San Juan Capistrano can be a fun day trip. You can get there on the Metrolink, which lets you off right in the center of everything.

West Covina is a *must*.

R166 I agree with you about the people who constantly bemoan what’s vanished from LA, but I can still be sad that trashy Pia Zadora and her trashy husband demolished Picfair. I’m an elder gay (62) who genuinely loved Chasen’s and Perino’s, my parents favorite restaurants. They also liked Dan Tana’s, which still exists, but they considered it slumming to go there. In a fun way! When my father had to go into the studio on Saturday, our mother would often take my brother and me to the Beverly Hills Brown Derby for lunch. We loved the grapefruit cake for dessert. The Brown Derby is another place I mourn.

Your suggestion of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is an excellent choice for OP. Since its extensive remodel a few years ago, I really wouldn’t call it shabby. The bottom of their swimming pool was painted by David Hockney. I think it’s fabulous. Finally, their restaurant, The Barish, is wonderful.

r168 The subject of the area's Latino culture and heritage had come up. Do read the thread, dear.

R171 Obligatory "Perino's is MY place!" mention.

Website for the Hollywood Roosevelt, with a link to the menu for The Barish.

[quote] My brother gets on one of those tourist double deckers when he travels to a new city to get a sense of the place, then explores the ones that peaked his interest. That might not be such a bad idea here in LA because the place is huge, very spread out

I don't think there are any double-decker buses that traverse all of L.A. County. You might find a double-decker bus in Hollywood.

I was at Roosevelt last year, it’s shabby in a good, urbane way. It’s hardly seedy but you can just tell some things have been painted too many times, little things like that.

I spent a whole day at the pool and it was fabulous except for the goddamn helicopters. I think they were shooting something, it just kept hovering.

One benefit of Hollywood Roosevelt was that it allowed me to take a very late show at Chinese Theater. When I got out at maybe 1am, the Santa Ana winds were howling and Hollywood Boulevard was completely empty (because of the wind) and bathed in this purple light. It was totally surreal, like I had walked into a dream. I’ll always remember that as my personal LA memory.

[quote]Can you still walk to the Hollywood sign? I thought that was verboten now.

R133, Yes & No. You can hike to *above* the sign via the Cahuenga Peak Trail, but there's no access directly to the sign/letters. It's fenced off with motion detectors, surveillance cameras (on the top of the letters), and a speaker system so police/park rangers can give verbal warnings to trespassers.

r171/r173 - A couple of years ago I sought out Perino's to see what was there now. There were actually an original restaurant that moved just a bit further west on Wilshire. I had found an ashtray at a thrift store that I ended up selling on eBay.

[quote]Menu items changed daily and on special occasions pressed duck was served at the table prepared from an antique duck press that belonged to Joan Crawford and her fourth husband Alfred Steele.

I took a picture but you sort of had to be there.

R181 What is that picture? It’s not the old or new Perino’s.

Drake’s is the new Chasen’s, but it’s a lot less glamorous. Harry and Meghan have been here.

The right Drake’s.

OP, if you have a car, stay in Pasadena.

OP I assume you are going to be there the weekend of June 24

No idea what’s going on in Pasadena but the price at the Langham increased 500% from most weekends before and after

Maybe Cal Tech graduation

It's too bad Huell Howser died or we could ask him.

^^ Aw, man....I still miss Huell. 💖💖💖

R186 and OP, there are other hotels in Pasadena. Nice ones. Less expensive than the Langham. Old Pasadena and Lake Ave. have good restaurants. If you stay at an Airbnb it's even better with Whole Foods nearby. But just for a weekend, stay at a hotel. The prices in Pasadena are better.

R189 looking at a few in Pasadena and a few others in Monterey Park.

I hope none of these were on your list, OP...

r166 I miss the Ambassador. It had a quality sleaze ambience at every stage of its history. Early on it was shabby sheik. At the very end it had a shabby sheik. It smelled like sex.... good sex.

I had my high school prom there.

Hollywood Roosevelt is definitely worth it. Also monumental sleaze of the highest order - tiny rooms. Used to do a lot of drugs there.

