by Jon Wingent
My first visit to LA was as a teenager in 1996 on a family holiday. I feel as excited and drawn to the city as much today as I did back then. Our holiday had all the makings of a classic: Disneyland, Universal Studios, the Hollywood Sign and the Walk of Fame and Star home tours. Look up the top ten things to do in LA on any website today and every one you can do in 2021, you could do in 1996. Big landmarks and attractions are timeless and, in that sense, so is LA.
I met my now-wife who is from LA in 2008 at a mutual friend’s wedding in England. We had a long-distance relationship at first before she moved to London. For 13 years during my twenties and thirties we would visit usually a couple of times a year, often over Christmas. We now have young children and moved here earlier this year to be closer to my wife’s side of the family. So now in 2021 I can relate experience for every decade of my life and you know what, there have been little gems of discovery within the city along the way, but all in all I have learnt over time that LA remains timeless. Whatever stage of life you are and having been fortunate to have travelled to a lot of places I can safely say that it is truly one of the world’s best cities.
If you are making the journey here yourself, the best things to do are easily Googled, and they are, as I say timeless. The gems though will come from insider knowledge, some still might seem obvious, but you know if they are recommended by a local it’s a “must do”. So here are my timeless ten experiences that are still around and that I have enjoyed and would recommend from my experience in my twenties in 2008 through to the present day with young children.
Go to a Dodger game – Dodger stadium is one of the oldest stadiums in the MLB and it has been in LA since 1962. If you’re new to LA, your timing is perfect as the team is currently one of the best, winning the World Series in 2020 and in the most recent season, you would’ve had a 65% chance of seeing a win. Night games have the best atmosphere and are more bearable than being in the blazing sun for hours.
Have an In N’ Out Burger on the beach -Since 1948, nothing is more Californian than an In N’ Out and you don’t just have to be a burger lover to enjoy. There is a ‘secret menu’ which covers everything from multiple patties to none at all. It’s not so secret these days, and the most popular (and tasty) is having your burger “Animal Style”. Have it on the beach simply because you can.
Go to the Museum of Jurassic Technology – I first visited this years ago when it wasn’t an Instagrammers haven. Opened in 1988, this is a place of curiosities and wonders. Despite it not being so secret now, this quirky little place in Culver City will not leave you disappointed. Locals know it fairly well, but it is not on the tourist trail as much so when you have visitors, it should be a memorable experience.
Have brunch on a rooftop – Downtown has most of the skyscrapers in LA so that is where you will find a few places with rooftop bars and restaurants. Brunch is a big deal here too, so combine the two and you have an immediate winner. On New Year’s Day in 2015 I visited Perch for brunch. Having a bloody Mary in the glorious sunshine was a great start to the year. It was pretty cool then and a quick look on Yelp still has it as one of the best places to go for rooftop brunch in LA.
Get groceries at Trader Joe’s – Although there are stores all over the US now, this California staple first opened in Pasadena in 1967 and remains independent. It’s kind of like M&S food and has a lot of home comfort food like crumpets, shepherds pie, fish fingers, curry etc. The English Breakfast tea in deceptive tartan patterned packaging is the closest I’ve found to tea back home.
Hang out with celebrities – Ok this sounds glib and many of us expats are in the showbiz industry however one thing you will definitely notice in LA is that celebrities are everywhere and more often than not they are grabbing lunch or a coffee somewhere where the establishment has paid for it, but who cares, if you’re dining at the same time, you’re officially at a place to be seen! It will happen at some point and don’t be fazed by it. One of my experiences involved nearly knocking Rod Stewart over into the baggage belt at LAX. I still owe him a beer at Ye Olde Kings Head next time I see him.
Get outside and go hiking or running – It’s not Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but it is in LA. You will spend more time outdoors here and there are loads of great places to go hiking or trail running if that’s your thing. Griffith Park soaks in the classic views and is worth a visit as is the extremely popular Runyon Canyon as featured in any movie set in LA that has a hiking scene.
Check out a different neighborhood – LA is vast and it’s similar to London insofar it has lots of diverse communities with different vibes. You could go somewhere different every weekend. One of my favorites in East LA is Highland Park. There are lots of good bars and restaurants and if you have ever seen the series “Love” on Netflix, this is the area it is set in. I’ve always enjoyed Highland Park Bowl which is an old school bowling alley from the prohibition era. Established in 1927 it is now a hipster bar/restaurant/bowl experience and well worth a visit.
Visit Descanso Gardens – When we lived in London, my family loved Kew Gardens. Descanso Botanical Gardens in La Cañada has filled that void. It is peaceful, fantastic for kids and adults alike and has plenty a seasonal display. From “Carved” at Halloween which has been running a number of years now to “Enchanted” at Christmas which is similar to the Kew Christmas lights but less muddy, less cold and less chance of rain!
Get out of LA – there is so much to do in California as a whole with many things in easy reach of LA. If you want mountains and snow (sometimes), head to Big Bear Lake. If you want wine (who doesn’t!), head to Santa Barbara County and visit towns like Solvang (watch Sideways first). If you want Old Hollywood, head to Palm Springs. You will need a car, but if you have CarPlay you can listen to BBC Sounds during your journey and pretend you’re at home!
There is always inspiration for places to visit found in shows like Californication, Entourage, Modern Family or Curb Your Enthusiasm. Whenever you visit or settle in LA, one thing’s for sure is that all of these experiences are timeless in Los Angeles.
