Fun Things to Do In Los Angeles

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Los Angeles Attractions

Attractions
Activities

Los Angeles Attractions

There's no shortage of fun things to do in Los Angeles! From beaches and shopping to amusement parks and the arts, there is something for everyone, here are some great places to start:

Taking a Studio Tour: It's why you're vacationing in L.A. -- to see where movie magic is being made. Studio tours are an entertaining opportunity to see the actual stage sets for shows such as ER and Desperate Housewives (sometimes during filming), and you never know who you're going to see emerging from his or her star wagon.

Visiting Santa Catalina Island: Taking a day trip to Catalina makes for a most adventurous day: a scenic boat ride; oodles of shopping, snorkeling, and scuba diving; golf; hiking trails; waffle cones; sunburns; and DUI-free barhopping. Tip: The helicopter taxi is a lot cheaper than you'd expect.

Visiting the "Happiest Place on Earth," the Disneyland Resort: The resort's worldwide appeal is evident in the virtual United Nations of revelers traipsing through Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and the Disney's California Adventure park.
Dining at Spago (or The Ivy or Koi or Mastro's): Far less expensive than a day at Universal Studios or Disneyland, dining at one of L.A.'s übertrendy A-list celebrity haunts is an experience to be filed under "Only in L.A."

Touring the Getty Center: See the result of unlimited funds and very expensive taste at this multifaceted cultural center looming large over the city. The ultramodern facility, more airy and inviting than it looks from below, features a museum housing the impressive art collection of deep-pocketed industrialist J. Paul Getty, a postmodern garden, and breathtaking views of L.A.

Taking a Gourmet Picnic to the Hollywood Bowl: What better way to spend a typically warm L.A. evening than under the stars with a picnic basket, a bottle of wine, and some world-class entertainment? In addition to being the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Bowl hosts visiting performers ranging from chamber music quartets to jazz greats to folk humorists. The imposing white Frank Lloyd Wright-designed band shell always elicits appreciative gasps from first-time Bowl-goers.

Take a Tour of the Walt Disney Concert Hall: Built with a lot of Disney money but without a trace of goofiness, this stunning accomplishment of art and architecture is the crown jewel of Downtown. The dramatically curvaceous stainless-steel exterior houses one of the most acoustically perfect concert halls in the world. The self-guided audio walking tour narrated by actor John Lithgow is superb.

Los Angeles Activities

Cruising Along the Coast: Driving along the sunny coastline with the top down and your hair blowing in the warm wind is the quintessential Southern California experience -- one that never loses its appeal, even for the locals. Stop and visit whatever interests you: a Malibu cantina, the famous Santa Monica pier, or a South Bay beach -- a casual cruise along the shoreline is good for the soul.

Basking at the Beach: This is, after all, L.A. -- so get to a beach. Watch a volleyball tournament at Hermosa Beach, take surf lessons at Manhattan Beach, or gawk at the weight lifters pumping iron at Venice Beach. Surfers are always spotted at the Malibu beaches, and local families prefer to pitch their umbrellas at Zuma Beach.

Cruising Sunset Boulevard: It's a must for first-time visitors because you'll see a cross-section of everything that is L.A.: legendary clubs, studios, hotels, and zip codes that you'll instantly recognize from the silver screen and TV shows. The journey ends with a trip to Malibu's fabled beaches.

Spending a Day Downtown: If you're looking for a healthy dose of ethnic culture, you'll find it in Downtown L.A. Take a self-guided tour of the mind-blowing Walt Disney Concert Hall or cutting-edge Museum of Contemporary Art, stop in for a snack at the bustling Grand Central Market, pick up some inexpensive Mexican handcrafts along colorful and historic Olvera Street, and have dim sum in Chinatown.

Strolling Wilshire Boulevard's Museum Row: Natural history meets pop culture meets modern art along Museum Row. The La Brea Tar Pits, Petersen Automotive Museum, Craft & Folk Art Museum, and Los Angeles County Museum of Art are all shoulder-to-shoulder in the heart of L.A. The only problem is that it's too much to see in a day.