Chateau Marmont is immediately, effectively, profoundly depressing. Interesting just from that angle alone. I once planned to commit suicide there. It didn't work out.

I've read and appreciated (and contributed to) this thread. And Acid Grandfather from Highland Park has concluded that OP should spend big money for a hotel in Pasadena and stick around there.

[quote] shabby sheik

I'd "oh, dear" you but this is so amusing - I'm thinking of some aging sheik trying to cruise at the pool!

Ah come on kiddo, I deserve an "Oh Dear"...

Let me sit at the cool kids table, K?

*

Monterey Park? Nonono at least Altadena.

R195 I miss the Ambassador Hotel. I only saw it after its heyday, but the acres of gardens, the fountain in the lobby, and the fabulous Coconut Grove nightclub were memorable. The Writers’ Guild held their children’s’ Christmas party there a number of times.

Don't miss Eartha at the Mocambo.

R198 When Gloria Vanderbilt lived in LA, the Mocambo was supposedly her favorite night out.

I wish I could have seen the Cocoanut Grove!

Be sure to catch Frances Faye at the Crescendo...

M

R201 The Crescendo was a step down from the Cocoanut Grove, but it apparently appealed to a younger crowd. I remember my grandparents said they liked Ciro’s most of all.

Ella at the Crescendo...

What about the LA Biltmore? I've had afternoon tea there and thought it was a nice hotel. haven't seen the insides of the rooms. This website says rooms start at $153, which seems unbelievable, considering the prices discussed on this thread.

The Biltmore is generally regarded as a much faded dowager. Not particularly appealing unless you absolutely need to stay in Downtown LA.

The Biltmore has lavish public areas, but I’ve never seen any of the guest rooms. The area would be boring at night. A plus is that Grand Central Market is nearby. It’s a fun and very popular place. Lots of eating options inside.

Silly question, but is there anything to see and do in Pacific Palisades?

Or is it like Malibu, where the public is kept away from anything interesting by policy?

R208 The Getty Villa is in Pacific Palisades and the beach is nice. That’s about it.

I love Old Pasadena. it's convenient and you can walk around and enjoy the area.

The Self-Realization Gardens are in Pacific Palisades. Free and beautiful.

Seems they require reservations now and only for specific days. Still a nice place...you could combine with a visit to the Getty Villa.

The Eames House is located in Pacific Palisades. You need to make a reservation.

As a kid I lived near there for a while, but just asking, if you're going to LA for a vacation, do you really want to spend your time in Pasadena?

By the way I mentioned Frogtown above and I hear it's an interesting hangout though have never been there, so I don't really know for sure. Elysian Valley.

R211 Christopher Isherwood was involved in the Self-Realization Fellowship and community.

The Langham has been definitely ruled out.

The room rate was somewhat OK as a splurge but with $300 (!!!) in additional fees for two nights the rate would be $1800. Fuck THAT noise.

I underestimated the popularity of the hotel and surrounding area, I guess. It will likely be busy and stay quite busy from now until after the Rose Bowl, so I'd better put a reminder on my calendar to book something in late March/early April......

Why is the AMPAS Museum not recommended?

Bummer, OP, I'd been wondering if a night at the Langham was worth it, because I definitely want to spend at least one day in Pasadena, and possibly head out into the Palm Springs area from there. And frankly, I haven't been impressed with the hotels in Pasadena in the past, it seems like every one I've tried has either been shabby or has had parking issues.

What's the San Jacinto Peak and its Gondola ride likely to be like in late May?

Let's all meet up at the Great Wolf Lodge in Garden Grove! It's got to be full of hot cornfed flyover dads who are desperate for a blowjob!

Seriously, get a load of this Vegas-meets-Branson shitfest.

If I wanted trashy, dumb-but-hot dads who needed a blowjob, I'd head to Oceanside.

r217, it was mentioned at r1.

If you're going to PacPal, I would recommend the Lobster Roll at Broad Street Oyster Company (the rest of the food is great too). Better than Boston's/West Hollywood's Saltie Girl).

