[bong]

i'll be on vacation in less than two weeks time, and besides hanging out with some friends in both cities, i'll have an afternoon by myself in San Diego on Thursday June 22, and some more alone time in Los Angeles the whole day Monday before i board the plane at midnight in Long Beach.

i was wondering if there's any essential places to go, things to see, and places to eat, or just to explore for a few hours on my own. i'll have a rental car so places with easy parking would be awesome.

 

[jumpinjohn1234]

I dont remember San Diego and LA very well but,
San Diego:
La jolla in San Diego is nice and the beaches there are pretty sweet

La:
Monterey Park: for cheap good asian food and maybe some dim sum. (you have to find the good resturants)
Hollywood
Santa Monica beach?

Just some suggestions
enjoy, and oh, Stay out of the shady places in LA

 

[Otto]

There's the Hard Rock cafe on Beverly,
http://www.hardrock.com/locations/ca...15&MIBEnumID=3

Barney's Beanery on Santa Monica Bl. in Hollywood,
http://www.barneysbeanery.com/#

Take a cruise down Sunset Blvd for the Rainbow and the Whiskey and Tower
records, all the way to the beach and the Santa Monica pier if you want,
http://www.rainbowbarandgrill.com/
http://www.whiskyagogo.com/whiskysite/home_fs.html
http://www.seeing-stars.com/ImagePag...dsPhoto2.shtml
http://www.santamonicapier.org/

Take a walk down Hollywood Bl. starting at the
Chinese Theater and head east, lots of shops and people to look at,
http://www.manntheatres.com/chinese/

 

[crazyfrenchman27]

You could check out The Salk Institute off of North Torrey Pines road (Louis Kahn Building).

It is a pretty structure with an ocean view.

-Matt

 

[Spareribs]

I was in San Diego and LA this past January. If you are in San Diego, don't forget to try a fish taco. It's their national dish.

 

[Spareribs]

Also, if you are in San Diego and want a real adventure, try Tijuana. I was there and it was an adventure!

 

[cantsleep]

san diego:

night: gaslamp, corona island, la jolla downtown/cove
day: balboa park(museum) and maybe UCSD

LA:

third street promenade(santa monica), the grove mall.. i live here and i cant think of any place to go

 

[Spareribs]

If your in LA, try to visit Paramount Studios. It's probably best to make a reservation. It costs around $35 and I have to say that it was great! You'll be amazed at how many tv shows and movies were filmed there. Any lover of the movies MUST visit. One of my all time favorite tour guide experiences.

 

[ElChupahueso]

Depends on what you like. In LA there's Olvera street which is the oldest street in LA with a lot of great Mexican shops and restaurants. Super close-by is Chinatown as well as little Tokyo. Come to think of it, on the way from Olvera Street to Little Tokyo, you pass the Walt Disney Concert hall. Fun place to walk around and just check out. As foer places to eat, Pink's hot dogs is super famous. Plus stars eat there all the time. So there's that. I have directions to a cool spot to see the Hollywood sign if you're interested. It's up in the hills past what used to be madonna's house. (The yellow and purple stripped on in the hollywood hills)

As for Sandy Ego, yeah, the beaches are very much awesome. and TJ is certainly an adventure. I'd park on this side and walk across the border, but that's just me. Avoid the weekend if possible since tons of high school kids go down there to get completely blitzed and generally be @$$holes. On the upside, find a pharmacy and get 1000mg ibuprofin across the counter.

Not that i'd endorse or condone any such activity, ever. There's always the San Diego wild animal park, zoo, seaworld... if you venture up to carlsbad, (on the way to LA actually...) there's legoland. If you stop in orange County on the way up to LA, Disneyland.

What it really boils down to is what you're interested in seeing. There's tons of stuff to see and do, but what do you want to do?

Decay

 

[bong]

awesome recommendations guys, thanks!

Balboa Park, that's something i missed the last time i was in San Diego... will definitely stroll there. and Salk Institute... wow, how did i forget about that? bad bong! must've erased it from my memory after graduating from Architecture School... gotta go see that. i love how Louis Kahn connects the facilities with the sea beyond with a fine stream of water running through the campus.

Paramount Studios sounds like fun too. i just might do that.

i'm the type of guy who would be happy strolling (or even driving) through different neighborhoods, or even sit at a local hangout with some good food and people watch.

again, thanks for the recommendations!

 

[TimSchirmer]

I live in LA.

When i'm showing people around town that only have a day here, I usually take them downtown and then to venice beach. In downtown, I recommend olivera street, chinatown and MOCA. Later, around 4 when it just begins to cool off, head to venice beach. If you take a slight detour north, on santa monica, you'll drive right through beverley hills/hollywood and its only like 10min out of the way. Venice is much nicer and less crowded in the early evening, plus you can do dinner at mao's kitchen.

Just keep in mind its better to do a couple things right than run around all day like a maniac.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Keep in mind you won't be going anywhere fast between 7-10am and 4-7pm on weekdays in LA. Unless you're cruising down sunset and that's what you want to do.