michele

I can't be sure, but with the exception of the Museum of radio and TV,the Robinson Gardens, and the Huntington, everything on my list is in LA proper.
I could have mentioned the Museum of the Southwest, the Autry museum,the USC Rose Gardens or the UCLA sculpture garden and/or Japanese gardens ( appointment only), the LA public library downtown ( beautiful Mission architecture--a real feather in the cap of the conservancy),Olvera Street, and still been in town. I don't like it either when people recommend only Santa Monica or Malibu, but I think when it's stated that there is nothing really in LA it reflects a real lack of knowledge. I am not a native; I moved here from NYC, and I was amazed at what LA itself has to offer. Unlike other cities, you do have to seek it out. LA doesn't reveal itself easily; but it's all there and well worth the look.

Michele

dan

I am not going to defend LA as I have in past posts, beyond saying that I have lived in SF, NY, and LA, and LA is my preference, and I think there is an endless variety of great things here.

The purpose of my post is to ask why LA receives such vicious, personal attacks. "No fun," the second post, is typical of posts whenever LA comes up. Why does No Fun have to say that LA people are shallow? How many people did No Fun meet on No Fun's visit to LA, where No Fun cruised the strip and went to a couple studios? We have thousands of teachers, doctors, artists, cooks, attorneys, hair dressers, mechanics, street cleaners, and librarians, the same as any other place. Does No Fun really belieive that our teachers, doctors, artists, cooks, etc. are more shallow than the teachers, doctors, cooks etc. in Chicago?

Why do these type of posters have to engage in this type of personal attack against the people who live here?

Gene

To Native who said that LA things aren't in LA. First, Michele is right, there are tons of things in LA proper. More to the point, when SF people go on a binge about SF they always include Marin, Berkeley, Sonoma, Napa, and other areas that are much further from SF than Pasadena is from LA (15 minutes from my house). Ditto NY. WHile Manhattan (what people mean when they say NY)has lots, did you ever hear of the Bronx Zoo, The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Yankee Stadium. Even the Statute of Liberty and Ellis Island are not "in" New York, since they are federal. (Jersey claims the statute of liberty.) All of the things mentioned in all of the pro-LA posts are part of living in LA and things that LA people (and smart tourists) take advantage of.


The things

Another Native

I believe Los Angeles is more prone to attack, because it is our free-wheeling, free-spirited reputation. I also think people attack us because they have a tinge of jealousy. We spend so much time outdoors and take our great weather for granted, while the rest of the country is fighting their weather and bunkered up in their basements, waiting for the thaw.

Liam

To Nan and xxxxx: I should have been more clear; what I meant to say was that I found the "behind the scenes" look at how the studio operates etc was so banal (I did not mean to leave the impression that I was describing Angelenos as such). Like I said, I liked LA enough to say I would go back, but only after I got to see a few more places on my "must see" list.

Robbie

E:
YES! Los Angeles is truly one of the world's great cities. I've been around the world countless times, and lived and studied in North America, Asia and Europe, and I still stand by my assertion that L.A. for me only becomes more and more captivating. I Appreciate it for the weather, glamor, entertainment, high culture/folk culture, shopping, dining, etc...but above all I have grown to appreciate and respect L.A. for its sheer size and stunning diversity. No where in the world do you find more cultures and groups living together under the same balmy California sun.

People may decry L.A. as "shallow" and "spread out", but I consider those statements to be born out of ignorance and envy. With over 17 million people of every color, creed and lifestyle greater L.A. has tonnes of stuff to offer everyone.

So, buy yourself an L.A. visitor's guide and pack your bags and be prepared to be suprised. Just don't go during January and Feb.--it can be rainy and cold then.

-Robbie

Robert V

Try the Theaters. Big theaters are good, but I prefer the little theaters (under 99 seats). You just might get to see a future Oscar winner acting her heart out six feet from where you are sitting. Beats waiting in line to see a game show. More plays going on here than even a hard-core theater goer like me could ever see. Look in the free weekly newspapers for theater listings.

Dorothy

Gee, Robbie says he's been around the world "countless times".
Are you an astronaut Robbie?
Or a transoceanic pilot?
Don't know many people who can't even count the number of times they've been around the world.

mt-x

"Notice that when anyone starts defending Los Angeles with things to do and places to see, they mention Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, Manhatten Beach, Pasedena, etc. None of these are in the city of Los Angeles"

True Native but those places are minutes away (with vehicle). Traveling Sunset Blvd, you can go through LA, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, to Pacific Palisades.

