El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Monument
125 Paseo De La Plaza, Ste 400
Los Angeles CA 90012
213-680-2525
Home of world-famous Olvera Street and site of Los Angeles' birthplace, this colorful Mexican marketplace, which opened in 1930, features 27 historic buildings surrounding the old Plaza.
California Museum of Science and Industry
700 State Dr
Los Angeles CA 90037
213-744-7400
Contemporary science and technology museum features exhibits on aerospace, science, earthquakes, mathematics, energy, health and economics. IMAX Theater.
HOLLYWOOD Sign
With letters 50 ft tall, Hollywood's trademark sign can be spotted from miles away and is recognized around the world. The sign, which originally spelled out "Hollywoodland," was erected in the Hollywood Hills in 1923 to promote a real-estate development.
California Science Center
700 State Dr., Exposition Park
213-744-7400
Exhibits focus around the science that we encounter in our to everyday life. Tess, the animatronic star of "BodyWorks," demonstrates how the body's organs work together to maintain balance. The Imax Theater, with 3-D capabilities and a seven-story movie screen, shows science-related films.
Capitol Records Tower
1750 N. Vine St
On its south wall, L.A. artist Richard Wyatt's mural Hollywood Jazz, 1945-1972, immortalizes musical greats Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Miles Davis. The blinking light at the top of the tower spells out "Hollywood" in Morse code.
Central Library
630 W. 5th St
213-228-7000
Major fires in the 1980s closed the library for six years. The original building, designed by Bertram Goodhue, was completely restored to its 1926 condition. The library also features a 1-1/2-acre outdoor garden.
Farmers Market
6333 W. 3rd St
323-933-9211
In July 1934, two entrepreneurs developed a European-style open-air market where farmers could sell their produce to local housewives. The idea was an instant success, the market has more than 110 stalls and more than 20 restaurants, many with alfresco dining under umbrellas.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
All along this mile-long stretch of Hollywood Boulevard sidewalk, the names of more than 2,000 entertainment legends are embossed in brass, each at the center of a pink star embedded in dark-gray terrazzo.
Huntington Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd
626-405-2100
The awesome 150-acre Huntington Gardens include a 12-acre Desert Garden. The Japanese Garden features traditional Japanese plants, stone ornaments, and a Japanese house.
Kidspace
390 S. El Molino Ave
626-449-9143
This children's museum is housed in the gymnasium of an elementary school. There are plenty activities for the children to get involved with. Kids can direct a television or radio station; dress up in the real uniforms of a firefighter, astronaut, or football player; or play in tunnels for exploring insect life.
La Brea Tar Pits
In the early 20th century, geologists discovered that the sticky tar found in these pits contained the largest collection of Pleistocene, or Ice Age, fossils ever found at one location.
Los Angeles Children's Museum
310 N. Main St
213-687-8800
Hands-on exhibits allow kids to record a song, make a TV show, learn about recycling, create arts and crafts, build a city out of pillows, and practice being a firefighter.
Mann's Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Blvd
323-464-8111
You will have to attend a theatre production in order to view the interior trappings of the former "Grauman's Chinese," a fantasy of Chinese pagodas and temples, but the courtyard is open for browsing.
Museum of Contemporary Art at California Plaza
250 S. Grand Ave
213-626-6222
The permanent collection of MOCA is split between Geffen Contemporary and the galleries at this site, a red sandstone building designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki.
Museum of Tolerance
9786 W. Pico Blvd
310-553-8403
Using state-of-the-art interactive technology, this museum challenges visitors to confront bigotry and racism. One of the most affecting sections covers the Holocaust, with actual film footage of deportation scenes and simulated sets of concentration camps.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd
213-763-3466
The more than 3.5 million specimens at this superb museum in Exposition Park include a rich collection of prehistoric fossils; extensive bird, insect, and marine-life displays; an elaborate taxidermy exhibit; pre-Columbian artifacts; and crafts from the South Pacific.
Olvera Street
622 N. Main St. Sepulveda House
213-628-1274
Lively, one-block Olvera Street tantalizes with tile walkways, piņatas, mariachis, and authentic Mexican food. Restored as an open-air Mexican market in 1930, the street is the symbol of the city's beginnings when the original settlers built earthen and willow huts near the river. Vendors sell puppets, tooled leather goods, sandals, serapes, and other items from little stalls that line the center of the narrow street.
Pacific Park
380 Santa Monica Pier
310-260-8747
The 12 rides at Santa Monica Pier's 2-acre amusement facility include a roller coaster, a giant Ferris wheel, a flying submarine, and the Rock and Roll, a spinning experience with a light show and rousing music.
Santa Monica Pier
Colorado Ave. and the ocean
310-458-8900
Eateries, souvenir shops, a psychic adviser, arcades, and the Pacific Park amusement facilities are all part of this truncated pier at the foot of Colorado Boulevard below Palisades Park.
Universal Studios
100 Universal City Place
818-508-9600
Visiting the theme park is a sensational introduction to the principles of special effects. Seated aboard a comfortable tram you can experience the parting of the Red Sea, meet a 30-ft-tall version of King Kong, be attacked by the ravenous killer shark, and endure a confrontation by aliens armed with death rays.
