I'll be in LA for business, and I'll have a Saturday late afternoon/evening free. I will not have a car, and I'll be staying at the Biltmore Hotel. What is the one "touristy" thing I should do?

AMC,
You could take the Metro to Hollywood and visit the Chinese theatre, look at the stars on the sidewalk, have lunch at Musso and Frank's (oldest restaurant in Hollywood),Pig 'n Whistle (restored haunt of Gary Cooper, Clark Gable,etc),or the Roosevelt hotel.

You could call the LA Conservancy. They conduct walking tours of downtown LA; lots of art deco buildings, buildings you'd recognize from movie or TV. I like to browse in the Central Market in downtown..a big open-air market with the emphasis on Latin food and drink. Olvera Street is the orginal village that became LA, it's interesting and colorful.

Downtown is generally ignored, but there's a lot there.

Michele

Great idea to take the Metro to Hollywood, you can spend some time also at the Universal City Walk...1 stop N of Hollywood Highland stop on the Metro Redline. I think it's $2.70 RT from down town.
In Hollywood, go to Micheli's for pasta at lunch, or Musso and Franks... Pig and Whistle is fantastic for a drink, cruise the shops, take a Starline tour of movie stars homes...(cheesy but fun) you can also walk to the Hollywood Bowl and see a concert, if you are arriving this weekend.
If you have a lot of money and desire you may be able to get in to see the LionKing at the Ahmanson.... if they are not sold out, but a more traditinal touristy thing to do is to see a show at the Manns Chinese.
You could catch an act at the Cinegrill at the Roosevelt hotel as well.
Downtown, you can go to the Central Library, or get lost in the Westin Bonaventure.
Welcome to Los Angeles.

Not sure when you're coming, but you may want to see if the Dodgers are in town. Dodger stadium would be a 10 minute cab ride from your hotel. Also, you can check out Chinatown or Little Tokyo. My favorite restaurants downtown are: Water Grill (seafood - the best in the city), Ciudad (gourmet Cuban food) or R23 (sushi). A short cab ride (less than 5 minutes) will talk to any of the three.

You've all been very helpful. Thank you. I looked into the Lion King idea. I wouldn't mind splurging on a good show. My friend says the theater's location is too dangerous for a woman alone. I live in DC. Could it really be much worse than here?

Actually there is a new Metro stop directly across Hollywood Blvd. from the Pantages. You don't have to wander around the neighborhood. Though just an FYI, I used to belong to a gym just around the corner and would drive through that neighborhood in the wee hours of the morning, never saw a thing. But seriously, if you are taking the metro, it shouldn't be a problem, just be sure that the show gets out before the metro stops running, if not, you may have to take a cab back to your hotel but it wouldn't be that much.

AMC -- I, too, am originally from D.C. (suburbs), and believe me when I tell you, as sleazy as Hollywood Blvd. is, it's like walking around Beverly Hills compared to MOST of D.C. (no, NOT Connecticut or Wisconsin Aves; you KNOW what I mean)!!! Don't even worry about it. Of course you have to be quite cautious and alert, but you'll laugh when you see what I'm talking about comparison wise!!!