My kids & i (19,18,15,13) will be in Los Angeles for 2 days in July. What are some "must do/see" things?

Eat at In-n-Out Burger. Eat at Pink's hot dogs. Eat at Tommy's Chili Burger.

Welcome to LA! I have a list of top LA attractions, which are generally on the "must do" list. Pick a couple, and have fun. Some are more expensive than others. You can see "the view" from several places: One popular place is the Griffith Observatory, but that parking lot may be closed because the GO was recently reopened, and they bus people in to control crowds. You might be able to drive up on Mt. Hollywood Dr, but that may be closed at night. Your best bet is to go north on Crescent Heights, past Hollywood Blvd, where it turns into Laurel Dr, then Laurel Canyon. Turn left on Mullholland Dr, a windy road which divides LA proper and the San Fernando Valley. The views are spectacular. As you might expect, the turnouts can be great spots to park and make out, so don't disturb the occupants of any cars. Anywhere between Laurel Canyon and Beverly Glen, you can get spectacular views of LA or the valley. Top attractions: Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth. Half a billion visitors can’t be wrong. (Sometimes it seems all at once) Universal Studios: A theme park that grew out of a studio tour. Check out eBay. You can find some discounted tickets there. And Universal City Walk is a fun place to hang out in the evening after your day inside the park. Hollywood: Hollywood Boulevard is ready for its close-up, thanks to years of urban renewal and renovation. Enjoy the Walk of Fame, Entertainment Museum, Mann's Theatre and more. You can see a lot for free. I have also added the Hollywood & Highland complex to my top ten list… it has lots of shops and restaurants, and the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards). I like the El Capitan theater, because it has been restored to its former glory, unlike the Chinese, which was essentially gutted and turned into a multiplex. Rodeo Drive, 90210: Packed with exclusive shops, full of gawkers. They all came to enjoy the excess. Free, unless you intend to buy something. Venice Beach: Los Angeles kitsch and over-the-top culture at its best. Here you'll find Muscle Beach, street performers and tacky shops galore. Fun, VERY interesting, but I avoid it after dark, when it gets a little TOO interesting for my taste. And it's a short bike ride from: Santa Monica Beach and Pier: Great beach scene and a classic seaside amusement park, complete with antique carousel that has been in a lot of TV and movies. (The Sting and "Three's Company" come immediately to mind). After visiting the pier, you can ride a bike south a couple miles to Venice Beach. Santa Monica Third Street Promenade - Downtown Santa Monica's shopping promenade is often the scene of movie star-sightings. Just a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier. Sunset Boulevard: Perhaps one of the world's most famous streets, it began as a route between the stars' posh neighborhoods and the Hollywood studios. It runs from downtown to the ocean, passing through the "Sunset Strip" on its way. It makes for a fun drive. Along the way, you see a lot of different neighborhoods. Hollywood, West Hollywood, Bel Air, and Pacific Palisades. When you get to the ocean, stop at Gladstone's for Fish. Queen Mary: Once the largest ship afloat, she's been docked in Long Beach for longer than she sailed, and her elegance never fails to impress. Free to visit. You can actually stay on board, for a price. Farmers Market and The Grove - A new shopping complex right next to a Los Angeles landmark, The Grove and Farmers Market coexist. Enjoy a movie or shopping, then take the trolley to the Farmers Market for lunch or dinner. Farmer's Market is right next to CBS, so walk across the lot to see if they are taping "The Price is Right". You might even get in. Griffith Park - Home of the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town, the Greek Theatre, and Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage. Getty Museum - The Getty's architecture is so beautiful that it keeps me fascinated. No matter whether you like their art or architecture better (or maybe you'll just enjoy the view), the Getty is sure to please. Free. Attend a TV taping - You can get free tickets at audiencesunlimited.com, or see the booth at Universal City walk. It's very interesting to see a show being taped. The most popular, by far, is the tonight show. Check the NBC web site for all the details there. Places to eat: In-N-Out Burger: Multiple locations, best burger in LA, ask anyone. Pink’s Hot Dogs: 709 N. La Brea, just north of Melrose. Might see a celebrity. Tommy’s Chili Burgers: Look for the shack, an LA tradition. Original location at Beverly & Rampart, a couple miles west of downtown. Canter’s Deli: 419 N. Fairfax, between Beverly & Melrose. Near CBS, might spot a celebrity. Phillippe’s: 1001 N. Alameda. Great roast beef sandwiches. Near Union Station, Olvera Street. Watch the mustard, it’s hot. Places to Stay: In Hollywood, I recommend the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel and the Farmer's Daughter Hotel. In Anaheim, I recommend the HoJo Anaheim, and the Candy Cane Inn. If you want to splurge and make this a most memorable trip, stay at Disney’s Grand Californian. You get the full Disney experience. If you don't need to stay by the park, then stay at the Doubletree on Harbor, or even the one in Orange on Chapman. In Santa Monica, the Holiday Inn Santa Monica is close to the pier and reasonably priced.

