Spend your free time like an Angeleno
Sightseeing
One of the biggest, most mature and beautiful gardens in the United States. Multiple art museums and lunch spots tucked throughout the many gardens. A great place to spend the day. Don't miss the Cactus Garden (go early in the day to beat the heat), and the Japanese and Chinese Gardens.
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Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford RdOne of the biggest, most mature and beautiful gardens in the United States. Multiple art museums and lunch spots tucked throughout the many gardens. A great place to spend the day. Don't miss the Cactus Garden (go early in the day to beat the heat), and the Japanese and Chinese Gardens.
There's a million hikes in the mountains above LA—aka Angeles National Forest. They're a short ~30 minute drive from downtown and rise to over 8,000 feet. This is a short hike through a gorgeous canyon that leads you to a waterfall (in winter/spring). Bring plenty of water—there's a section without much shade and some elevation climb. I've hiked it with my 4-year-old niece.
PS—buy an Adventure Pass at the Native American museum on Hwy 2. if you'd like to park in the convenient parking lot.
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Switzer Falls Trail
701 Angeles Crest HwyThere's a million hikes in the mountains above LA—aka Angeles National Forest. They're a short ~30 minute drive from downtown and rise to over 8,000 feet. This is a short hike through a gorgeous canyon that leads you to a waterfall (in winter/spring). Bring plenty of water—there's a section without much shade and some elevation climb. I've hiked it with my 4-year-old niece.
PS—buy an Adventure Pass at the Native American museum on Hwy 2. if you'd like to park in the convenient parking lot.
Massive art museum—you could easily spend the whole day here.
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Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire BlvdMassive art museum—you could easily spend the whole day here.
Rose Bowl Flea Market
1001 Rose Bowl DrMassive flea market every second Sunday of the month.
Iconic views of LA from here—and the observatory is Art Deco gorgeous. If you'd like to hike up, my favorite way up is to start at Ferndell Park—not a long trek.
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I-Griffith Observatory
2800 E Observatory RdIconic views of LA from here—and the observatory is Art Deco gorgeous. If you'd like to hike up, my favorite way up is to start at Ferndell Park—not a long trek.
The Last Bookstore
453 South Spring StreetGreat vibes and great books.
Great place for a picnic—the grass is green all year long. On many weekends you can find pristine lowriders showing off and stretching down the whole street with families bbqing.
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Elysian Park
835 Academy RdGreat place for a picnic—the grass is green all year long. On many weekends you can find pristine lowriders showing off and stretching down the whole street with families bbqing.
Unforgettable venue. All summer long they host concerts from major artists. And (our favorite) watch classic movies (think Star Wars, Jurassic Park) while the the LA Symphony plays the scores live.
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Hollywood Bowl
2301 Hollywood Bowl RdUnforgettable venue. All summer long they host concerts from major artists. And (our favorite) watch classic movies (think Star Wars, Jurassic Park) while the the LA Symphony plays the scores live.
Neighborhoods
Just a short walk away—a historic Japanese neighborhood with all your favorites foods. It spans multiple blocks, so you could easily make an afternoon of it.
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Little Tokyo
Just a short walk away—a historic Japanese neighborhood with all your favorites foods. It spans multiple blocks, so you could easily make an afternoon of it.
Hipster haven with lots of good neighborhood walks, restaurants, and shopping. Its neighbor, Echo Park, is just as great.
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Silver Lake
Hipster haven with lots of good neighborhood walks, restaurants, and shopping. Its neighbor, Echo Park, is just as great.