Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
56
DOWNTOWN
Despite the r elatively recent constr uction
of sev eral major cultural and enter tain-
ment centers (such as the Walt D isney
Concert H all, L.A. LIVE, and Cathedral
of Our Lady of the Angels) and a handful
of tr endy r estaurants, L.A. 's D owntown
isn't the tourist hub it would be in most
cities. When it comes to enter taining visi-
tors, the Westside, Hollywood, and beach
communities are all far more popular.
Easily recognized by the tight cluster of
high-rise offices—skyscrapers bolstered by
earthquake-proof technology—the busi-
ness center of the city is eerily v acant on
weekends and ev enings, but the outlying
residential communities, such as K orea-
town, Little Tokyo, Chinato wn, and Los
Feliz, ar e enticingly ethnic and vibrant.
(See “L.A. 's E thnic N eighborhoods,” in
chapter 7 for mor e information about
what to see and do in these and other
downtown ethnic communities.) I f y ou
want a tan, head to S anta Monica, but if
you want a r efreshing dose of non-90210
culture, come here.
EL PUEBL O DE L OS ANGELES HIS-
TORIC DISTRICT
This is a 44-acre ode
to the city's early years and is worth a visit.
Chinatown
is small and touristy , but can
be plenty of fun for souv enir hunting or
traditional dim sum.
Little Tokyo,
on the
other hand, is a genuine gathering place
for the S outhland's J apanese population,
with a wide array of shops and r estaurants
with an authentic flair.
SILVER L AKE/LOS FELIZ
These resi-
dential neighborhoods nor thwest of
Downtown hav e ar ty, multicultural ar eas
with unique cafes, theaters, and ar t galler-
ies—all in equally plentiful proportions, as
well as a popular local music scene. I t's
also wor th visiting to admir e the old-
school ar chitecture styles fr om early
L.A.—Hollywood bungalows and Spanish
haciendas, many built to house silent-
screen actors.
EXPOSITION PARK
South and west of
Downtown is home to the Los Angeles
Memorial Coliseum and the L.A. S ports
Arena, as w ell as the N atural H istory
Museum, the African-American M useum,
and the California Science Center . The
University of S outhern California (USC)
is next door.
THE SAN FERNANDO
VALLEY
The San Fernando Valley, known locally as
“the Valley,” was nationally populariz ed in
the 1980s b y the notorious mall-lo ving
“Valley G irl” ster eotype. S andwiched
between the S anta M onica and the S an
Gabriel mountain ranges, most of the Val-
ley is residential and commercial and off the
beaten track for tourists. B ut some of its
attractions are bound to draw y ou over the
hill.
Universal City,
located west of Griffith
Park between U.S. 101 and California 134,
is home to U niversal S tudios H ollywood
and the supersiz e shopping and enter tain-
ment complex CityW alk. A bout the only
reason to go to
Burbank,
w est of these
other suburbs and nor th of Universal City,
is to see one of y our fav orite TV sho ws
being filmed at NBC or Warner B rothers
Studios. A fe w good r estaurants and shops
can be found along Ventura Boulevard, in
and around Studio City.
GLENDALE
Glendale is a largely r esi-
dential community nor th of D owntown
between the Valley and P asadena. H ere
you'll find F orest Lawn, the city 's best
cemetery for very retired movie stars.
4
PASADENA & ENVIRONS
Best known as the site of the Tournament
of R oses P arade each N ew Year's D ay,
Pasadena
was spar ed from the tear-do wn
epidemic that sw ept L.A., so it has a
refreshing old-time feel. O nce upon a
time, Pasadena was every Angeleno's best-
kept secr et: a quiet community whose
slow and car eful r egentrification meant
nonchain r estaurants and boutique
