Griffith Park Attractions

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Mining tycoon Col. Griffith J. Griffith donated these 4,107 acres to the city in 1896 as a Christmas gift. Today Griffith Park is the largest urban park in America. There's a lot to do here, including 53 miles of hiking trails (the prettiest is the Fern Dell trail near the Western Ave. entrance, a shady hideaway cooled by waterfalls and ferns), horseback riding, golfing, swimming, biking, and picnicking. For a general overview of the park, drive the mountainous loop road that winds from the top of Western Avenue, past Griffith Observatory, and down to Vermont Avenue. For a more extensive foray, turn north at the loop road's midsection, onto Mount Hollywood Drive. To reach the golf courses, the Museum of the American West, or Los Angeles Zoo, take Los Feliz Boulevard to Riverside Drive, which runs along the park's western edge.

Near the zoo, in a particularly dusty corner of the park, you can find the Travel Town Transportation Museum, 5200 Zoo Dr. (tel. 323/662-5874), a little-known outdoor museum with a small collection of vintage locomotives and old airplanes. Kids love the miniature train ride that circles the perimeter of the museum. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm; admission is free.

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Made world-famous in the film Rebel Without a Cause, Griffith Observatory's bronze domes have been Hollywood Hills landmarks since 1935. Closed for renovation for what seemed like forever, it finally reopened in November of 2006 after a $93-million overhaul. The central dome houses the 300-seat Samuel Oschin Planetarium, where hourly screenings of a narrated half-hour projection show called "Centered in the Universe" reveal the stars and planets that are hidden from the naked eye by the city's ubiquitous lights and smog.

The observatory also features 60 space-related exhibits designed to "sparkle your imagination," the highlight being the largest astronomically accurate image ever produced -- a 20*152-foot porcelain enamel dazzler that's cleverly called "The Big Picture." It supposedly encompasses a million galaxies, but I lost count after 11. There's also a new 200-seat Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater (go Spock!), a Wolfgang Puck "Café at the End of the Universe," and several Zeiss and solar telescopes for public use both day and night.

Truth be told, most locals never actually go inside the observatory; they come to this spot on the south slope of Mount Hollywood for the unparalleled city views. On warm nights, with the lights twinkling below, this is one of the most romantic places in L.A.

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Located in beautiful Griffith Park and given to the City of Los Angeles as a gift in 1896, this is an outdoor concert venue you must experience while staying in L.A. Though it can seat more than 6,000 patrons, you may never again enjoy such a truly intimate setting for listening to one of your favorite performers. Surrounded by trees, the space offers outstanding acoustics. Whether you prefer classical music, rock, easy listening or jazz, you'll love this place. Ticket prices vary widely and can often be somewhat expensive. Depending on the time of year, you'll probably want to bring along a sweater or jacket, since you'll be seated outdoors in a city that can get a bit chilly in the evenings. On show nights the box office remains open for 30 minutes before the show.

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Another golf course inside Griffith Park, a number of these nine holes lie in the shadow of the observatory. At 2,478 yards, this course is a rather long par three with a number of sand traps and plenty of trees along the fairways. In order to make a reservation you must obtain a Los Angeles city card. Rental clubs are available if needed. Only cash is accepted as payment.

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This scenic and shady walk on the edge of Griffith Park starts on the west side of Fern Dell Drive, near the intersection with Black Oak Drive. You follow a man-made creek replete with shade loving vegetation. After a short interval (about a quarter of a mile), the path crosses under Fern Dell Drive and soon after you exit the garden.

From here you can continue for a short hike (about a mile) uphill to Griffith Observatory. If you are braced for the continuous mile going uphill, this is actually great low-stress way to access the observatory. There are two branches of this trail up the ravine, making it feel like more like a loop.

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This cafe is located at the southern corner of Griffith Park, on Fern Dell Drive. Serving typical cafe fare with a vegetarian twist, such as sandwiches, pastries, and more, this cafe is a great place for lunch or a latte after taking a hike in the park. Favorites include the avocado sandwich and the lavender cookies. With its location, it's also a good place for families, with lots of space for kids to run around.

