First Time in Los Angeles

Description:

Los Angeles is a place that means so many things to so many people. Worldwide, the city is famous as the center of America's entertainment industry and also as the essential car city. To the rich and already famous, Los Angeles is the perfect place for a secluded garden hide-out in the hills, with easy access to top-shelf shopping, dining, and nightlife. To the many hard-working immigrants in this very diverse city, it is the location for their own chance at the American dream. For the traveler, visiting means a chance to gawk at the commotion and conspicuous consumption, all while enjoying the good weather and excellent food.

The hardest thing about a first visit to Los Angeles is the logistics of transportation. The intrepid can navigate via public transportation, although they will sacrifice a lot of time to riding on buses. The region is very large and spread-out so renting a car is often the way to go. This opens a whole new can of worms: the traffic in Los Angeles is pretty bad and driving entails a lot of local knowledge regarding choice of routes at particular times of day. For a visitor, a little common sense will go a long way.

The spots and activities listed here are mostly in the historic downtown or the Hollywood area. There are a ton of things to do in these locales, including many iconic landmarks. Day 4 is all about going shopping and has a wider geographic range.

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Author: John Speke


Day 1 - Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Hollywood


Museums, architecture, and iconic landmarks! You gotta check out at least some of these must-see places. The ones listed here are split between the historic downtown and Hollywood.


1

Union Station

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Location:

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800 N. Alameda St
At Cesar E. Chavez Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

+1 800 266 6883


2

Avila Adobe

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Location:

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10 East Olvera Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

+1 213 680 2525


2

Spadena House

Location:

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516 Walden Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Phone:

+1 213 624 7300 (Tourist Information)


3

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)

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Location:

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250 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

+1 213 633 5330 (Group Admissions)


5

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Location:

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111 S. Grand Ave
At 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Phone:

323/850-2000


6

The Bradbury Building

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Location:

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304 S. Broadway
At 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Phone:

213/626-1893


7

Little Tokyo

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Location:

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E 1st Street & S San Pedro Street
Downtown, southeast of the Civic Center; bounded by 1st, 2nd, San Pedro, and Los Angeles Sts
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

+1 213 620 0570


8

Hollywood Forever Cemetery

expert pick

Location:

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6000 Santa Monica Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90038

Phone:

+1 323 469 1181


9

Griffith Observatory

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Location:

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2800 E. Observatory Rd
In Griffith Park, at the end of Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Phone:

213/473-0800


10

Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Location:

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6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Blvd., between Gower St. and La Brea Ave.; and Vine St., between Yucca St. and Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Phone:

323/469-8311


12

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

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expert pick

Location:

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5905 Wilshire Blvd
Between Curson and Fairfax Aves, Miracle Mile
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone:

323/857-6000


Day 2 - Los Angeles


Whatever food you are craving, you can find a place in Los Angeles that serves it. The selection below ranges from generic cafeteria food (Clifton's, the decor makes it worthwhile) to some exquisite small plate delicacies (AOC).


1

Philippe the Original

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Location:

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1001 N Alameda St
Los Angeles, CA 90012-1803

Phone:

(213) 628-3781


3

Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria

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Location:

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648 South Broadway Seventh Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Phone:

1 213 627 1673


4

Canter's Fairfax

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Location:

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419 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone:

1 323 651 2030


7

M Cafe de Chaya

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Location:

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7119 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Phone:

(323) 525-0588


8

A.O.C.

Location:

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8022 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Phone:

+1 323 653 6359


9

The Apple Pan

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Location:

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10801 West Pico Boulevard
East of Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064-2105

Phone:

1 310 475 3585


Day 3 - Los Angeles, West Hollywood


Good news! Los Angeles will be able to accommodate your nightlife needs, Just remember to get home safely and legally. The selection below ranges from the neighborhood (The Powerhouse) to the sublimely scenic (The Standard and Yamashiro).


1

Standard Hotel (The)

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Location:

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550 South Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071


2

The Edison

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Location:

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108 W. 2nd Street #101
Suite 101
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

216 613 0000


3

The Dresden Room

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Location:

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1760 N. Vermont Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90027

Phone:

323/665-4294


6

Yamashiro

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Location:

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1999 N. Sycamore Ave
Hollywood
West Hollywood, CA 90068

Phone:

323/466-5125


Day 4 - West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica


Shop til you drop!


1

Amoeba Music

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Location:

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6400 Sunset Blvd
(One block west of Vine Street)
West Hollywood, CA 90028

Phone:

323/245-6400


2

Melrose Avenue Shopping District

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Location:

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Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Phone:

+1 213 624 7300 / +1 800 228 2452 (Toll Free)


3

Farmers Market and The Grove

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Location:

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6333 W. 3rd St
At Fairfax Ave, Hollywood
West Hollywood, CA 90036

Phone:

888/315-8883


4

The Beverly Center

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Location:

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8500 Beverly Blvd
At La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Phone:

(310) 854-0071


5

Rodeo Drive of Beverly Hills

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Location:

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Rodeo Drive & Santa Monica Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90213

Phone:

323-769-3600


6

Bergamot Station

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Location:

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2525 Michigan Ave
East of Cloverfield Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Phone:

310/829-5854


Day 5 - Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu, Disneyland


More must-see destinations in the greater Los Angeles area


1

Greystone Mansion

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Location:

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905 Loma Vista Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Phone:

+1 310 550 4796


3

Pacific Park

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Location:

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380 Santa Monica Pier
(Westernmost end of Colorado Boulevard)
Santa Monica, CA 90401-3128

Phone:

+1 310 260 8744


4

Point Dume State Beach

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Location:

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39996 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90265

Phone:

310-457-8143


5

Disneyland

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expert pick

Location:

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1313 South Disneyland Drive
Disneyland, CA 92802

Phone:

+1 714 781 4565


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