Are you flying from Hong Kong to LA in 2020? Then you must be wondering what to do there… but not to worry! Here I have listed 10 top things to do in Los Angeles to make your journey hassle free. There may be soft beaches, sun-baked hills, wonderful gardens or cultural centers, but all are full of curiosity added with enjoyments.
1. Hollywood Sign
This is a landmark of America but located on Mount Lee in the Santa Monica Mountains in the Hollywood Hills area in California, Los Angeles. This sign was first created in 1923. The white capital letters HOLLYWOOD are 350feet long and 45feet tall. You can hike to this sign by entering from the Bronson Canyon Entrance in Griffith Park. This sign frequently appears in many TV programs and films. You will get a majestic feeling once you reach here because the city view from here is tremendous. There’re many restaurants and cafes as well.
2. The Getty Center
This is a free museum and an art center in Los Angeles that one should definitely visit. You will feel like an educational tour to see the painting exhibition, the garden and architecture. The complete exploration over the four main halls and a hall with rotating exhibits will take more than 3 hours. Founded by Jean Paul Jetty in 1976 but started in 1997.
3. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
These three are collectively called The Huntington. An outcome of the contribution of Henry E. Huntington and Arabella Huntington. It’s a research institution, a library, a museum and a botanical garden as well. The gorgeous gardens are a collection with desert garden, Japanese garden, Chinese garden, Asian garden, rose garden and many more. The galleries and library house really interesting artifacts. You can spend hours and days here doing nothing but still remain entertained.
4. Griffith Park
Actually a municipal park located at the Santa Monica Mountains’ eastern end. It is California’s second largest city park which covers a land of 4,310 acres. Those who love nature walks must visit Griffith Park. This is a brilliant place to take your family for a little adventure together with your puppy. You can come here for a relaxation departing from the stressful city life.
5. Griffith Observatory
This is a facility offered by Los Angeles, to view the whole Los Angeles from downtown to southeast, Hollywood sign and the Pacific Ocean. Entrance is found in Griffith Park. Moreover, it’s a planetarium with a public telescope so, remember to come at the right time to see the moon. The information provided here about the universe is more interesting such that you can visualize what they explain.
6. Los Angeles County Museum Of Art
LACMA is a museum of art. It is the western US’s largest art museum displaying 130,000 objects which consists of seven buildings on a 20-acre site. It has the ability to draw thousands of crowds annually. This has been a part of the LA museum of history, science and art. Later it was separated and opened in 1965 as an independent institution in Miracle Mile district on Wilshire Boulevard. There’re temporary exhibitions too. It gets pretty crowded also but great that there is always something arranged for kids over here.
7. Venice Beach Town
Venice is a commercial, residential and a recreational beach town in Los Angeles California. Cyclists and skaters are everywhere on the sandy beach. You can enter the tattoo parlors, cannabis shops and international cuisines for more excitement. Street performers and weight lifting muscle men are the famous features of Venice beach. The beach itself is a unique place for long walks among spectacular views.
8. Getty Villa
This is mostly an educational center with a museum dedicated to study about ancient Greece, Rome and Etruria cultures spanning over 6000 years. It was under renovations for a long time and re-opened in 2006. The exhibition has been selected from a vast pool of 44,000 pieces and has been redesigned in a loose chronological order over the past few years. All exhibitions in the galleries are unique and beautifully presented. This impressive Getty Villa was founded by the billionaire J. Paul Getty. This historically rich place has small snack and beverages carts and restaurants as well. Within 3 hours of time you can complete a brief visit through all the exhibitions. The Beauty of Palmyra, the Statue of a Victorious Youth and the Caeretan Hydria are some out of the plenty of exhibits.
9. California Science Center
A perfect place for astronomy lovers. California Science Center is one of the best science museums in the west. It is spacious and offers a variety of exhibitions on timely topics and offers interesting insights into scientific facts. The space shuffle which took part in 25 NASA missions is worth seeing and quite inspiring. In its aquarium, a staff member becomes a scuba diver and communicates with us explains the facts while within the aquarium. For special exhibitions you must log into the seven storied IMAX theater. I recommend this as a must see place for kids.
10. Warner Bros. Studio Tour
In contrast to the action-packed Universal Studio’s tour, Warner Bros,’ visit near Burbank is rather about film crafting and televisions programming than about Razzle-dazzle. You are able to witness behind the scene props and costumes of films such as Harry Potter, Wonder Woman and Fantastic Beasts. It offers a three-hour tour for the visitors. Soundstages and sets of TV shows like Casablanca. The Big Bang Theory, La La Land, Glimore Girls and Friends. Better if you make the tour here with a knowledgeable guide. Imagine how amazing it would be to take pictures in front of your favorite film locations.
