Los Angeles, California - Walking in L.A.

For some reason, a lot of people want to come to my hometown...Los Angeles...for vacation.  The attraction escapes me but maybe I'm just jaded after living here so long.  Anyway, I spend an inordinate amount of time in downtown L.A. and end up just walking around sometimes, mostly for excercise and stress relief.  Sometimes I take pictures with the Blackberry as I go along.

I've put some of it together for a walking tour of sights in the area.

Since we're walking, you'll want to take some public transportation into downtown.  Here an overhead Gold Line train heads into Union Station.  Metro's Red Line subway also goes to Union Station, along with most Metrolink trains.

You can also take the bus.  Here is Foothill Transit's Silver Streak bus, which riders from the east can take in from points such as Claremont, Pomona, and El Monte.  See our Los Angeles Transit Report for more complete information.

And...here's your destination, Union Station, the city's great, Spanish/Mediterranean style historic train depot.

Walking across the street, you get to the plaza which marks the original location where the city was founded over 200 years ago.

Turn right, and you'll immediately end up on Olvera Street, a Mexican themed alley lined with shops, restaurants, and a few historical sites.

One of those historic sites is the Avila Adobe, the oldest house in the city.  It was built in 1748.

Here is the courtyard of the adobe.  I'm taking the picture from the old outdoor kitchen.

Most places to eat here are expensive and sell mediocre versions of Mexican food, taking advantage of tourists who don't know any better.  There are a couple of good places, though.  This is my favorite, La Noche Buena, almost next door to the Avila Adobe.  Make sure you try some taquitos while you're here...they were invented on Olvera Street over 70 years ago.  (El Indio in San Diego claims they invented them in 1940 but Cielito Lindo, at the northern end of Olvera Street, started serving them in 1934.)

Leaving Olvera Street, we head towards City Hall.  You can see it's spire through the middle of a carnival ride set up for an Olvera Street fiesta.

A big part of Los Angeles is Hollywood.  Arriving at City Hall we find a common sight...a film crew working on a shoot. 

Here's another shoot at the same location.  Notice the NYPD squad car. 

Nearby, a craft services truck stands by to feed the hungry cast and crew.

On the south lawn of city hall is this fountain.  Frank Putnam Flint was a U.S. Senator at the beginning of the 20th century and the city of La Canada/Flintridge is partially named after him.  Can you figure out which part?

Many events take place here.  This groups of disabled, homeless veterans is building a solar powered shelter as a demonstration project.

On Thursdays, a farmer's market takes place starting at 10:00am.

Here's an infamous local delicacy...Ghetto Dogs, AKA Danger Dogs.  Usually better when you find some guy making them illegally at night outside a nightclub.

Across the street is the new headquarters for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Turn left and on the next block you'll see the old LAPD headquarters, the more well-known Parker Center.  It's the building with the helicopter taking off from the top.

Past Parker Center, we enter Little Tokyo, an historic Japanese neighborhood.  One of the more interesting places in downtown.

This former Buddhist temple is now part of the Japanese-American Museum.

Peek down an alley and you'll catch a glimpse of the current temple.

Cross the street and you'll come upon Japanese Village Plaza shopping center.

Walk through the other end of Japanese Village Plaza and look behind the tall office buildings there.  If you look in the right place, you'll find this very peaceful Zen garden.

Turn right, turn right again on San Pedro Street and then head up the diagonal alleyway towards the Kyoto Grand hotel.  This monument is to Ellison Onizuka who died in the Challenger explosion.

Next to his monument is this fountain.

Go back down San Pedro Street and turn right on 2nd Street.  This is Los Angeles' former cathedral, St. Vibiana's.  It was de-consecrated and a new cathedral was built on Grand Ave. next to the 101 freeway.

Turn left on Broadway.  This is the Grand Central Market.

Many vendors have shops here selling produce, food to eat, dry goods, etc.  Most with a distinct ethnic flavor.

On the other side of the market, on Olive Street, is Angel's Flight...the world's shortest railway.  This historic funicular will take you to the top of Bunker Hill for a quarter.  Today, they are filming a scene for the soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful on it (you can watch the scene at the link - this particular scene starts at about the 16 minute mark).

Making our way back, look between the buildings of City Hall East and City Hall South to find this hidden plaza and its fountain.  Hope you enjoyed the tour!

-Darryl
Copyright 2010 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved