Tourist Attractions in Los Angeles

Tourists galore are here, yet there is much of a local feeling here as well, which is good to experience. There is of course a strong Chinese atmosphere here, but don't think that you will satisify your love of what's "Chinese". Go to China for this! What you see here is Chinese-American or oriental style American version!

Unique Suggestions: Do take advanage of shopping (for some things) here. Buy bamboo and other plants and fashionable jewelry, clothes and shoe here of which their clones are often more expensive when buying them in the malls of suburbia. beware of the counterfeit items sold here- that is, if you prefer the authentic brands. Of course, I don't mind getting the Dooney Burke purse here for $30 instead of $300 one at Saks Department Store!

Here's yet another beautiful, trendy outdoor plaza in the Euro style. The Grove is just so pretty but oh so crowded. Well, if you want to do the typical tourist thing or to be seen, come here. It is perhaps the ultimate meeting place on the westside. It is almost always crowded during any part of the day, save Christmas Day perhaps?

Unique Suggestions: The shops here are very commercial. If you want a more unique shopping experience, explore a few streets away on Melrose , 3rd or Fairfax Ave.

Officially, the Bev Center is in (West) Los Angeles but I like to consider it Beverly Hills also. This is a better place for shopping if you make a modest living. Definitely it is cheap compared to Rodeo Drive, although there are plenty of high-end stores.

People just love to shop here. I stil get a little excitement when I am in the area. The feeling is really hard to grasp why. Maybe I'm just a shopping junkie :-)

This multiple level mall is a good spot for catching celebrities. On my last visit, I saw a TV star of the 80s, Mackensie Phillips who was on One Day at a Time. She was right by me eating with, presumeably, her mother.

Fun Alternatives: If the Beverly Center is too much for you go across the street and shop the the Beverly Connection a lesser mall but nevertheless worth spending time.

Pricey shopping destination..Anthropologie, Nike Goddess, Pottery Barn, Gap..followed by pricey restaurants and movie house.

If you want shopping, go to Beverly Center or any mall in Socal...for more unique and funky shopping, go to Melrose Ave. And movies??? Great movie house but pricey for my standards. I only went there to catch a screening of a movie that wasn't playing in local theatres.

Website for The Grove

Unique Suggestions: The originals Farmers Market is attached to the Grove...popular with tourists and locals. Go there for the food. My faves are the cajun spots and the crepe stand. Yum! I like perusing the stands at Farmers market...great fruit, and other miscellaneous items for purchase.

Fun Alternatives: The Grove is pretty small and you can spend an afternoon there, if you don't hit up Farmers Market. My suggestion...go to Hollywood & Highland if you want the glitz and glamor. It definitely has more options and alternatives due to it's location.

If you're at the Grove to shop...other places to go are: Beverly Center, Melrose Av, South Coast Plaza (OC), Glendale Galleria, Third Street (Santa Monica) and a new hot, hip spot, Silverlake / Los Feliz (for vintage/trendy/unique stores).

Tat and other crap, gifts ect found here on the front of Venice Beach. Worth a look a walk on by but then go inland & see the cute houses on the canals.

Unique Suggestions: See the CANALS !

Fun Alternatives: The houses and canals are lovely.

Taking a taxi is a mistake. They must think that people have no sense of direction because they take you the whole way around when you can just go straight through.

Unique Suggestions: Tell the driver where you want to go and how to get there. Act like you know where you are going, otherwise, $40 later (when it should have been like $10 at the most) you're going to be really pissed off.

Fun Alternatives: Subway system/bus is good! It's a lot like DC's Metro...clean like that, but they have transit authorities and cops come on to make sure you have your ticket. I think this could be arranged a little better--like NYC, Philly, DC...any other city, really...but it's still a much better alternative than cabs

Dirty, crowded (long lines for everything including the rest room), and run- down. I was sooo disappointed . The "small world" trek I remembered fondly as a kid looked neglected with its peeling paint and warbled music. Oh and did I mention the lousy overpriced food? Tickets for this tourist trap are a whopping 47 bucks a pop, plus parking and overpriced food/drink etc.

Unique Suggestions: I hear kids still enjoy this and perhaps do not notice the lack of care. I would be apprehensive if I were a parent and choose kiddy rides close to the ground.

Fun Alternatives: I hear the neighboring California adventure park is fun but I was afraid to spend 50 more bucks to find out.

We went to all the famous places we had heard of and seen on tv and in the movies AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We really needed to do something really like that - superficial maybe ?
Who cares - WE HAD FUN !!