universal studios, hollywood to walk by the stars. disneyland, knotts berry farm (theme Park)or six flags. have fun

Yaya---Hey, 5 minutes ago you didn't know if Catalina Island was part of the United States and if people needed ID's and passports to go there....and now your advising people on L.A.travel tips....Sheeeeeesch....Where did you get your license---in Cracker Jacks--- Anywho---tbslic, maybe you can piece together a plan from this info....Good Luck Here is some stuff you might do in the area... TRY THESE THINGS TO SEE IN L.A.:>>>>> 1.EAT AT PINKS OR PINKBERRY OR IN AND OUT BURGER 2.FARMERS MARKET AT THE GROVE (@ FAIRFAX AND W. 3RD) 3.See a Movie at GRAUMIN’S CHINESE Theater 4.GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY, NOTE--RESERVATIONS NOW REQUIRED 5.GETTY MUSEUM IN TOWN OFF 405 (RESERVATIONS) 6.GETTY VILLA MALIBU (RESERVATIONS) 7.NORTON SIMON MUSEUM (Pasadena) 8.HOLLYWOOD BOWL CONCERTS (arrange parking first) 9.WALK OF FAME/STARS (3 ½ miles round trip<warning—lol) 10.RODEO DRIVE, (Via Rodeo)-Walking Rodeo 11.TROLLEY TOURS OF STAR HOMES, HOLLYWOOD OR DOWNTOWN 12.IVY, KITSON (ON N. ROBERTSON) , HOTEL MARMONT, the new SPAGO 13.SANTA MONICA PIER (Pacific Park) AND PROMANADE, RIDE FERRIS WHEEL, Kiddieland, Ivy by the Sea…Fred Segal II…dinosaur/arbors… 14.BYCYCLING VENICE BEACH (Street Performers, Muscle Beach) 15.CATALINA ISLAND (CONCERTS) (CATAMARAN TO AVALON) out of Long Beach or Newport Beach..THE CASINO. Service now available out of marina del rey…. 16. STUDIO TOUR (UNIVERSAL/CITY WALK OR WARNER BROS.) 17.CHECK OUT DISNEY, DREAMWORKS, PARAMOUNT, NBC 18. DODGER STADIUM BASEBALL GAME 19.DOWNTOWN L.A.-LUMMIS HOUSE, ANGELS FLIGHT 20.CLUB AT HYDE, AREA, TEDDY’S, PRIVILEDGE, LES DEUX, PARC, MOOD SKYBAR, ROXY,TRYST, WHISKEY (A-GO-GO) 21.BEVERLY HILTON, TRADER VICS, SPARKLES 22.BEVERLY HILLS CITY HALL AND FRITELLI’S DONUTS (CANON DR., BH) 23.COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF + TITO TACOS (CULVER CITY) 24.HUNTINGTON BEACH SURFING AND SURF MUSEUM (they spend a lot of time and money on constant activities) 25. DISNEYLAND (ANAHEIM) 26.KNOTTS BERRY FARM, 6 FLAGS/MAGIC MOUNTAIN 27.LEBREA TAR PITS AND PAGE MUSEUM ON WILSHIRE 28.LAKERS BASKETBALL- STAPLES ARENA 29.L.A. OPEN AT RIVIERA COUNTRY CLUB 30.L.A. EQUESTRIAN CENTER 31.BIG BEAR SKIING 32.PALM SPRINGS GOLF AND TRAM RIDE 33.RIVER WALK AND L.A. RIVER GARDENS 34.EAT AT MR. CHOW’S OR KOI OR YAMASHIRO 35.VISIT ZUMA BEACH, PIER AT MALIBU AND PARADISE COVE 36.FOOSE DESIGN AND HUNTINGTON BEACH BOARDWALK 37.AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC (LONG BEACH) AND QUEEN MARY II 38.LOS ANGELES ZOO (parking site for Griffith Observatory/Hollywood bowl) 39.GENE AUTREY WESTERN MUSEUM + Travel Town (Railroad Museum) 40.HIKE UP MT. LEE