The AMPAS museum is definitely worth a visit but there is a consensus that’s it’s not quite successful in doing what it wants to do. The exhibits don’t flow very well and it’s doesn’t have the kind of storytelling flow we are used to in museum exhibitions. It sort of reminds me if you’ve been to an art fair like Art Basel Miami Beach and the art doesn’t look very interesting because it’s so incongruous as it’s organized by vendor.

But I would encourage checking it out, just to see how you feel about it.

The interiors except for the big gumball are also quite drab.

I’m going in May and am APPALLED at the prices. And now they have started doing the “Resort Fee” scam - in LA - where they just add $75 to the room rate quoted. Nothing in WeHo under $400. Even the Chamberlain is $450! F**k that. How are they able to double the prices from a year ago? This is insane. I can’t wait until the travel industry crashes in 2 years. Screw them.

R223 Yup, we're running into the same thing.

Apparently we just missed the window of sanity, so to speak. Talked to an old friend this weekend and he said there's a small window of sanity with Pasadena from after the Rose Bowl until mid-April and then everything is just booked, booked, booked, or off the charts.

I’m a little puzzled by all this. The Biltmore has been mentioned and rooms there are supposedly in $200 per night. This old hotel has some of the most beautiful interiors in LA. It’s just in a boring part of town. Or the Hollywood Roosevelt at less than $300 per night. That’s in a more fun part of town than the Biltmore. You could stroll a few blocks to have dinner at Musso & Frank, Hollywood’s oldest restaurant.

I'm the one who brought up the Biltmore. And, yeah, the interiors (common areas) are beautiful. I had afternoon tea there (have not seen the rooms).

I used to go to LA once or even twice a year b/c my brother lives there. I always stayed at my brother's place, though. Frankly, if I had to pay several hundred dollars per night, I would not think it was worth it to visit LA.

In a different DL Los Angeles thread, a couple of posters (including me) said that LA is the opposite of "nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there." I.e., it's a nice place to live, but you wouldn't want to visit there.

Is it possible to get a pass that will let person into all the museums on Museum Row? I'm going to try to do the Academy museum, the LA Art museum, and that nice Paleontoloy museum in one day, if possible.

Thanks to anyone with a clue!

Venice Beach. The boardwalk and the canals. Abbot Kinney Blvd has a gay bar Roosterfish— one of the first gay bars I frequented in the 90s. The area has been gentrified and lost much of its charm (it was a neighborhood bar where I knew most everyone who went there) but still worth a visit.

A lot of shops and restaurants along Abbott Kinney Blvd in Venice where the Roosterfish bar is located

If you’re going to visit the Academy Museum, then the Petersen Museum across the street is also worth a visit. It’s got one of the world’s largest collections of automobiles. The museum is huge and has examples of every luxury car ever made. The Batmobile is also in the collection as well as examples of less well-known cars. The building that houses all of this is mind-boggling.

R227 I’m up early today. I’ve looked online, and I don’t see any information about purchasing a pass for the various museums on Museum Row. The main museum there, LACMA, is still under construction of its new building and won’t be finished until 2024. Two of LACMA’s buildings, the Resnick Pavilion and the Broad Contemporary Museum, are open. The Broad Contemporary Museum is distinct from The Broad, which is on Bunker Hill in downtown LA. It also is a collection of contemporary art. The paleontology museum you mentioned is the La Brea Tar Pits Museum. R230 mentions the Petersen Automotive Museum. It’s opposite the Academy Museum. Seeing all of this cluster of museums in one day would be difficult.

Anyone who is interested in the golden age of air travel should check out the Flight Path Museum by LAX. It's full of vintage uniforms and memorabilia, and there is an old DC-3 outside you can check out which Howard Hughes flew in. I loved it.

LA has a number of quirky museums. The Wende Museum, in Culver City, is a museum of art and artifacts related to the Cold War. Although it has a huge collection, its current building isn’t big enough to display it all at once. They’re going to start construction on a bigger building soon.

Because of Covid, a number of local attractions require tickets for timed visits. That’s another burden for visitors who have limited time. Good luck!