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These caves, located in Griffith Park, are the result of an old quarry dug in 1903 by the Union Rock Company in order to mine materials to use in building the surrounding streets. After the quarry closed in the 1920s, it became a spot for movie shoots. Scenes from Invasion of the Body Snatchers were shot here and more recently, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

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These famous 50-foot-high white sheet-metal letters have come to symbolize the movie industry and the city itself. The sign was erected on Mount Lee in 1923 as an advertisement for a real-estate development. The full text originally read HOLLYWOODLAND and was lined with thousands of 20-watt bulbs around the letters (changed periodically by a caretaker who lived in a small house behind the sign). The sign gained dubious notoriety when actress Peg Entwistle leapt to her death from the "H" in 1932. The LAND section was damaged by a landslide, and the entire sign fell into major disrepair until the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce spearheaded a campaign to repair it (Hugh Hefner, Alice Cooper, Gene Autry, and Andy Williams were all major contributors). Officially completed in 1978, the 450-foot-long installation is now protected by a fence and motion detectors. The best view is from down below, at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Bronson Avenue. Tip: It may look like it on a map, but Beachwood Drive does not lead to the sign. If you want to reach the sign on foot, it requires a rather arduous 5-mile round-trip hike on the Brush Canyon Trail in Griffith Park -- the trail head is at the end of Canyon Drive. For more information call the Griffith Park headquarters at tel. 323/913-4688.

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This place is heaven for train-loving tots. An interactive museum in the old-fashioned sense of the word, youngsters can climb in, around or on all the attractions, and many of them will want to do so for hours upon end. Kids can even take a mini train ride for a small fee. The antiques, which include artifacts from trains to classic cars to horse-drawn carriages, showcase the country's railway history—which is especially relevant to California. This museum is a treasure for transportation lovers of all ages.

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The L.A. Zoo has been welcoming visitors and busloads of school kids since 1966. In 1982, the zoo inaugurated a display of cuddly koalas, still one of its biggest attractions among 1,200 animals from around the world. Although it's smaller than the world-famous San Diego Zoo, the L.A. Zoo is far more easy to fully explore. As much an arboretum as a zoo, the grounds are thick with mature shade trees from around the world that help cool the once-barren grounds, and new habitats are light-years ahead of the cruel concrete roundhouses originally used to exhibit animals (though you can't help feeling that, despite the fancy digs, all the creatures would rather be in their natural habitat).

The zoo's latest attraction is new $19-million Campo Gorilla Reserve, a habitat for six African lowland gorillas that closely resembles their native West African homeland. Visitors partake in a pseudo-African-jungle experience as they journey along a misty, forested pathway with glassed viewing areas for close-up views of the gorillas living in two separate habitats: one for a family troop of gorillas, led by a silverback male; and a separate habitat for two bachelors. Other highlights include the Sea Lion Cliffs habitat, home to the zoo's five sea lions where visitors can view the saltwater habitat from an underwater glass viewing area; the Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains habitat, where visitors can see plenty of primate activity; the Red Ape Rainforest, a natural orangutan habitat; the entertaining World of Birds show; the Pachyderm Forest (climate-controlled digs for the elephants and hippos, complete with an underwater viewing area); and the Mandrills Exhibit (the world's largest and most colorful baboons). The gargantuan Andean condor had me enthralled as well (the facility is renowned in zoological circles for the successful breeding and releasing of California condors, and occasionally some of these majestic and endangered birds are on exhibit). Kids will also enjoy the Winnick Family Children's Zoo, which contains a petting area, exhibition animal-care center, Adventure Theater storytelling and puppet show, and other kid-hip exhibits and activities. Tip: To avoid the busloads of rambunctious school kids, arrive after noon.

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Gene Autry opened this museum in 1988 to showcase western history. The museum features several rotating exhibits as well as a permanent collection. Art and artifacts from the Old West are on display, from the West's prehistoric roots to the 20th Century's Hollywood glamorization of the Wild West. Using film, radio and television clips, and a hands-on discovery center for children, the museum sheds a bright light on this part of the nation's heritage.

