In a metropolitan area with more than 18 million people, you won't find it hard to find things to do. Everyone knows that Los Angeles offers plenty of great beaches, as well as sites such as Disneyland and Universal Studios. But if you want to bypass the popular touristy sites and really find the best that this metro area has to offer, you have to dig a bit deeper. Here are a just a few places to visit that will showcase the wonderful, wacky and wild place we call The Southland.
There's tons of great food in the city and metro area, but if you want something that is uniquely Los Angeles, head over to Philippe's on Alameda Street. The French dip sandwich was invented here, accidentally, in 1918. A patron's sandwich roll was dropped in the juices on the meat pan, but the customer said he wanted the roll anyway. It was so tasty he brought his friends the next day and they all requested a dipped version of the roast beef sandwich. Now, of course, this sandwich is a favorite around the country, but it all started at Philippe's. Along with the famous dips, they serve soups, salads, chili and a variety of desserts.
You can get coffee anywhere, but for a truly fantastic cup of coffee, Island Monarch Coffee is absolutely the place to go. You won't find a fresher cup of coffee anywhere in the Southland. The finest beans from Hawaii and Latin America are shipped in still in their green state. Beans are freshly roasted and used within a few days of roasting at most. Coffee is freshly ground for each order and the water is filtered multiple times to reduce the salt and any impurities. There is a full menu featuring everything from just a regular cup of coffee to a variety of lattes, mochas and much more.
There are some truly odd and even somewhat spooky adventures to enjoy in the Los Angeles area. One option would be to head to Griffith Park and check out the remnants of the Old Zoo. The Los Angeles Zoo is open and thriving in Griffith Park, but what we're talking about is the remains of the original zoo. This "ghost" zoo still features abandoned cages and enclosures. The Old Zoo is located before you reach the new zoo, and there is a parking lot by the Old Zoo Picnic Area sign. A short, easy hike from the parking lot will take you to the zoo.
While L.A. Miracle Mile boasts a number of great museums, including the Petersen Automotive Museum, if you drive outside the city to Sylmar, there is another fantastic museum for car lovers. The Nethercutt Museum is filled with beautifully restored and maintained automobiles, most dating prior to 1940. There is a historic locomotive and a Pullman car, as well, and you can tour just about every inch of it. The museum also offers the Nethercutt Collection, which is available only with a guided tour. This portion of the museum has four sections that include everything from antique china dolls to an amazing assortment of antique musical instruments and plenty more.
Obviously, in a city as vast as L.A., there are still many other exciting attractions, restaurants and outdoor adventures. There are many historic sites, hundreds of art galleries, gigantic flea markets, farmer's markets, whale watching excursions and even rides on majestic tall ship replicas where you can sail around the coast in a manner similar to the Buccaneers of centuries ago.
There's tons of great food in the city and metro area, but if you want something that is uniquely Los Angeles, head over to Philippe's on Alameda Street. The French dip sandwich was invented here, accidentally, in 1918. A patron's sandwich roll was dropped in the juices on the meat pan, but the customer said he wanted the roll anyway. It was so tasty he brought his friends the next day and they all requested a dipped version of the roast beef sandwich. Now, of course, this sandwich is a favorite around the country, but it all started at Philippe's. Along with the famous dips, they serve soups, salads, chili and a variety of desserts.
You can get coffee anywhere, but for a truly fantastic cup of coffee, Island Monarch Coffee is absolutely the place to go. You won't find a fresher cup of coffee anywhere in the Southland. The finest beans from Hawaii and Latin America are shipped in still in their green state. Beans are freshly roasted and used within a few days of roasting at most. Coffee is freshly ground for each order and the water is filtered multiple times to reduce the salt and any impurities. There is a full menu featuring everything from just a regular cup of coffee to a variety of lattes, mochas and much more.
There are some truly odd and even somewhat spooky adventures to enjoy in the Los Angeles area. One option would be to head to Griffith Park and check out the remnants of the Old Zoo. The Los Angeles Zoo is open and thriving in Griffith Park, but what we're talking about is the remains of the original zoo. This "ghost" zoo still features abandoned cages and enclosures. The Old Zoo is located before you reach the new zoo, and there is a parking lot by the Old Zoo Picnic Area sign. A short, easy hike from the parking lot will take you to the zoo.
While L.A. Miracle Mile boasts a number of great museums, including the Petersen Automotive Museum, if you drive outside the city to Sylmar, there is another fantastic museum for car lovers. The Nethercutt Museum is filled with beautifully restored and maintained automobiles, most dating prior to 1940. There is a historic locomotive and a Pullman car, as well, and you can tour just about every inch of it. The museum also offers the Nethercutt Collection, which is available only with a guided tour. This portion of the museum has four sections that include everything from antique china dolls to an amazing assortment of antique musical instruments and plenty more.
Obviously, in a city as vast as L.A., there are still many other exciting attractions, restaurants and outdoor adventures. There are many historic sites, hundreds of art galleries, gigantic flea markets, farmer's markets, whale watching excursions and even rides on majestic tall ship replicas where you can sail around the coast in a manner similar to the Buccaneers of centuries ago.
About the Author:
Debrah Elliot likes reading coffee blogs. For further details about the best coffee Culver City or to find where to get Hawaiian coffee Culver City, please check out the Island Monarch Coffee site now.
