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Things to do is L.A.



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amother


 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 3:42 pm
I'll be traveling to Los Angeles with some friends, and I would like to have a list of easy day trips within a 30 minute drive from the La Brea area. Just trips that would be fun for three 50 yr old ladies to do. Someone told me Balboa Park in Encino, but what else is there? As many ideas as possible would be great! Plz also state how many driving minutes away from LA everything is. THNX!!!
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tichellady




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 4:24 pm
I can't plan your trip for you especially since I don't know what you like. You are going to have to search the internet to get ideas. You will be close to many things as long as it's not rush hour. You can google map how long the distance is between the places you are going. Some of my favorite things to do in LA: hiking, walking on Malibu beach, the Annenburg space for photography (it's a musuem), a concert at the Hollywood bowl, the Griffith park observatory, the Getty villa, the Annenberg beach house, kayaking at marina del ray, etc.
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amother


 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 4:31 pm
I don't want you to plan my trip, just to throw out ideas of day trips in the la area which I will then research. Many of the things u listed are over a half hour drive away, but I will look into them. Many people I know from LA basically said there is nothing to do it's not that type of city so thought I'd check here. thnx!
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tichellady




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 4:39 pm
I think there are a ton of things to do in la but la is spread out so if you are really strict about the no longer than 30 minute car ride you will be challenged. If you are open to driving between 30 and 45 minutes all the places I mentioned should be doable. Btw, I don't think balboa park is very exciting and that could take more than 30 minutes to get to depending on traffic. If you are coming in for vacation and won't comprise on the 30 minute drive time then I would recommend staying in the Pico Robertson area so you are closer to the beach
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amother


 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 6:06 pm
Traffic stinks in L.A. Wanting stuff to do that's 30 minutes from La Brea is unrealistic. 30 minutes limits you to Griffith Observatory, or the La Brea Tar Pits, neither of which are wow. (Pick Griffith if you're really going to stick to 30 minutes though.) Or you could always attend a taping of a tv show in one of the studios if you're the type that would like that.

But you're in L.A., so go to the beach!! Not the crowded icky part. Specifically, go to the beach in Malibu. Get lunch at the Fish Grill. www.fishgrill.com It's a longer drive than you want but so beautiful!!

Don't go to Balboa Park, it's just a lake with a jogging path and a ton of Latino families making barbeques. You could do that anywhere.
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amother


 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 6:10 pm
I'm not a big beach person..........

I'll extend my trips to 45 min. Any other ideas?

Have you heard of the little Venice in Long Beach? It's a city on water where you get around with boats....
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amother


 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 6:13 pm
I guess you could go to Santa Monica, that would be closer. You have the beach and the Santa Monica Pier. Not as nice as Malibu though, especially for people in their 50s. Some of the people there are a bit unsavory.
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amother


 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 6:16 pm
Oh, I see we cross posted. Well if you don't want the beach I don't know what to tell you that's nice and within 45 minutes. Can't think of anything worth spending the time and stress of driving in L.A. to do, aside from the beach. Why not just hit a bunch of the restaurants on Pico? They have some good ones.
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amother


 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 8:08 pm
There are beautiful hikes. You can do Tree People, Griffith Park, Franklin Canyon. Long Beach is terrible, as is Balboa Park. If you time traffic right, you can leave around 11 am and get to many areas is about 45 minutes. But you need to leave to return no later than 2 or 2:30 because you will hit traffic coming back. The Arboretum is beautiful but you must time traffic accordingly. Even if you are not a beach person, Point Dume beach in malibu is stunning (and the Fish Grill on PCH is nearby). Its $8 to park on weekdays but worth it for the private beach access.
The Grove is a fun hour or two to walk around. Venice Beach is fun if you like to people watch but the people can be "iffy".
Skirball center and Getty Center are nice museums. If you would get a kick out of it, you can see the Space Shuttle Endeavor at the California Science Center.
Griffith Park Observatory is also nice, and you can picnic outside and have a beautiful view.
Hope you have a nice fun trip.
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amother


 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 8:44 pm
Runyon canyon is amazing, gray stone mansion is pretty. Museum of natural history has a butterfly house in the summer and a spider exhibit in the fall

Venice is not in long beach, it'd just south of Santa Monica. If you stick to just walking the canals it's fun to see all the different houses but the beach is filled with not such nice characters. Interestingly, there is a frum shul right on Venice beach
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rachel6543




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 8:58 pm
I like the Getty, a nice museum. There's also LACMA, another nice museum with art.

