What are fun/interesting/cheap things to do in LA for a week?

April 19, 2008 3:35 PM

What are fun/interesting/cheap things to do in LA for a week?

I'll be staying in "West Hills" (whatever that is) from the 21st until the 28th and will have a car. It's my first time in LA. The only thing I have so far is the Reagan Library, La Brea Tar Pits and Griffith Park.

I do enjoy TV and pop culture quite a bit, so if there are things like this that can be done on the cheap, I'm up for it. Any cool vineyards?

posted by adi to travel & transportation (15 comments total)

venice beach is always interesting IMO.
posted by gcat at 4:20 PM on April 19

Museum of Jurassic Technology, perhaps?
posted by thedaniel at 4:28 PM on April 19

Farmer's Market
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:36 PM on April 19

The Museum of Television and Radio is free.

The Griffith Observatory is free, I believe.
posted by HotPatatta at 4:44 PM on April 19 [1 favorite]

Not sure if studios give tours, but you can check Warner Bros., CBS Television City, Universal Studios, Paramount, MGM, and the others.
posted by HotPatatta at 4:46 PM on April 19

Los Angeles museums.
posted by HotPatatta at 4:48 PM on April 19

I'd like to echo the Museum of Television & Radio, which is super-super cool (basically you can watch about 75% of the TV shows worth watching, ever, including many not available on DVD, etc). Also the Museum of Jurassic Technology.

I would also try to catch a show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. There are many, many different shows, but their signature show is Asssscat, which is Saturday and Sunday nights. Sunday is free, but you have to show up waaaay early. I also can unreservedly recommend Match Game, Comedy Death Ray and MySpace. There are lots of other great shows as well. And they typically cost $5 or in some cases $8. Often they're free.
posted by YoungAmerican at 4:55 PM on April 19

The Los Angeles Conservancy runs walking tours downtown that are ten bucks a head and generally really interesting, especially if the weather is good - Oh hey, it's LA, so that's a given! Lunch at Phillipe's or Langer's would be nearby if you're downtown when they're open. You could also head over to Union Station for a quick peak in, and see if there is a tour of the Disney Hall. The Central Library is another neat building (though doesn't take too much time to soak in).

Don't miss the Venice Canals. I usually take visitors to Venice, park by the canals, walk through them to the beach, maybe grab lunch on Abbot Kinney (good pizza at Abbot's, next to Abbot's Habit for coffee), or at The Waterfront, (which is located more on the boardwalk, but it's a good place for a cheap hefeweissen and fries, and people-watching) or up in Santa Monica on Main (really like the sandwiches and sweet potato fries at The Library Alehouse). Many cheap food options sprinkled throughout Venice and Santa Monica. You're more or less over the hill to Malibu where you're staying, so definitely go there. Eat at Malibu Seafood for really good, or Neptune's Net for really fried - Neither are particularly cheap, but they are reasonable and have a great view.

The Getty Museum is free (though parking is $5), but the art is not great. The building is pretty cool.

West Hills is actually not super close to LA proper (by which I mean the intersection of Fairfax and Pico), but you can get to all the West Side (everything above except downtown) attractions pretty easily.
posted by mzurer at 5:25 PM on April 19

Bob Baker Marionette Theater. The Bat Cave. Scoops Gelato.
posted by Scram at 5:27 PM on April 19

Check out Goldstar Events (free registration required) for discounted tickets to local events.
posted by mogget at 7:20 PM on April 19

Watts towers (daytime only, please).

A self-guided tour of locations of movies/TV shows you like (e.g., the bars from Swingers, the house on Six Feet Under, and so on). Lots of info on the internet for this kind of stuff.

Gamble house and neighboring area in Pasadena (also, Rose Bowl is nearby), if you're into Arts and Crafts architecture.

Celebrities' graves at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
posted by drmarcj at 8:20 PM on April 19

The Apple Pan is a fun little burger shop I take visting peeps to. Straight outta the 40s!
posted by tachikaze at 9:34 PM on April 19

Go one block north and one block west of LaBrea and Hollywood, and hike Runyon Canyon (take a camera).

Take the subway downtown and see the sights: Disney Hall, City Hall, the Central Library, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo...

Go into Griffith Park and see the zoo or the Autry Museum, or just go for a hike.

Or go west to Ventura, Santa Barbara, and the SB Wine Country.

Or go to the Antelope Valley and see the wildflowers.
posted by Guy Smiley at 10:58 PM on April 19

oh, and Sat/Sun April 26/27 is the LA Times Festival of Books (at UCLA).
posted by Guy Smiley at 11:04 PM on April 19

Westwood Village Memorial Park, the final resting place of Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Natalie Wood ... Near Westwood/UCLA.
posted by yqxnflld at 7:19 PM on April 20