Los Angeles

Our family has been living in the Los Angeles area for a few years now, and we wanted to share a few of our favorite places and activities. Keep in mind that we have relatively young children and that we tend to stay away from the main tourist attractions, so your interests may differ from ours.

Los Angeles is spread over a large area but has a pretty amazing highway system. Yes, there is always a lot of traffic but even during rush hour traffic is generally fluid but slow, you are rarely at a complete standstill. Do not use traffic as an excuse to be late here, it doesn’t work and no one will feel sorry for you! Keep in mind that there are about 20 million people living in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area…and when they all decide to go somewhere at the same time, that place will be very busy!

The Los Angeles coastal area was originally settled by the Tongva (Gabrieleños) and Chumash tribes. Los Angeles would eventually be founded on the village of iyáangẚ.

Maritime explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo claimed the area of southern California for the Spanish Empire in 1754. Gaspar de Portolà and Franciscan missionary Juan Crespí reached the present site of Los Angeles on August 2, 1769. The first Franciscan mission was built in 1771, and in 1781Felipe de Neve and a group of forty-four settlers known as "Los Pobladores" founded the pueblo they called El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, 'The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels'. The settlement remained a small ranch town for decades, but by 1820, the population had increased to about 650 residents. Today, the pueblo is commemorated in the historic district of Los Angeles Pueblo Plaza and , Olvera Street the oldest part of Los Angeles.

New Spain achieved its independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821, and the pueblo continued as a part of Mexico. Mexican rule ended during the Mexican–American War: Americans took control from the Californios after a series of battles, culminating with the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga on January 13, 1847

What to do and see in LA

Hollywood is obviously an iconic center of the movie industry and experiencing this in real life is definitely a worthwhile experience.Lake Hollywood park is one of the best places to see the iconic Hollywood sign. Not too far from there, studios such as Paramount Pictures, Universal and Warner Brothers offer behind-the-scenes tours of many beloved movie sets. And on Hollywood Boulevard, there are also the famous Walk of Fame featuring the stars, and sometimes celebrities’ hand and even footprints, as well as the TCL Chinese Theatre.

Across the street, if you plan ahead, you can also book a free reservation to be an audience member on the Jimmy Kimmel show, which is a pretty unique experience and a way to potentially see a guest celebrity.

Not too far from there, enjoy a walk at Griffith park and don’t miss to tour the Griffith Observatory (free admission but paid parking unless you’re willing to walk a bit) to learn about astronomy and enjoy a great view of the city of Los Angeles below the hill.

There are many things to see in downtown LA, here are a few of our favorites.

Of course, there is Olvera street, the remnant of the original Pueblo of Los Angeles. In addition to all of the colorful stores and Mexican restaurants, the street is also home to many celebrations such as during Cinco de Mayo or during the Christmas holidays.

You should of course absolutely swing by Union Station, the iconic Los Angeles train station with a classic architecture. Along the way you will undoubtably notice the numerous homeless people tents and encampments that are unfortunately also part of Los Angeles, and highlight the high cost of living and social injustices that are still plaguing Southern California.

A few blocks south is Little Tokyo, a part of LA that will transport you to Japan for a bit and also has some very good restaurants.

A few blocks north of Olvera street is the Los Angeles Chinatown, which is not nearly as nice as the one in New York or San Francisco but still worthwhile. See the statue of Bruce Lee, and eat some decent Chinese food at the Foo Chow Restaurant which was featured in one of the fight scenes in Jackie Chan's "Rush Hour" movie.

Not too far from the downtown area is the California Science Center, one of our favorite activities. The center is big enough that you should spend half a day to an entire day seeing it. Admission is free except to see the space shuttle, paid parking unless you’re willing to walk a bit.

Los Angeles has many more museums that are well worth it, Including the La Brea Tar Pits, but it all depends on your interests. A bit further away from the city but well worth it is the Getty Museum of art with its exceptional collection and unique architecture! Once again free admission but paid parking (do you see a theme there?).

And there is of course Disneyland, the original Walt Disney theme park. I guess everyone should try this once.

Of course, you should drive to the ocean to see the Pacific coastline. The Santa Monica pier, Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, each beach town along the coast has its own vibe. Our favorite is Hermosa beach where we enjoy taking a long walk on the paved walkway along the beach and stopping at Brothers Burritos for delicious freshly prepared Mexican food.

From there you can drive north on Highway 1 along the coast to Malibu and Santa Barbara, which are also worth visiting.

South of LA is the city of Long Beach, which hosts the second busiest container port in the United States. The city is known for its beautiful waterfront and is home to the permanently docked RMS Queen Mary, as well as the Battleship USS Iowa.

Space adepts should not miss going to the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorn where a Falcon 9 First Stage is on display.

And in Pasadena, there is of course the legendary Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the NASA center leading the way for robotic exploration of space and other planets. Tours of JPL are available but limited, and the center also offers an annual open house that is free and open to the public but tickets go really fast (remember the 20 million people?).

Not too far, drive up the winding road to Mount Wilson for an amazing view of the Valey and to experience the natural beauty of Southern California (Adventure Pass may be required). The Mount Wilson Observatory on top of the mountain also hosts worthwhile events.

On the way back don't miss stopping for a casual stroll in scenic downtown Pasadena. Enjoy a nice meal in one of the many restaurants and go relax at the legendary Ice House Comedy Club, you won't believe how many famous artists have performed there!

One of the many charms of Southern California is the diversity of the natural landscapes, as well as the many unique features that cannot be found anywhere else in the world; such as the Joshua tree and the giant sequoia.

You absolutely have to visit Joshua Tree, it is an absolutely magical place.

You also have to see for yourself the majestic giant sequoia trees, it is a totally humbling experience that photos alone cannot capture. You can of course go to the Sequoia National Park, but if you want a low key and faster way to experience the beauty of these natural wonders our favorite is the Trail of 100 Giants.

If you happen to be visiting between late March and early April, don’t miss seeing the wild poppy flowers covering the hills. One of the best places to see them is at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.

And of course, we can’t talk about California without mentioning the San Andreas fault. While the fault itself isn’t really a place you can visit, you can witness the sheer rock-bending force of the tectonic plates in places such as Vasquez Rocks or the Devil's Punchbowl

What and where to eat in LA

Generally speaking, the cultural diversity of the population of California is well reflected in the variety and relative authenticity of the restaurants. It isn’t hard to find great-tasting food at a usually reasonable price.

We've already mentioned some of our favorite places to eat around the Los Angeles metropolitan area, here are a few more (and yes, we do have a slight inclination for Asian food).

• Spice Up Thai Eatery, a bit out of the way but out of this world Thai food!
• O.Tofu House & Pankko Tonkatsu for awesome Korean dishes
• The Delicatessen By Osawa in Pasadena, amazing Fusion lunch
• Happy Noodle for deliciously spicy Szechuan Chinese dishes
• Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen West L.A. for the best Japanese soups
• Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles for the best Japanese soups
• Ay Caramba! in Santa Clarita for excellent Mexican dishes and great stories and service

And of course, you simply cannot leave California without trying In-N-Out Burger, they really are pretty good!