Los Angeles-Downtown Based-To Do In One Day?
 

I'll be arriving on Friday 13 July early AM by rail (in a private car which will serve as my "hotel" for the night parked at/near Union Station) and have the rest of that day/evening. Will not have a rental car.

What to do?

I've been to Disney; seen the Disney concert hall; been to Century City area and have done the Getty, Universal Studios; Venice Beach; the Queen Mary in LB.

Perhaps a downtown art museum or something reachable by taxi (without paying a fortune or by public transport)?

Suggestions appreciated and thanks in advance.

Well, you'll be sitting right over the heart of the metro. You could take the redline out to Hollywood ,stroll the boulevard, have a drink at The Frolic Room.
Or take the goldline to Chinatown or downtown Pasadena and The Norton Simon Museum.
Pershing Square is only two stops away ,see The Bradbury Building, have lunch at Grand Central Market and take The Angel's Flight.

Thank you for these great suggestions!!!

Definitely agree with the downtown suggestions. If you do go to Pasadena, don't miss the spectacular Huntington Library and Gardens.

Kitschy, fun, historic, beautiful, educational - cross the street from Union Station and visit the Pueblo de Los Angeles and Olvera Street, have a French Dip sandwich at Phillippe's, tour Union Station itself, maybe wander over to Little Tokyo.. it's all within a very short distance of the station.

http://elpueblo.lacity.org/elpmap3.htm
http://www.philippes.com/

I suggest Pasadena. Take the Gold Line to Memorial Park. Pasadena City Hall is lovely to walk around.

To get to Old Town, walk south to Colorado and west to Fair Oaks. Lots of shopping and dining options. I like Louisa's (chain) for Italian, Le Pain Quotidian (also a chain) for French (with vegan choices), Akbar (local) for wonderful Indian, Bird and Pick or Chado for tea, Cheval Blanc Bistro (french), La Luna Negra (tapas), and Vertical (wine bar) for more dining choices. As for shopping, all the usual are represented. Paper Source and Sur La Table are favorites near each other on Colorado. A giant Container Store provides plenty of storage options, and Samy's Cameras draws many area photographers. Distant Lands (on Raymond) is great for travel gear and books.

As an alternative, walk to the El Paseo on Colorado around Euclid - it is an outdoor mall with more shopping and dining. I also like the antique gallery located there.

For museums, visit Norton Simon, Asia Pacific both are within walking distance or bus (I think but you should plot your course). The Huntington Library and Gardens are also wonderful but you might need to take a cab. You could spend several hours wandering the grounds and galleries.

PACIFIC ASIA MUSEUM
46 N Los Robles Pasadena 91101
626 449 2742
http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org/

NORTON SIMON MUSEUM
411 W Colorado Blvd Pasadena 91105
626 449 6840
http://nortonsimon.org/

HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS
1151 Oxford Rd. San Marino Ca
626 405 2100
http://huntington.org/

Sorry for this delayed response. Thank you very much for these additional recommendations and they are DEEPLY appreciated.

No one mentioned the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) on Grand near the Disney Hall, and its companion, the Geffen Contemporary, just a walk from Union Station, near Little Tokyo.

http://www.moca.org/museum/visit_home.php?

It's my opinion that you will have more than enough to do in your one day if you just restrict yourself to attractions near the Red (subway) Line since that will get you to both the downtown and the Hollywood areas.

Dbdurand,

Thank you very much for these additional recommendations.

Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. Check for events and the occasional concert in the museum's very intimate performance space.

http://www.grammymuseum.org/

If you get near the L.A. Central Library, go inside and look at the art and architecture.

http://www.lapl.org/central/art_architecture.html

After you ride up Angel's Flight from the Grand Central Market...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_Flight

... have a peek at the California Plaza Water Garden nearby. (This is the same general area as MOCA.)

http://www.downtownla.com/parks.asp#3

Check the performance calendar for events at the Colburn School (also near MOCA, Disney Hall, etc.). The school has a nice cafe.

http://www.colburnschool.edu/

You could also take the new Expo light rail to the USC/Colisseum/Exposition Park area. The Rose Garden should be in full bloom, and the Natural History Museum has completed the first phase of its renovation.

http://www.metro.net/projects/exposition/

http://www.expositionpark.org/venues

http://www.nhm.org/site/