And I think Venice is technically part of Los Angeles.

mt-x

And I also wanted to add I moved to LA from the east coast years ago and I haven't regretted it since.
I'll take LA anyday, warts and all!

John

To say LA has no natural beauty is just completely untrue. In the winter and spring the downtown skyline is surrounded by snowcapped mountains on clear days, it is breathtaking. In May the jacaranda trees bloom and entire city blocks are lined with flowering purple trees. The Malibu Coast and Santa Monica Mountains contain some of the most beautiful scenery in S. California.

this

While L.A. is no New York, it has alot more to do and explore than some cities you listed (Dalls, Orlando, Seattle, Houston, Tucson, Phoenix). It is a place you should go. Check out Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica beach, the beautiful homes in the hills, and do a studio tour.

weird

John - Thanks for bringing back the memories of jaclaranda trees. They are more fragrant and colorful than anything I've seen in the southeast.

John

Hi E,

Lived in Southern California for 20 years, until I became 'burned out' on freeway travel 15 years ago.

Is L.A. (Southern California) a must see? Yep. But it is best seen with a local person as a resource, friend, guide.

I didn't see the Magic Castle mentioned, but that in itself is worth seeing . . . if you can get in.

The biggest downside to L.A. (Southern California) is the sprawl. Coping with the travel is a challenge to visitors and locals (unless there is an Olympics going on then it is great).

If you have not been there and you are interested go - then you can make your own judgement.

By the way, L.A. vs Miami. L.A. hands down.

lala

I've visited LA three times on business and have no desire to go back. However, maybe (maybe) it is worth one visit -- and it sure beats the heck out of Phoenix.

One story might illustrate why I, a Northeasterner, am not crazy about LA.

My last time there, I met up with a friend who lives there and suggested we tour Little Saigon. Sounded interesting to me.

Well, Little Saigon is nothing more than a traffic-snarled road lined with tacky strip malls, except of course most of the signs are in Vietnamese.

For anyone who's visited a Chinatown in most NE cities or San Fran, this sort of "culture" is way below what we've come to expect.

And another thing. The beaches in the LA area are ugly compared to what you'll see in many parts of the Northeast. I have to believe that the people who say LA beaches are beautiful are from the Midwest.

But, you know what? Go anyway, and see it (once).

rmon

I've lived in both. La Jolla at present. LA has so much to see but because of traffic you'll never see it all. The museums are nice but not the quality of Manhattan or Chicago (maybe the Getty is but it's a pain to get to). The beaches are way overcrowded and everbody is an "actor" or "artist". Stay in SD you'll have more fun.

Bill

Lala -- I would have to say that the beaches are EQUIVALENT to MOST of the ones on the East Coast: Brown, coarse sand and cold, unattractive, foamy water!! The BEST beaches are actually on the West Coast of Florida (IF you can stand the people)!!!

Renee

Come visit our great metropolis! Movies, TV, theatre, sports, beaches, mountains, outdoor concerts, museums, the most diverse restaurants in the US, great weather, friendly people.

mike

E--The whole idea about "All I Wanna Do" is that LA is a great place to hang out. Go there, hang out, enjoy the weather, get a beer buzz in the morning and be happy you're on vacation.

rjw_lgb_ca

As one wit put it once: "New York is just a neurotic impression of a big city in Europe. LA is completely and utterly unique." And that is completely true. I am glad to hear that visiting Houston and Dallas were accidental (they're steaming piles of Texas concrete, cowboy hats and Big Hair), by the way.

I won't go through the list of things to do in LA. It's way too long. I'll just say that LA has indeed done a poor PR job in selling itself. There's more theatre here than in NY (mostly in the 99-seat, Equity-waiver venues, but there are some big productions too). The museums are, despite what others may think, world-class. There are great galleries all over the place. The LA Philharmonic is unquestionably a world-class orchestra. Just outside the city proper you find the country's best avant-garde opera company in, of all places, Long Beach (a city with another excellent orchestra and some cool museums, plus a great aquarium). There IS culture in this town.

I do note that people come here expecting the whole city to be designed like a huge, real-life Disneyland. Sorry, folks. Our neighborhoods tend to not be Destinations like SF's Chinatown (as someone found out, Little Saigon is just a lower middle-class section of Westminster).

You can find a lot of beauty here too-- take a drive up to Malibu, or down to Laguna Beach, you'll be overwhelmed.

LA is not just a great American city, it's all of the US (and a lot of the world outside the US) wrapped up in one geographic area. It's also unlike any other city in the country. Definitely worth the trip.