Levi Clancy / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
| # | Name | At a glance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The West Observatory Trail, not the Observatory parking lot | A hike above Griffith Observatory gives one of the city's best… |
| 2 | Fryman Canyon, instead of Runyon | Same Hollywood Hills genre of hike and comparable views toward the… |
| 3 | Grand Central Market, before nine or after three | The downtown food hall is packed by office workers at midday on… |
| 4 | Chung King Road, on a gallery night | A short pedestrian alley of small Chinatown galleries, dead by day… |
| 5 | The Original Farmers Market, before eleven | Distinct from the Grove next door, this is the quieter, local… |
| 6 | Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook | A basin to ocean panorama most visitors never hear about. Weekday… |
| 7 | The Venice Canals, early morning | A quiet, residential stretch of actual canals a few blocks off the… |
| 8 | Museum of Jurassic Technology | A deliberately strange, one of a kind museum in Culver City,… |
| 9 | The Bradbury Building lobby | Free, ornate Victorian ironwork interior downtown, open during… |
| 10 | A guided tour of the Watts Towers | The only way to see them up close, first come first served with no… |
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01
The West Observatory Trail, not the Observatory parking lot #
A hike above Griffith Observatory gives one of the city's best Hollywood Sign views, without the weekend crush for parking. Go at sunrise or on a weekday morning.
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02
Fryman Canyon, instead of Runyon #
Same Hollywood Hills genre of hike and comparable views toward the Valley, with noticeably less crowding and a small paid lot that keeps volume down.
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03
Grand Central Market, before nine or after three #
The downtown food hall is packed by office workers at midday on weekdays. Early morning or mid afternoon gets a table.
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04
Chung King Road, on a gallery night #
A short pedestrian alley of small Chinatown galleries, dead by day and genuinely alive on scheduled Saturday opening nights. Check individual gallery calendars for dates.
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05
The Original Farmers Market, before eleven #
Distinct from the Grove next door, this is the quieter, local version: bakeries and coffee rather than tourists, best on a weekday morning.
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06
Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook #
A basin to ocean panorama most visitors never hear about. Weekday mornings are easiest for parking, late afternoon gives the better light.
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07
The Venice Canals, early morning #
A quiet, residential stretch of actual canals a few blocks off the boardwalk, closer to the neighborhood's original character than the crowd nearby suggests.
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08
Museum of Jurassic Technology #
A deliberately strange, one of a kind museum in Culver City, genuinely unlike anything else in the city. Its hours are unusual and limited, check before going.
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09
The Bradbury Building lobby #
Free, ornate Victorian ironwork interior downtown, open during business hours only. It can close without notice for a film shoot, so have a backup nearby.
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10
A guided tour of the Watts Towers #
The only way to see them up close, first come first served with no reservations. Check current tour days before making the trip out.
Eight people to follow before you go to Los Angeles
- 1Bill Addison. The LA Times restaurant critic, the most reliable single filter for what is actually worth eating across the city right now.
- 2Richard Winton. A Pulitzer winning LA Times reporter covering crime and breaking news, useful for a sense of what is happening day to day beyond the tourist map.
- 3Eddie Sanchez (@hungryinla). A long running LA food photographer and blogger whose work has run in Zagat and local press, covering both known spots and newer finds.
- 4@eater_la. The Los Angeles arm of the Eater network, the account most consistently first on new restaurant openings.
- 5@metrolaalerts. LA Metro's dedicated real time alert account, separate from the main brand account, the one to actually watch for delays.
- 6Alison Martino (Vintage Los Angeles). An Emmy winning local broadcaster who posts historic LA photography and then and now comparisons from her own archive.
- 7Los Angeles Dodgers. The team account rather than any one player, since rosters change and this will not, useful if a home game lines up with a visit.
- 8The Troubadour. A West Hollywood venue open since 1957 that still books emerging and local acts alongside touring names.