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First Time in Los Angeles

Description:

Los Angeles is a place that means so many things to so many people. Worldwide, the city is famous as the center of America's entertainment industry and also as the essential car city. To the rich and already famous, Los Angeles is the perfect place for a secluded garden hide-out in the hills, with easy access to top-shelf shopping, dining, and nightlife. To the many hard-working immigrants in this very diverse city, it is the location for their own chance at the American dream. For the traveler, visiting means a chance to gawk at the commotion and conspicuous consumption, all while enjoying the good weather and excellent food.

The hardest thing about a first visit to Los Angeles is the logistics of transportation. The intrepid can navigate via public transportation, although they will sacrifice a lot of time to riding on buses. The region is very large and spread-out so renting a car is often the way to go. This opens a whole new can of worms: the traffic in Los Angeles is pretty bad and driving entails a lot of local knowledge regarding choice of routes at particular times of day. For a visitor, a little common sense will go a long way.

The spots and activities listed here are mostly in the historic downtown or the Hollywood area. There are a ton of things to do in these locales, including many iconic landmarks. Day 4 is all about going shopping and has a wider geographic range.

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Author: John Speke

Day 1 - Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Hollywood

Museums, architecture, and iconic landmarks! You gotta check out at least some of these must-see places. The ones listed here are split between the historic downtown and Hollywood.

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Union Station

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Location:

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800 N. Alameda St
At Cesar E. Chavez Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

+1 800 266 6883

Avila Adobe

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Location:

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10 East Olvera Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

+1 213 680 2525

Spadena House

Location:

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516 Walden Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Phone:

+1 213 624 7300 (Tourist Information)

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)

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Location:

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250 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

+1 213 633 5330 (Group Admissions)

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Location:

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111 S. Grand Ave
At 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Phone:

323/850-2000

The Bradbury Building

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Location:

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304 S. Broadway
At 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Phone:

213/626-1893

Little Tokyo

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Location:

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E 1st Street & S San Pedro Street
Downtown, southeast of the Civic Center; bounded by 1st, 2nd, San Pedro, and Los Angeles Sts
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone:

+1 213 620 0570

Hollywood Forever Cemetery

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Location:

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6000 Santa Monica Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90038

Phone:

+1 323 469 1181

Griffith Observatory

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Location:

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2800 E. Observatory Rd
In Griffith Park, at the end of Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Phone:

213/473-0800

Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Location:

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6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Blvd., between Gower St. and La Brea Ave.; and Vine St., between Yucca St. and Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Phone:

323/469-8311

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

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Location:

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5905 Wilshire Blvd
Between Curson and Fairfax Aves, Miracle Mile
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone:

323/857-6000

Day 2 - Los Angeles

Whatever food you are craving, you can find a place in Los Angeles that serves it. The selection below ranges from generic cafeteria food (Clifton's, the decor makes it worthwhile) to some exquisite small plate delicacies (AOC).

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Philippe the Original

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Location:

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1001 N Alameda St
Los Angeles, CA 90012-1803

Phone:

(213) 628-3781

Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria

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Location:

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648 South Broadway Seventh Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Phone:

1 213 627 1673

Canter's Fairfax

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Location:

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419 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone:

1 323 651 2030

M Cafe de Chaya

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Location:

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7119 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Phone:

(323) 525-0588

A.O.C.

Location:

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8022 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Phone:

+1 323 653 6359

The Apple Pan

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Location:

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10801 West Pico Boulevard
East of Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064-2105

Phone:

1 310 475 3585

Day 3 - Los Angeles, West Hollywood

Good news! Los Angeles will be able to accommodate your nightlife needs, Just remember to get home safely and legally. The selection below ranges from the neighborhood (The Powerhouse) to the sublimely scenic (The Standard and Yamashiro).

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