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These two public courses are located inside of the city's largest park, and each course comes complete with its own distinctive challenges. The Harding course is more scenic and has considerably more natural hazards including trees and water. The Wilson course requires longer drives but not as much accuracy in the approach to the greens. All courses are very reasonably priced. Amenities include a clubhouse, locker rooms, electric carts, club rentals, a snack bar and a driving range.

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This carousel is fully functional, though it may no be quite as shiny as it once was. It's true this lovely contraption is a historic relic (complete with Stinson 165 organ), but never-mind it keeps working and definitely makes for a fun place to go with kids. Nearby (walking down the hill) is the sprawling Shane's Inspiration playground.

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The original Los Angeles zoo in Griffith Park opened in 1912, with a lot of building occurring in the 1930s. In 1966 this original zoo area was abandoned and the facility moved to its current location.

A lot of the ruins of this place still exist today. What is especially neat is that bear caves have been turned into picnic areas. The place makes for an odd environment that is a fun to explore.

There are a lot of trails in the area. . . . if you follow the trail on the hill above the bear cages you will see more remnants of the zoo. . . Nearby is also Shane's Inspiration Playground and the historic Griffith Park Merry Go Round.

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It stands to reason that a renowned institution for film studies would be located in Los Angeles. Sponsor of the Los Angeles Film Festival and one of the finest places to study film in the world, this establishment is a government-backed institution founded in 1965. The institute offers courses to accomplished filmmakers and the general public, as well as various programs aimed at film preservation. This is the nation's main AFI campus with the other major component being the AFI National Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. There is no admission fee for tours. Call for details on class times and access to research facilities.

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Many consider Ennis-Brown House to be the most impressive of the Frank Lloyd Wright area residences. Built in 1924, Wright used Mayan art and architecture as his dominant influence for this home. It was given its current name in 1980 when then-owner, Augustus O. Brown donated the house to the Trust for Preservation of Cultural Heritage. The house has been featured dozens of times in film and television, most famously in the Ridley Scott sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Situated near Griffith Park, the house is highly visible from several area neighborhoods.

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Hugely popular with L.A. hipsters because of its longevity, location, often-overlooked cuisine, and elegant ambience, "the Den" was pushed into the mainstream of L.A. nightlife thanks to its inclusion in the movie Swingers. But it's the timeless lounge act of Marty and Elayne (the couple has been performing there up to 5 nights a week since 1982) that has proven that, fad or no fad, this place is always cool. Sidle up to the bar for a blue glass of the house classic, Blood and Sand -- a space-age margarita of sorts.

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Frank Lloyd Wright, a famed architect, built Hollyhock House for Aline Barnsdall in 1923. The heritage house was handed to the city in 1927, and has been home to many organizations over the years. Located within the environs of Barnsdall Park, the house is surrounded by galleries, studios and a theater and attracts scores of visitors. The quaint village of Los Feliz is a hop, skip and jump away. Tickets for the tours can be purchased at the Municipal Art Gallery.

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The Scene
This is a fast-food joint all the way: Order at the counter and employees, sans headphones, bark the order to the fry cooks. Retro jukeboxes usually hold court in the middle of the restaurants, but are rarely used, since jazz and R&B are always piped in through speakers.

The Food
Sure, there's the grilled chicken sandwich and the chili dog, but other than that, it's all burgers. Wrapped in paper, served on plastic trays and dripping with toppings--mustard, mayo, relish, tomatoes, lettuce and onion--these burgers are definitely fat. Add cheese, bacon and a fried egg and you've got a hefty, cholesterol-laden treat. Or go the healthy route and order the turkey burger with everything; it's almost as good as the red-meat variety, and just as messy. Skip the ordinary fries and order a side of the fresh onion rings--the grease factor is low, and the crispy, golden batter is delicious.

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This popular nine-hole, par three course offers the ideal opportunity to either practice your short game or simply enjoy a modest golfing experience. Since being featured in the cult film Swingers, it has become a regular destination of locals, celebrities and tourists. The most prominent hazards are the numerous trees, which line every fairway. The greens tend to vary greatly in terms of slope and speed, which provides a great opportunity to brush up on your putting before venturing out onto the city's larger courses.