Last minute vacation ideas please!
December 13, 2010 11:37 PM Subscribe
I have a week off between Christmas and New Years and I have no idea what to do. Ideas? I'm in LA, willing to travel, and willing to spend some cash, but I don't necessarily need to go anywhere, just want to do something fun and not waste the week.
So I have all this time and nothing to do with it. I'll have already seen all my family that is within driving distance the week before and now I have a week to kill, but I don't want to just waste time, I want to make something of the time off. I'll likely being doing whatever I do alone, but it's possible I might be able to get a friend to come along.
So some random things I like:
- exploring new places
- traveling
- taking photos
- art (but I'm picky...)
Things I don't like:
- the cold
- hiking
I'm in Los Angeles, but willing to travel, possibly even far away if it can be done without totally breaking the bank last minute. Big and small ideas welcome!
So I have all this time and nothing to do with it. I'll have already seen all my family that is within driving distance the week before and now I have a week to kill, but I don't want to just waste time, I want to make something of the time off. I'll likely being doing whatever I do alone, but it's possible I might be able to get a friend to come along.
So some random things I like:
- exploring new places
- traveling
- taking photos
- art (but I'm picky...)
Things I don't like:
- the cold
- hiking
I'm in Los Angeles, but willing to travel, possibly even far away if it can be done without totally breaking the bank last minute. Big and small ideas welcome!
Vegas is just right up the road, you know. Plenty there to keep you entertained.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:58 PM on December 13, 2010
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:58 PM on December 13, 2010
How about a day trip to San Diego or Santa Barbara?
You could go wine-tasting in Temecula, if any vineyards are open that week!
Las Vegas gets pretty crowded this time of year -- and cold! (although you would probably spend most of your time inside the hotels, and can practically visit a bunch of them without ever stepping outdoors).
In town, I'd second LACMA, and also the Getty -- nice art, sure, but both also have great landscape/architecture on the outside.
posted by estherbester at 12:26 AM on December 14, 2010
You could go wine-tasting in Temecula, if any vineyards are open that week!
Las Vegas gets pretty crowded this time of year -- and cold! (although you would probably spend most of your time inside the hotels, and can practically visit a bunch of them without ever stepping outdoors).
In town, I'd second LACMA, and also the Getty -- nice art, sure, but both also have great landscape/architecture on the outside.
posted by estherbester at 12:26 AM on December 14, 2010
Go to Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah if photography and hiking is your thing. Although it is about 8 hours (according to Google Maps) from LA to, e.g., Zion National Park, you'll get to drive through Vegas en route breaking the trip nicely.
posted by MighstAllCruckingFighty at 1:24 AM on December 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by MighstAllCruckingFighty at 1:24 AM on December 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ooops, just saw that hiking was in your "don't like" column. You can still enjoy both these national parks from the comfort of your car though.
posted by MighstAllCruckingFighty at 6:34 AM on December 14, 2010
posted by MighstAllCruckingFighty at 6:34 AM on December 14, 2010
Watts Towers
Downtown LA (ticky-tacky Olvera St., Walt Disney Concert Hall [designed by F. Gehry], Grand Central Market, The Pantry restaurant, the Standard Hotel's rooftop bar, Little Tokyo, the Japanese-American Museum
Leo Carillo State Park (beach near Malibu) for tidepools
Hollywood Bowl during a rehearsal
3 hour trip: Montana de Oro State Park (spectacularly worth it)
posted by aimeedee at 6:49 AM on December 14, 2010
Downtown LA (ticky-tacky Olvera St., Walt Disney Concert Hall [designed by F. Gehry], Grand Central Market, The Pantry restaurant, the Standard Hotel's rooftop bar, Little Tokyo, the Japanese-American Museum
Leo Carillo State Park (beach near Malibu) for tidepools
Hollywood Bowl during a rehearsal
3 hour trip: Montana de Oro State Park (spectacularly worth it)
posted by aimeedee at 6:49 AM on December 14, 2010
I used to drive out to Death Valley and set up my camera and tripod facing the stars and leave the shutter open all night. Lying in the back of the truck with my man watching meteors falling. The photos were amazing.
posted by honey-barbara at 7:26 AM on December 14, 2010
posted by honey-barbara at 7:26 AM on December 14, 2010
Go on an ethnic eating tour of greater Los Angeles and explore some new neighborhoods - eat xiao long bao in Monterey Park and stewed goat in East LA and dosa in Artesia. This list is a good place to start even though it's a bit old.
Drive up to San Simeon and visit Heart Castle and the nearby colony of elephant seals. Keep heading north on the Pacific Coast Highway for great coastal photo ops and cute beach towns, or come back south down the 101 to visit wineries - lots of good ones are to be found in the stretch from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara (memail me if you want specific suggestions).
Head east into the desert - Palm Springs isn't my favorite place, but Desert Hot Springs (like many places in the area) really does have hot springs, and there are some great photos to be taken in Joshua Tree Natl. Park without straying far from the roads.
Visit the town of Julian, California, and gorge yourself on apple pie.
If you do go to Vegas, Red Rock Canyon is a great spot for photography, especially if you do a little walking (the floor of the canyon is pretty flat and non-strenuous). I would also recommend glancing through Learning from Las Vegas for some perspective on the city's architecture.
posted by unsub at 7:31 AM on December 14, 2010
Drive up to San Simeon and visit Heart Castle and the nearby colony of elephant seals. Keep heading north on the Pacific Coast Highway for great coastal photo ops and cute beach towns, or come back south down the 101 to visit wineries - lots of good ones are to be found in the stretch from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara (memail me if you want specific suggestions).
Head east into the desert - Palm Springs isn't my favorite place, but Desert Hot Springs (like many places in the area) really does have hot springs, and there are some great photos to be taken in Joshua Tree Natl. Park without straying far from the roads.
Visit the town of Julian, California, and gorge yourself on apple pie.
If you do go to Vegas, Red Rock Canyon is a great spot for photography, especially if you do a little walking (the floor of the canyon is pretty flat and non-strenuous). I would also recommend glancing through Learning from Las Vegas for some perspective on the city's architecture.
posted by unsub at 7:31 AM on December 14, 2010
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also, if you have a car, death valley is beautiful, and just a few hours away...and this is the time of year to go if you don't want to, y'know, die of heatstroke...not so much hiking as walking around looking at stuff that looks like part of another planet...
griffith park observatory?
posted by sexyrobot at 11:43 PM on December 13, 2010