AND VISIT BRONSON (BATMAN) CAVES 41.U.S.C. / U.C.L.A. FOOTBALL, LA COLUSIUM OR ROSE BOWL 42.PETERSEN AUTO MUSEUM (car “rallys” from Huntington Beach) 43.HOLLYWOOD PARK RACE TRACK 44.DANA POINT WHALE WATCHING (75 MILLES SOUTH) 45.SAN SIMEON (250 MILES NORTH) 46.HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND GARDENS (San Marino) 47.HOLLYWOOD WAX MUSEUM AND KODAK THEATER TOUR 48.DRIVE MULLHOLLAND DRIVE 49.RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT MUSEUM (across from Wax Museum) 50.COMMERCE CASINO CLUB, COMMERCE, CALI…. 51.SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK, and L.A. Botanic Gardens -ARCADIA, CALI…. 52.FRED SEGAL 53.REDONDO BEACH PIER 54.BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL,Polo Lounge 55.BICYCLE CLUB CASINO (BELL GARDENS, CA.) 56.MT. WILSON OBSERVATORY-(UCLA Astronomy-Cal.Rt #2)) 57.HOLLYWOOD SIGN HIKE AND PICS, L.A.PICS 58.BEACH BONFIRE—MONTHY SPECIAL (FREE WOOD AND HOTDOGS) 59.DRIVE ON PISMO BEACH-MENTION U SAW THIS AD...lol 60.HELICOPTER TOUR OF L.A.(cheaper than you think and cool too) 61.GONDOLA RIDE AT NAPLES ISLAND (ALIMITOS BAY) 62. RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL 63. HAUNTED HOLLYWOOD TOUR 64. CHINA TOWN, KOREA TOWN 65. ROCKWALK 66. GRAUMANS EGYPTIAN THEATER 67. MELROSE TRADING POST (SATURDAYS ONLY) 68 EL CAPITAN THEATER 69. DOMINATOR SHIP WRECK HIKE 70. TILMANN JAPANESE GARDEN (SAN FERNANDO VALLEY) 71. LITTLE TOKYO 72.FASHION DISTRICT---LA FASHION WEEK (BARGAINS) 73. VOLLEY BALL AND TOURNAMENTS (HUNTINGTON BEACH) 74. SAN BERNADINO ROUTE 66 CLASSIC CAR SHOW (SEPT.13-16) 75. DESCANSO GARDENS (LA CANADA) 76. EXPOSITION PARK (USC) 77. BRAND PARK/GLENDALE LIBRARY 78. ROSCOE’S CHICKEN AND WAFFLES DINER 79. CANTER’S DELI OR THE PANTRY 80. MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE 81. EAT AT MORTONS (PAM IS CLOSING AT THE END OF THE YEAR) 82. LACMA 83. SAN ANTONIO AND TEMECULA WINERY TOURS 84. LAKE ARROWHEAD 85. MALIBU OCEAN KAYAKING (Also at Mothers Beach- Marina del Rey) 86. HIKE JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK 87. HORSE BACK RIDING (in the Santa Monica Mountains) Acivities under probationary consideration---LOL A. Water Parks-Hurricane Harbor, Soak City, Raging Rivers B. Up coming in 2 months- a special cool thing-but I want to try it first- Before there is a huge line… Please send good ideas I have forgotten…Thanks…

Go to Compton or Watts and get shot at.

You have to go to Malibu and Santa Monica surf a little bit the water will be warm or hot. Then maybe and its a big maybe go skiing in Big Bear. Also enjoy the rich authentic food of La Parrilla in East Los Angeles (take a taxi or bus horrible drivers in that area). Oh and Six Flags is also a must see. Disneyland is a tourist trap avoid it.