Nov 03 2009

Unique Tourist Attractions in Los Angeles

Are you visiting Los Angeles and looking for some unique places to go? Here are a few places that aren’t on the usual list of tourist attractions.

Nearly every Saturday, Esotouric Tours organizes delightful themed tours filled with mystery and history, woven in with the art and architecture of Los Angeles. You don’t have to be an expert on the subject at hand; just interested in exploring Los Angeles from a unique point of view.

The tour I took was based on the life, books and films of Raymond Chandler, the renowned mystery writer famous for such 1930’s and 1940’s books as “Lady in the Lake” and “The Big Sleep”,  starring the famous detective, Philip Marlowe.  We learned about Mr. Chandler’s excesses and misfortunes, while visiting sites that inspired and informed his writings. 

Our tour began and ended at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, an architectural jewel with dark rich woods and an interesting history, and included visits to other Chandler-related buildings and sites. The four hour bus tour was also enhanced by video selections from films based on his novels (and complimentary gelato at Scoops in East Hollywood). What a delightful way to spend a Saturday!

Other upcoming tours from this company include their popular “Black Dahlia” tour, as well as visits to “The New Chinatowns”, “South Los Angeles”, and a tour based on the author, James Ellroy. 

On a more somber note, another informative place to visit while in Los Angeles is the Museum of Tolerance, an interactive museum with a 65-minute educational walk-through presentation on the Holocaust, as well as exhibits about prejudice, tolerance and civil rights. Plan to stay several hours, so you can participate in thought provoking interviews with Holocaust survivors, watch a short film on world issues, and attend a presentation entitled “Point of View”, where you can hear both sides of controversial topics and decide how you feel about them. I was very surprised by some of the information provided about hate groups and videos from around the world.

The Museum also schedules special events on tolerance and prejudice to keep the public informed about these topics.  Closed on Saturdays, this is definitely one of the most educational places you can visit in L.A.

And, if you’re a hiker or want to see a spectacular view of Los Angeles, take some time to drive to the new Baldwin Hills Conservancy Scenic Outlook. You can park on the street at Jefferson Boulevard in Culver City, and walk up Hetzler Road, a steep and winding road,  or you can drive it instead (parking is $6 per car as it is a State Park).  Once you’ve reached the top, you will see a view of Los Angeles that spans from the ocean to past downtown L.A.  The Hollywood sign is prominently viewed in front of you, and the entire city is at your feet. You will find walkers, hikers, cyclists and picnickers at this gorgeous spot which has been open less than a year. There is a small information center, and Park Rangers to help learn the history of this spot as well as the type of native plants found throughout the area. When you’re through, drive to one of Downtown Culver City’s 20 restaurants (most of which have outdoor seating), to enjoy a cold drink and something to eat.

Los Angeles is much more than Disneyland and Universal Studios. Any of these would be a great choice for the L.A. visitor. 
   

About Vicki Daly Redholtz

I am a Corporate Travel Specialist with more than 20 years of experience helping small and medium sized businesses with their travel needs. I find working in the corporate travel arena to be very fulfilling—I like to act as a member of my client’s staff, relieving them of their travel worries so they can concentrate on their own responsibilities. I have received a diploma as a Business and First Class Specialist 2.0 class through Travel Agent University. I also specialize in “High End” spa, food/cooking and upscale vacations (especially Four Seasons Resorts), Signature Travel Network luxury hotels and Langham Hotels—and I love finding new and unique properties for my clients to visit. I am also a Virgin Atlantic Airways, Marriott Hotels and Wingate Hotels Trained Specialist.

When I travel, I always enjoy visiting hotels and going on site inspections, so I can better serve my clients. My background is in office management and personal skills training, and I enjoy learning new systems and helping others. In my spare time, I am actively involved in the community where I live and I served for 7 years as a Commissioner of Parks, Recreation & Community Services. In addition, for more than 11 years, I have been the Chair of Friends of the Culver City Dog Park, a non-profit group that helped establish an off-leash dog park that serves thousands of people each year. I have also been appointed to a 4-year term as a Culver City Civil Service Commissioner. In 2011, I was named one of 26 “SHeroes” for the 26th California Senatorial District by Senator Curren Price for my community involvement and volunteerism, an award of which I’m very proud.