The sky's the limit for exciting things to do in LA.
When it comes to the best of Los Angeles, subjective lists, city classics and tourist attractions are in no short supply. Los Angeles Magazine compiles an annual list covering everything from dining to home repair to kids' after-school classes. LA Weekly's lists specify "bests" of Angeleno favorites, but the lists don't stop there. Personal blogs, the city's tourism website and user-review sites like Yelp.com also compile "Best of" lists. While no list is definitive, none of them would be any good if they didn't try.
See a Show of Any Size
Home to large outdoor concert venues like the Hollywood Bowl and the Ford Amphitheater; mega-stadiums like the Staples Center, Nokia Theater and Dodger Stadium; as well as thousands of nightclubs on the Sunset Strip, Los Angeles is one of the best American cities in which to see a band of any size. Whether you're looking for an intimate show at the Hotel Cafe, the Viper Room or the Derby; a popular indie band at glamorous theaters-turned-concert venues like the El Rey, Orpheum or Wiltern; or even a top pop act, you're bound to find an artist you like playing on a nearby stage.
Spot a Celebrity
Tours of celebrity homes take off from various points on Hollywood Boulevard all day long, but you don't have to drive by their homes to see the stars. Check out Los Angeles Magazine for the latest trendy restaurants where celebs are spotted. You may find a star entree while you're looking for the star of your favorite TV show.
Enjoy the Outdoors, by Land or Sea
The temperate year-round weather in Los Angeles is reason enough for locals and visitors alike to get outside. Santa Monica, Malibu and Long Beach can provide a relaxing ocean-side nap or a swim in the Pacific. Griffith Park, a huge expanse of wilderness, hills and hiking trails, offers horseback riding, bike riding and lovely views of the city from the top of Mount Wilson, home of the Griffith Observatory and Planetarium.
Eat Your Favorite Exotic Cuisine
With city districts like Little Ethiopia, Filipinotown and Little Armenia, in addition to the more the traditional Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Thai Town and Koreatown, options for ethnic food abound. Mexican and Latin restaurants are always popular, with many long-standing hole-in-the-wall joints attracting throngs of locals while their fancier counterparts sit empty. Jewish delis, Italian family joints, soul food diners and French brasseries round out the list of options. Keep your eyes out for delicious fusion foods and family-owned restaurants by first-generation immigrants, too.
Drink in a Historic Building
Buildings around the city from the 1920s to the 1950s, which remained closed for decades after going out of business--or style--are being re-purposed as high-class, vintage bars and nightclubs.If you're looking for a classy place to have a cocktail, try LA Weekly's "Best Bar in a 100 Year Old Building" winner, The Edison, in the shell of the city's first power plant.
Hit the Clubs
Dancing may not be the club-goer in LA's first choice, but there are plenty of places to get your groove on. Live DJs and dancing happen all over the city, especially in salsa clubs and local dive bars.
Take an Architechure Tour
Some of the city's most storied buildings, like Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Bradbury Building and art deco structures like Union Station, City Hall and the Central Library are accessible on architecture tours. The Heritage Square Museum brings together Victorian homes that were some of the earliest structures in the city. Frank Lloyd Wright built homes scattered throughout the city.
Visit a Studio
Because Los Angeles is home to the major studios and production companies in the entertainment industry, no vacationer--and, in fact, no resident--in the city lives without at least one tour of a major lot. Universal, Sony, Fox, Warner Brothers, Disney and Paramount offer tours on some scale.
See a Movie
Even though it is possible to see movies in almost every small town and city in the country, seeing a movie in Los Angeles is still a worthwhile experience. Some of the famous early 20th century picture palaces, like Graumann's Chinese Theater and Egyptian Theater in Hollywood or Disney's El Capitan are still housed in elaborate facades with themed interiors. State-of-the-art, modern theaters like the Cinerama Dome offer an elite ultra-widescreen experience.
Shop Til You Drop
Besides the well-known glamour of Rodeo Drive, LA has plenty to shop for within an average price range. Outfit your home with furniture and specialty items from small boutiques along Sunset Boulevard in Silverlake, or outfit yourself in a new wardrobe by making your way down Melrose, where both independent designers and high-end boutiques line the street.