Jesus Christ r234 that stopped being done a year ago

R235 No, it’s still being done. The La Brea Tar Pits Museum, for example. Other museums require timed admission for particular, popular exhibits.

It says absolute nothing about advanced timed requirements for the Page Museum.

R237 Look under “Admission” - Advanced On-line Tickets

“ Advanced, online tickets are highly recommended”

RECOMMENDED. Not Required. All museums do this especially for museums which tend to fill up on weekends like Natural History. I’m sure if you wanted to walk up to the museum today you can just buy a ticket at the window.

I went to Roosterfish for a drink a few months back on a Saturday. There were a few gay guys in the mix but it was mostly mobbed with straight 24 year olds. I like Abbot Kinney though. It has its share of corporate retailers but it still would be fun for a visitor to Venice. A little look around the canals too is good.

There's a ton of amazing suggestions here. There was an earlier point about the Grove, how LA has to fake charm. I get the point. The Grove really illustrates there's interest in walkable, village-y areas. LA does have some of this is you scratch the surface. There are pockets of charm like Larchmont Village. Main Street Santa Monica in the vicinity of the Victorian is charming as well.

[quote] By the way I mentioned Frogtown above and I hear it's an interesting hangout though have never been there, so I don't really know for sure. Elysian Valley.

Frogtown is fun but you really want to get on a bike. Visit the Spoke Bike Cafe and check out the river. You can see what's going on in the area from the bike path.

An area that’s fun to spend time in is the Arts District, east of downtown. It hasn’t been affordable for artists for years, but it’s still a lively area. Lots of early twentieth century buildings in the area have been refurbished and converted to stylish uses. Warner Brothers moved their Music Group into an old Ford factory where they used to make the Model A and Model T cars. I have a friend who works there. The Hauser & Wirth art gallery is huge and has a very good restaurant. It’s in a building that partly dates from the late nineteenth century.

Hauser & Wirth is a major international art gallery. The exhibits are free and if you like cutting-edge art, it’s the place to go. Their restaurant, Manuela, is extremely good with a stylish clientele. But reservations are a must.

R244 I’ve been to Manuela. It’s very good. It’s stylish, all right. I felt self-conscious for appearing to be too ordinary looking. It made me think of a line in a novel I read years ago:

“In Los Angeles, clothing is not for amateurs.”

What.....people didn't look like Kardashian and Styles clones there?

Two words...May gray.

OP I don’t know if this coincides with your dates but LA Conservancy holds screenings of classic films in the downtown movie palaces in the summer. This would be a very rare opportunity to see these movie palaces usually closed to the public.

That's one thing DTLA *can* boast about, r248, there are some incredible theatres.

R247 We used to call it "Jacaranda Spring"....

We called it...maize.

We call it temperature inversion.

Well...?

R253 Trip delayed until later this summer, or early fall.

I just got back from the LA Basin, I'm the guy who was going to the Irvine area. When I wasn't going to botanical gardens with my old friends (avoid the Huntington on weekends), I was having a lovely time birding and hiking in unfamiliar territory. Of course it was June Gloom season, but the sun came out when we got to the gardens,

The Academy of Motion Pictures Museum was worth a visit to me, but it seems very unfinished and too focused on inclusion, which was a bit of a stretch for an industry that has been blatantly non-inclusive for most of its history (and in a few years they may have filled some of the unused space). I had also forgotten how much of a Temple To Materialism much of the LA Basin is, which made me happy to get away to the coast and mountains.

[quote]The Academy of Motion Pictures Museum was worth a visit to me, but it seems very unfinished and too focused on inclusion,

Yep, r255. Zero grandeur of Hollywood/Academy history.

The Bette Davis picnic area.

R256 The guiding principles of the current display at the new Academy Museum are “diversity” and “inclusion.” Most of the displays are crap and don’t reflect the true history of Hollywood film-making. The museum is a travesty.

R258, I agree. I was there with my two sisters and they felt the same way. It definitely did not meet our expectations. It's very commercial and safe and more like a promotional thing for the Academy. I hope one day we can see something more satisfying.