Long Beach has a nice aquarium. There's also the Queen Mary in Long beach, but I haven't been to that myself.

If you like theme parks, there are several in the area, universal city, Disneyland, knots berry farm, magic mountain. You'd have to check maps to see if travel time/distance is too far for you.

Just south of downtown LA is USC, a large private university. It's a beautiful campus to walk around and there are usually free daily tours given at the school. Across the street south of USC are several museums and a rose garden. There's the California science museum, which last time I visited 10+ yrs ago was free to the public. It's at one of these museums where the space shuttle is. Last I heard, there are sometimes kosher food trucks that visit USC and I believe there is a kosher food section on campus (you can contact the campus chabad house about kosher food near the school).

Santa Monica is nice to walk around. There's a pier and 3rd street promenade which has lots of shops and often has street entertainers. Not sure if still there, but yrs ago there was a Coffee Bean around the pier, which has lots of kosher items.

Many people have recommended the fish grille on pch in Malibu. I also recommend doing that. It's a beautiful drive around there. If you go to fish grill, I recommend the fried fish sandwich-yum!!

If you're a member of AAA or have a friend who has a membership, I recommend getting some guide books on LA from them (should be free). Go through the books and see what interests you.

If you're willing to drive about an hr outside of La, in Oxnard is a kosher winery that has a restaurant. Food is good, but very $$$$.

You could always do one of the tourist bus rides that take you around the city or Hollywood. I've never done it, but I bet it would be an interesting way to see a lot and learn a lot of facts.

In Venice beach, there are actual canals you can walk around, with cute funky homes. I once went on a date in Venice beach yrs ago and we accidentally came across it. It's a nice place to just walk around. (http://m.yelp.com/biz/venice-canals-venice-2)
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ValleyMom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 27 2014, 9:35 pm
You didn't mention anything you enjoy doing so I will tell you the things I love about LA.

RIGHT NOW Leah Rimini's reality TV Show is very HOT and so I would make a pitstop for coffee at Vivian's Millennium Cafe in Studio City for some Star Gazing. You never know who will show up... Leah's husband Angelo Pagan owns the restaurant with Leah's stepfather George.

Laguna Beach is AMAZING---IF you like incredible beaches, craft fairs and art galleries.
GO EARLY and visit the Sawdust Festival, then head to the beach for a few hours and for the evening be sure to order tickets for Pageants of the Masters. IF you have no idea what any of it is GOOGLE it. Also, you can sign up for an art class at the sawdust festival online before you go. There's jewelry making, stained glass, sketching... FUN)

Getty Center off the 405 is great erev shabbos because it's local and they have a wild and crazy art exhibit called the Scandalous Art of James Ensor. Check the schedule for a docent led tour of the exhibit--it is worth it. His art is over-the-top! James started out as an Impressionist painter and then left the school and painted excrement, farting, vomiting, bizarre masks and skeletons. You need to check it out for yourself.

Santa Barbara is my absolute all time favorite city. WELL WORTH THE DRIVE!! The beaches are amazing, the people are friendly and the city lis incredible. On the way back to LA stop for outlet shopping in Camarillo- amazing outlet store... go online to check it out. In Agoura Hills there is a yummy cholov yisroel pizza shop for cheap dinner or stop at the Oxnard winery for gourmet dinner and wine tasting. The wine tasting fee can be APPLIED to dinner--YES I'm serious!!

DO NOT DO HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME. It is awful.
DO NOT DO RIPLEYS BELIEVE IT OR NOT. IT IS AWFUL.

YOU are going to have a blast!!! PM if you have more questions as I scan go on and on and on.
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amother


 

Post Mon, Jul 28 2014, 11:03 am
Thank you!
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