This is being written for my good buddy, Travis but is applicable to anyone spending 4 days in Southern California. (I believe he is staying on the westside so if Maya the Champ could weigh in on any must do westside activities or restaurants, I would appreciate it).
Day 1: Get Hollywood out of the way. If you have never been to LA you should do the whole Hollywood thing. I would recommend heading down to Hollywood Blvd and going to Grumman's Chinese Theater, Walk of Fame etc. For lunch, head down La Brea to Melrose and go to Pinks. http://www.pinkshollywood.com/index.htm Make sure you order at least one regular chili cheese dog, no matter how many special dogs you see, remember this is the original and the one that made Pinks famous. I can remember many a late night down at Pinks. After lunch head down Santa Monica Blvd (Of course I am going to suggest that you have fun on Santa Monica Blvd) towards Beverly Hills. I don't recommend hanging out in Beverly Hills but if you are in town you might as well head on through. (MTC: Please suggest Westside Dinner Location). Spend late evening down on Sunset at either the House of Blues, Viper Room or Whiskey)
Day 2: Head to an amusement park. There are a number of them to choose from. If you love roller coasters I would head north and hit Six Flags Magic Mountain. Magic Mountain has the best rides in Southern California. (I haven't been in about a year-it's time for another visit) If you aren't a roller coaster rider I would head to Universal Studios. Universal Studios is a unique amusement park and if you are at all interested in film making, this is enjoyable. Of course, there is also the happiest place on earth down in Anaheim. I love Disneyland!
Day 3: Head to the Beach. Spend a few hours in Santa Monica and then head on down to the boardwalk in Venice for some serious people watching. Another great Beach area is down in Long Beach at Belmont shore. There is alot of good shopping, eateries and Belmont shore has a great beach. If you head down to Long Beach you could also go to the Aquarium of the Pacific. My favorite beach is San Clemente but it is a bit farther down in South Orange County. If you go down to San Clemente you should stop in Laguna Beach on your way back to LA. (If you go to Laguna try out the Crystal Cove Shake Shack and get a Date shake mmmm)
Day 4: If you don't want to spend the day at Burke Williams day spa (ahhhhh) I would suggest another amusement park or another beach day. (Chicks: Burke Williams is a must, shopping in Laguna, Santa Monica, Farmers Market-The Grove, downtown Pasadena are all very good options)
Travis.....enjoy Southern California!!!!!! Make sure you read the comments page, MTC will no doubt include some recommendations. She is the life of the Southern California Party!!!!!!
7 comments:
Travis... be sure to head down to Hollywood and Vine late in the evening. Lots and lots of "entertainment" there. ;-)
that's awesome! when we were down there for a whirlwind Thanksgiving, we did Disney on Day 1, Universal on day 2, Venice Beach on day 3, and Hollywood/Beverly Hills on day 4. It's comforting to know that we hit the high points!
of course, next time we're there, days 1 - 4 will be spent bugging Kim1Champ and giving her many things to blog about ;)
kim, i think this could be a whole new blogging series..."things to do in southern california". of course you can branch out and include "things to do in phoenix" and other cities.
:)
Things to do in Phoenix.
Drink
Get Drunk
Fall Down
Repeat.
Also in Phoeni...
Put on SPF 40
;)
I agree with Anonymous and Queen B. That's all there is to do in Phoenix. We have to go to SoCal for good food, but we love it here!
Sorry I'm so late. I'm not really a scenester so I'll tell you what I like on the Westside.
The Backstage (Culver City)
-A kinda divey bar but the best bar food in the city... especially the mac n cheese!
The Other Room (Venice)
-Bar with only beer and wine but on a Sunday afternoon, close to perfect. Big airy windows to people watch. Dog friendly so if you don't like dogs, skip it. Oh and skip on a busy night like Saturday. Like I said, Sunday afternoon. Good chance you'll glimpse a semi-celebrity if you're into that.
Father's Office (Santa Monica)
-Another only beer and wine but the burgers and sweet potato fries are delish! And I don't even like sweet potatoes! A locals staple.
Penthouse Restaurant at the Huntley Hotel (Santa Monica)
-Brand new so still under the radar. Has a beautiful ocean view. Kinda more upscale. Funky hours so I'd check with the concierge. http://www.thehuntleyhotel.com/penthouse-restaurant.php
The Wilshire Restaurant (Santa Monica)
-Go for just drinks or dinner as well. A bit upscale as well but the decor is quite lovely. Outdoor dining available and the fireplaces are crazy! The food is divine!
The Little Door (LA not far from The Grove/Beverly Center)
-Once again, beautiful outdoor dining. Gets really crowded so reservations a must! Romantic but festive and fun as well.
The Galley (Santa Monica)
-Fun old Santa Monica spot. Surf and turf rules here. The bar is kitchy fun--fisherman's nets, dried out blowfish and bright lights! Fun to eat in the back patio (Do I love the open air or what?!)
I also have great spots downtown and Silverlake/Echo park area but that is a condensed Westside package.
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