One perfect day in Los Angeles
 

Good morning


Soon I expect to visit SoCal, via in and out of LAX.

For my brief LA time, I plan to stay in Manhattan Beach where I've stayed a handful of times before (mainly for proximity to LAX but also it's a nice area and I like strolling on the beach etc). I'll have a car.

I will have one entire day, beginning to end, in Los Angeles, and two partial days (the day I fly in and the day I drive back to Los Angeles before flying home the next morning will be partial days).

I expect to start my trip with two overnights in Manhattan Beach so that I would have the full entire day after my flight to visit a few things in LA before heading out the next morning.

I've visited the "downtown" area and museums/food market there, before. I haven't spent much time in LA otherwise.


What would you do with your day? I expect my LA time will be on the weekends, that is, Saturday early afternoon and Sunday the "full day". Saturday night and Sunday night I would seek out something like a concert or a show/comedy.



And for evening "what's on" - do you have favorite links to find evening entertainment such as concerts or comedy or shows, etc?


I have a handful of ideas but I thought I'd ask the locals or the regulars, thanks!

Have you visited the Getty Villa? Gorgeous grounds and antiquities
https://www.getty.edu/visit/villa/

The Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach... Food is just ok but tickets are very reasonable.

https://thecomedyandmagicclub.com/

We're long-time season ticket holders for the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood. Depending on your trip date, you might go to a Sunday performance (matinee or evening) of "Noises Off" which is there Jan. 29th to March 2nd. You could combine this with a same-day visit to the Hammer Museum a few blocks away. FYI, about the only seats at the Geffen I wouldn't want would be the first row. Sight lines from the "cheap" seats are good.

https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/

Again depending on how soon your trip is, check the status for Getty Villa. It's currently in the fire evacuation zone for the Pacific Palisades fire, and it has already announced the Villa will be closed until at least Monday, Jan. 13th. If you're good to go later in the month, a parking reservation is required.

I meant to add that concerts are really date dependent, and there aren't many venues I would recommend highly. It depends on what type of concert you want to attend.

Disney Hall is always a good idea, and there are occasionally very nice events on Saturday/Sunday at the Colburn School of Music's Thayer Hall (DTLA near Disney Hall) and more rarely on weekends at USC's Thornton School of Music. The Wallis Theater in Beverly Hills is a nice, intimate venue with a variety of events.

https://thewallis.org/

I just watched a news report that some of the grounds of the Getty Villa are on fire but the buildings are not. The main buildings are fortified, but the fire danger is expected to increase overnight.

I hiked to the Hollywood sign during the day and it had some nice views of LA if you are into hiking. I would also recommend going to the restaurant Portos when you visit. They are a great breakfast/lunch place (cafe style) and they are very reasonable in price.

I am astounded and sad to see how quickly this fire is consuming the coast! This is the worst one in 30 years, isn't it? I pray that people and their pets will be able to get out of harms way. My God.

“Little Tokyo, also known as Little Tokyo Historic District, is an ethnically Japanese American district in downtown Los Angeles and the heart of the largest Japanese-American population in North America.” It features Japanese restaurants and gift shops..

The Getty Center is an option, as is UCLA Campus, check the Fowler Museum hours (W-Sunday only) as well as just visiting the Powell Library.

It might be the worst one ever, actually,

The Eaton Fire in Pasadena/Altadena likely to affect many more people than Palisades. They were unable to fly at all due to winds until just now, no rain at all in the forecast. Even if winds calm down today, the fires create their own weather.

They have called for more resources from out of State. LA County and all local agencies already at full deployment. One of my friends has just moved for the third time (Pasadena/Altadena area).

Here's a resouce showing evacuation zones

https://protect.genasys.com/zones/US...06437119755111

No rain since April and extremely high winds have produced an inferno. My relatives in Santa Monica and now in Glendale are evacuating to the mid city area. Winds still high but I think they are going to start lessening today. We are in Santa Barbara and know all about fire. Just thankful we didn’t get the same kind of winds up here. It’s heartbreaking.

I know Manhattan Beach pretty well (son lived there for a couple years) and I grew up in LA by Griffith park. If I were you I would probably stay on west side and maybe go to the new Getty, but who knows what the condition of that part of town will be in the next few months. Maybe go south to Laguna? Hard to tell what the immediate future holds for LA. 😢

There is a nice coastal hike in/around the Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes on the old Marineland property. On Palos Verdes Drive West, north of the resort, there's a free parking lot where the trail to the resort begins. On the resort property, there is free parking on the approach road and a small, free parking lot closer to the buildings. Ask personnel at the first kiosk to direct you. You may have to wait a few minutes until a space becomes available. Do not use valet parking... $40! Walk through the resort main building to the water. Beautiful views and occasionally some sea life... whales, dolphins, etc.

Oh my god, praying for everyone's safety. I saw the news about the Palisades and so many other places that have sustained severe damage. I can't even imagine how much worse it could get.

My God, I hope the winds die down soon.

Given the recent fires and air quality concerns in LA, it might be a good idea to stay in areas a bit farther from the affected zones. West LA has some lovely spots to enjoy for a day. You could start with a morning stroll at Venice Beach and grab breakfast at Gjusta, then head to Santa Monica Pier. In the afternoon, The Getty Center offers a nice mix of art and views, or you could explore Third Street Promenade. In the evening, you might enjoy a show at The Comedy Store or The Roxy.

If you're looking for events, Eventbrite LA can be a helpful resource for finding shows and activities

"... explore Third Street Promenade." IMO, the Promenade has become a near ghost town since the pandemic. Lots and lots of empty store fronts. Abbott Kinney Blvd. in Venice would be a bit better option, although I'm not a fan of Venice in general.

FYI, the way the winds have shifted and calmed down, skies are clear, but stronger winds are forecast for early next week. And even though the skies are clear, experts warn there are high levels of particulates in the air. Anyone with respiratory or other chronic medical conditions should probably avoid L.A. right now.

Any thoughts on Manhattan Beach?

It’s a nice upscale community with some good restaurants and great beaches. Did you say you’re coming in April? If so I think you will be fine and air will be cleared. I lived in SB during the Thomas fire and air was absolutely terrible. We left, came back and then left again (it burned for almost three weeks). When the fires were finally put out air cleared quickly and we were back to normal very soon.

Air quality in Manhattan Beach should be okay and there won't be issues with empty storefronts etc.
Jean lives there, if I'm not mistaken.

I would try to lock in any hotel room, since there are a lot of people from the Palisades who will be displaced for a while.