+1000 on Destroyer!
I personally don’t feel as threatened in Venice. There are a crazy number of homeless people on the board walk. That said, my son works in Venice and surfs there regularly. Abbot Kinney has some cool shops and restaurants.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Getty Museum, The Getty Villa, The Petersen Automotive Museum are all wonderful!
In September 2021 they are opening the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which sounds amazing!
Also Descanso Gardens and the Huntington Library and Gardens are always fun.
One thing I always tell out of towners when they’re in this area is to try to find places in movies…that’s a fun activity!
Also, I don’t know how it is now, but you could try to get tickets to be on a taping of a talk show: though it isn’t guaranteed.
Another fun thing to do is find trails and do some hiking.
Something I would normally suggest is the LA Times Festival of books, but this year it was virtual and they’ve already had it…definitely something to put on the list for when you come back!
For San Diego: Balboa Park is wonderful! Fun place to walk around and lots of cool museums. Plus the ZOO is right there and that’s always a fun time! La Jolla is cute place to walk around with restaurants. Coronado is always fun too!
Forgot to mention: The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena is worth a visit! It’s the building with a huge flower on it when you watch the Rose Parade on tv.
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Last Bookstore followed by Grand Central Market for food is fun, nearby Japanese American museum has an excellent exhibition on Japanese Internment camps
LACMA or Peterson followed by Republique for lunch is good
The Music Center (next to Disney Hall) has some live outdoors events that might into your schedule. HOllywood Bowl might be open by then. MOCA and Broad are there too
Skirball has Lego protest art right now which might appeal to your son. Norton Simon hasn’t been mentioned.
Avoid any free days anywhere.
There is a dreadful sounding “update” on Fiddler on the Roof at the Wallis opening. But there isn’t lot out there right now so…
I mentioned the Norton Simon above, but I’m surprised more people haven’t suggested it! It’s well worth a visit!
Another fun activity in both LA and San Diego is to find a nice beach to walk on!
Also, north of SD in Carlsbad is the Self Realization Fellowship Garden. Beautiful peaceful gardens with pretty paths and flowers and ponds and there are areas that overlook the ocean!
I second (third?) the Griffith Observatory walking trails. PERFECT for something outdoorsy but agreeable for non-hikers! Quintessential LA views. Sunsets there are memorable. Hopefully it’s open.
I also recommend renting bikes and biking along the beach from Santa Monica to Marina Del Rey.
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We live in San Diego and H and I like to go to LA and spend a few days every once in awhile. Some things we have really enjoyed are the walking tours put on by the LA Conservancy. We have done one of the art deco buildings, Union Station and the old theatres in downtown LA. I’m not sure if they are still doing these with Covid, but you can check their website.
We also love The Last Book store in downtown LA, Angels Flight Railway, The Bradbury Building (from the movies 500 Days of Summer and Blade Runner) and The Broad Museum. Afterwards get food at the Grand Central Market.
Take a walk along Rodeo Drive and have lunch at Sugar Fish (if you like Sushi). Take a drive around Beverly Hills.
When D2 had an internship in LA for the summer she wanted to go to Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary where Marilyn Monroe and many other celebrities are interred.
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What part of LA will you be in and will you have a car?
Ds has a car. Playa Vista/Culver City area
The bar at the Culver Hotel is an old classic. If you like good bourbon, Neat, is a nice hole in the wall bar with a great selection in that area.
Is he a student or employed. If employed, go see his place of business. That’s fun to see where the kiddo works!
He is employed, but all are still working remotely. We saw his office building (just from the outside) before he started his summer internship - wow - four summers ago.
EDIT: Shoot. Just looked up the Culver Hotel which my maps shows as, “temporarily closed.”
Culver City might be a bit sunnier as you’ll be out of the fog bank. Manhattan Beach isn’t far and it’s a cute beach town.
I just went with a friend to the farmers market and the Grove. It was a fun spot. The Broad museum downtown is on my list. 2nd or 3rd the Huntington gardens.
Long Beach aquarium might be a nice spot to go with your son.
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I agree with the recommendation for the Getty Villa in Malibu. It’s a beautiful place and the drive up the coast is beautiful. If you like driving, a scenic drive up Malibu Canyon Road is also worthwhile, and then turn right at Mulholland drive and across back over the top of the city. Over on the other side of town, Huntington Gardens is also spectacular.
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If you are driving over Malibu Cyn., you should try The Old Place in Cornell, CA.
Also, I couple of places I forgot to mention earlier, Olvera St., known as the Birthplace of LA
Graumans Chinese Theatre
Hike the Hollywood Sign
If you want to do a couple of old time restaurants:
Musso & Frank
Dan Tana
Yamashiro
Taix
Langers Deli
The Apple Pan
Nate n’ Al (loyal following, new owner)
Phillipe Original French Dip
Barney’s Beanery
Magees Kitchen (LA Farmers Market)
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Another recommendation to visit the Huntington Library/Garden. The gardens, especially the roses, are amazing. A friend suggested that we visit the Weisman Foundation Art Museum when we were visiting the city. This collection is in a private home in the Holmby Hills section of LA. You have need to make an appointment for the docent tours there. You can’t ramble on your own. I loved this museum because the artworks are all through the owners house. Weisman’s collection is eclectic —pop art and old masters. There’s also an annex that’s like a traditional art museum.
I am from LA so I’m always looking for something to do there.
Has anyone suggested Olvera Street? My family really enjoyed it. There are so many excellent places to eat. It’s cool to see where LA began, and the original ranch house is still there. Union Station is walking distance and fantastic. A real throwback. My family was also super impressed with the Autry Museum of the American West, near the LA Zoo. This is a world class museum dedicated to all things Wild West.
I always love the view from Griffith Observatory, and it’s such an iconic place anyway that you shouldn’t miss it. It’s actually very interesting inside too.
Melrose Avenue is still fun and funky. It’s also got the fantastic Pinks Hot Dogs.
Hollywood Blvd Walk of Stars is still fun to see, as is the Capitol Records Building and Mann’s Chinese Theater, even though the area itself is pretty touristy.
Rodeo Drive is fun for just saying you’ve been there, but I recommend going to the Beverly Hills Hotel bar and getting a drink, for old school glam. I second Canter’s Deli. Not just a deli. Funny story, a couple of friends turned up with about ten of us and got married there. We all ordered food and paid for ourselves. Fun place.
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I have not been to LA in decades, but if I went now I would love to visit the LA Library (the one discussed in The Library Book). My friends was just there and said it was fun to visit (especially after reading the book).
EEK. Thanks for sharing about Venice. We are headed to SD and LA early August so I appreciate this thread! I’ve reserved a hotel in Santa Monica for part of our trip. We had planned to rent bikes to ride the boardwalk from Santa Monica to Venice Beach. I have two teens and a husband who tends to take risks that the rest of us aren’t comfortable with, so… is Santa Monica a safe place for us to stay? Would you suggest we continue with the bike ride but maybe just limit it to Santa Monica, or go north instead of south towards Venice?
Sorry to hijack the post!
This sounds so familiar, LOL. But yes Santa Monica is safe to stay.
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Santa Monica is very safe. In general, all along the coast is very safe.
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