Sometimes when you are making a tour of a new city, you don’t have enough time to get to every destination. Whether you are in town for business, a quick stay or just a few hours for a layover, there are some spots in Los Angeles worth checking out. Even if you only have time for one of them, here are 5 of some of the best attractions to enjoy in Los Angeles.
Walk of Fame
This one is the most iconic things about Hollywood is the historic Walk of Fame. There is no doubt about it – where you can walk all over your favorite stars. A celebrity can have a lead in all of these categories. The only person, to date, to receive all 5 is the incomparable singing cowboy Gene Autry.
The Hollywood Sign
One of the most iconic images in the world “Hollywood sign”, it is truly a sign that dreams are made of. But, did you know that the Hollywood sign wasn’t originally to be a beacon of the film and television industry? Back when it was built in 1923, it was meant to be a massive outdoor ad campaign for a new housing development known as “Hollywoodland.” It’s built from metal squares, each of the 13 letters was 30 feet wide and approximately 43 feet tall and lit up at night. While the housing development eventually failed due to the Great Depression, the sign still stayed, and the city finally removed the “land” from the title to create the now-famous sign, “Hollywood”.
The Beaches
Los Angeles has some fantastic beaches, and one of our favorites is Santa Monica. This is the perfect place for relaxation and play. You might not have heard much about Santa Monica. We bet you’d recognize it form some of your favorite movies – Rocky III, Forrest Gump, to name a few. Whether cruising its beaches along Pacific Coast Highway, riding the carousel on the Santa Monica Pier or stepping into the shops on Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica offers something for all ages.
The beaches up north near Santa Barbara are some of the most beautiful. We drove over from the Phoenix area with some friends to celebrate being in business together, almost 10 years now with our painting business (www.ChandlerPaintingPros.com).
The Getty Museum
This gorgeous museum opened in 1997, and architect Richard Meier designed the structure. This eye-catching arts center is located in Brentwood and sits upon a hilltop overlooking LA. The whole experience of the Getty Center is just excellent at the start. The hovertrain that takes you from the underground parking garage to the top of the mountain to the fantastic 134,000 square foot central garden to the J. Paul Getty Museum. If you want to experience great art, in all forms, this is a “must-see attraction” on your vacation to LA.
Griffith Observatory
This place Observatory hosts around 1 million people a year. This is the most visited public observatory in the world. It is one of the first institutions in the US that was dedicated to open science and is still a national leader in public astronomy. You can view shows at the Samuel Oschin Planetarium for a nominal fee or participate in monthly public star parties, daily talks and presentations, and periodic special events. Last, but certainly not least, you can enjoy the spectacular, sweeping views of Los Angeles from atop this nice looking part of LA.