Damkier's Travels: Los Angeles

Yours Truly at the Santa Monica Pier

Like most people from Northern California, I have been through Los Angeles many times. It is a convenient stop on my way to Disneyland or Arizona, but I never really took the time to stay a while and really experience the area. Us NorCal people have a typical view of SoCal people, but spending a week in Los Angeles has really opened my eyes up to the other side of the state I call home.

View from my Rental Apartment

I purposely designed this trip to be unique. First, I would rent an apartment in Downtown Los Angeles, or DTLA for short. Second, I would use public transportation for most of my exploration. Finally, I would hit all those special places people usually miss when rushing through the area. Wait, did I really explore Los Angeles without driving? Yes. Los Angeles has quietly developed an extensive network of rail and bus networks that really do allow you to explore the region without being stuck in their notorious traffic jams. Staying downtown allowed me to use the rail and subway extensively.

Preserved Skeletons at La Brea Tar Pits

Contrary to the popular song, it actually does rain in Southern California. My first day had rain and clouds, so it was a great opportunity to head to some of the great museums. Opening early on a Monday was the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum. This simple museum houses many of the preserved remains of animals that were excavated from the naturally occurring tar pits in the region. Los Angeles was blessed with major oil resources including tar oozing to the surface long used by natives and settlers before being refined into modern fuels.

Exterior of Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is located right next to the tar pits on Wilshire Boulevard - future home of the Purple Line Subway - and is one of the best art museums I have ever visited. This massive complex houses extensive collections of art from all periods and styles. They have special exhibits including a popular rain room and architecture exhibit. After a long day exploring the museum, the clouds finally parted and began one of the most beautiful weather weeks I have experienced.

Space Shuttle Endeavor

Another day, another museum. This time I took light rail to Exposition Park, home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, California Science Center, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. I did not have time to enter the historic coliseum, but you can walk around the massive exterior. The California Science Center was a great stop with lots of interactive space and science exhibits, but the real draw is the permanent home of the Space Shuttle Endeavor. They built a hangar for the impressive shuttle and plan to have a permanent installation in the near future.

Dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is a classic museum with displays of stuffed animals and dinosaur fossils straight out of the movies. I was impressed with the quantity and quality of the exhibits, especially the gem and mineral section with a lot of real gold nuggets and gemstones on display. One of the dioramas recreated one of my favorite landscapes near Flagstaff, Arizona, so they get an extra gold star for that!

Tommy the Trojan at USC

Right across the street from Exposition Park is the University of Southern California. This private university is a football favorite and rival to the University of California at Los Angeles. As expected, the campus is very beautiful and packed with young college students ready and eager to tackle the major problems in life, or at least make a lot of money. After a quick sushi dinner and a ride back downtown, it was time for a little hockey.

Exterior of Staples Center

It so happened that the week I spent in Los Angeles was also the week that my Arizona Coyotes were playing hockey in Southern California. Coming off a win against the Anaheim Ducks, the Desert Dogs were ready to take a bite out of the Los Angeles Kings. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to wear my Coyotes sweater, but there were a few visiting fans in attendance anyway. The amazing and upscale Staples Center is home to the Los Angeles Kings, Clippers, and Lakers and often has to switch between teams within 24 hours. Even the displays in the team store are on rotating columns to make the switch easier. My Coyotes ended up winning the game 3-2. Go Yotes!

Griffith Observatory Exterior

Just north of DTLA lies the extensive Griffith Park. I visited the park including the otherwise ordinary Los Angeles Zoo and the impressive Griffith Observatory. This iconic building has been used in movies and television and provides am excellent view of Los Angeles and the entire region. I arrived just before sunset and was treated to a special view of the sun setting over the Pacific, bathing the area in a warm golden glow before leaving the sky. Back inside, the observatory has a large amount of exhibits related to the sun, moon, and other celestial objects. After dark, you can linger outside to see the bright lights of the big city sparkle as another day comes to a close.

Panoramic View of Santa Monica Pier

You made it all this way without heading to beach. So did I, waiting until the end of my vacation to finally greet the Pacific Ocean. On the warmest day of the week, I ventured to the queen of the beaches - Santa Monica - to explore and enjoy the beauty. Santa Monica is very rich and very beautiful. Driving there is a challenge, but the new Expo Line light rail will take people from DTLA right to the end of the old Route 66 at the pier. Despite the beauty and wealth, I prefer Venice Beach for a more real experience, but Santa Monica is still quite impressive and worthy of its status.

Apple Fritter from Randy's Donuts

Part of the fun of exploring Los Angeles is the food. On my trip, I visited several wonderful places to eat including Randy's Donuts, Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles, Zankou Chicken, Langer's Deli, Bottega Louis, and Farmers Market. Randy's simply makes the best classic donuts around. Roscoe's chicken and waffles are legendary. Zankou makes amazing Middle Eastern food and may be the inspiration for the famous Palestinian Chicken episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Langer's Deli is famous for their awesome pastrami and other deli specialities served in a classic setting. Bottega Louis is rocking DTLA with French pastries and other goodies. It was good that I was walking over 7 miles per day just to burn off those delicious calories!

Queen Mary in Long Beach

One of the last stops on my vacation was Long Beach. This town is known mainly for the massive port which handles a tremendous amount of cargo and is well known in my industry for being a major source of pollution in the area. After dodging the recently cleaned trucks at the port, I found my way to the Queen Mary. While impressive on the outside, I passed on the steep admission fee and opted for some pictures instead. Afterwards, I crossed the channel to the Aquarium of the Pacific for much better experience. This aquarium is large and extensive with a lot of fun exhibits and interactive experience and served as a perfect end to a beach day.

Downtown Los Angeles Skyline

I had a simply amazing time in Los Angeles. Using public transportation saved me time, money, and my sanity. Los Angeles in my opinion is no longer the evil step child of California, but rather the cool brother having fun and making the whole state better. I cannot wait until High Speed Rail is complete in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics and connects the entire state to the beauty of Southern California. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.