Looking for something to do with your out-of-town visitors? Here are
five budget-friendly suggestions to help you pass the time.
Here is an eclectic list of places where Travel section staffers like
to take out-of-town visitors for a slice of SoCal life. The Bunny
Museum, anyone?
Del Rey, an off-the-radar West Side enclave sandwiched between Marina
del Rey and nouveau hip Culver City, is neither glitzy nor scenically
stunningly. Which is exactly why you should take star-struck out-of-
towners here — for quiet pleasures and little discoveries.
Settled by Japanese Americans who fled the 1906 earthquake, Del Rey
was farmland for decades and then, after World War II, a planned
community. Now it’s a loosely defined neighborhood of modest-size
homes, small businesses and a stir-fry (or taco salad) of Asian and
Latino cultures.
Ballona Creek: This once-wild font that fed fields of produce was long
ago tamed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Now it’s part nature refuge,
part trash-littered flood channel. What could be more ?
Starting at Centinela Avenue and heading west, walk or take a spin
down the bike path along the creek’s north bank and watch for great
blue herons, snowy egrets, mallards, sandpipers and dozens more bird
species. Then hook up with the beach path near Fisherman’s Village in
Marina del Rey, about three miles away, or just hang out at the pier
and watch the boats glide by.
Ronnie’s Diner: A few blocks off the bike path, this blast-from-the-
past eatery is a great stop to carbo load for your creek outing. It
serves up more than 50 items for breakfast, including my favorite,
honey buckwheat pancakes with walnuts ($5.25). Lunch offers nearly 30
sandwiches and melts ($5.95-$7.35), 10 types of burgers and more.
Dinner adds entrees and nightly specials ($7.95) such as pot roast and
chicken stew. Open for breakfast and lunch daily, plus dinner on
weeknights. 12740 Culver Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 578-9399.
Beverage Warehouse: Tucked in a small industrial park near Ronnie’s,
this cavernous, no-nonsense market stocks hundreds of beers and ales
from around the world, scores of single-malt scotch whiskeys and who
knows how many tequilas. Plus there’s a good selection of wines and
sodas. Not a big drinker? It’s worth a stop just to gawk at the
colorful bottle labels. Open daily; hours vary. 4935 McConnell Ave.,
No. 21, Los Angeles; ; (310) 306-2822.
Marina Farms: Last stand of Del Rey’s agricultural heritage, this old-
fashioned produce purveyor draws regulars from miles away. It sells a
dizzying array of fresh fruits and vegetables, plus house-packed bulk
items such as nuts, beans, trail mix, rice and some four dozen
varieties of candy. Open daily; hours vary. 5454 S. Centinela Ave.,
Los Angeles; (310) 827-3049.
Tacomiendo Mexican Grill:In a neighborhood replete with tasty taco
joints, this cramped, mini-mall storefront stands out for its
handcrafted, health-conscious food. The big menu with (fairly) small
prices embraces burritos large enough for two ($3.75-$6.95), fresh
juice combos and daily specials. Open daily; hours vary. 4502
Inglewood Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 915-0426, .
Getting there: Take the (405) Freeway to the Marina (90) Freeway, go
west and exit northbound on Centinela Avenue. That puts you pretty
much in the heart of Del Rey, which is bounded roughly by Jefferson
Boulevard on the south, Washington Boulevard on the north, Lincoln
Boulevard on the west and Culver City on the east.
Dodger Stadium is always a fine way to introduce out-of-town visitors
to the real L.A., but for the surreal L.A. — the L.A. we kind of wish
were more prevalent and affordable — I’ll take Manhattan Beach.
Turn down Highland Avenue into that main drag and admire the pier
glistening in the surf. I’ve had relatives gasp at the sight. Wow.
Awesome. Nowthat’s .
There’s a reason so many professional athletes live here. Heck, there
are a hundred reasons. The lifestyle is casual. There’s always
something going on. The residents are lovely and/or handsome. If Tara
Reid doesn’t live here, she should. As should USC’s Pete Carroll, who
is in fact building a place in nearby Hermosa.
The catch? Parking. There is only a handful of places right near the
beach. Meanwhile, many of the parking garages have two-hour limits.
Here’s a tip: The parking garage at 12th Street and Morningside Drive
has eight-hour meters on the very bottom level (upper levels have two-
hour limits). A quarter will get you 20 minutes, so bring a roll.
Don’t miss:The free aquarium and touch tanks at the end of the pier.
$2 donation suggested. Also, anglers at the end of the pier frequently
pull in 4-foot leopard sharks.
For breakfast: Uncle Bill’s Pancake House draws big crowds on weekends
for its generous portions and beachy vibe. Try to snag a table on the
deck. 1305 Highland Ave., (310) 545-5177.
For lunch: One of the best places to grab a taco is the ultra-casual
Wahoo’s Fish Taco, a block from the beach. 1129 Manhattan Ave., (310)
796-1044.
For dinner: Fusion Sushi offers a large number of choices and
interesting special rolls. The atmosphere is casual enough that you
can come right off the beach. 1150 Morningside Drive, (310) 802-1160.
Getting there: From the north, take the 105 Freeway west till it turns
into Imperial Highway; left on Vista del Mar, which leads directly
into Manhattan Beach. From the south, take the 405, exit Inglewood
Avenue. Go south to Manhattan Beach Boulevard and west to the water.
Info: (310) 545-5313,
When it comes it L.A., there’s the expected: Star-gazing at the Ivy
for brunch and re-creating the opening scenes of “Entourage” along
Sunset Boulevard at night. The “surprise” celebrity sighting is so . .
. expected. Where to go for the unexpected? How about a little R&R; in
a quaint little college town?
Tucked away off the 10 Freeway in a quiet swath of suburbia lies
downtown Claremont. Adjacent to six of the seven institutions that
comprise the Claremont Colleges, these strips of tree-lined
tranquillity are more whimsical than Westwood. The area recently had a
building renaissance, leaving the older area (which is closer to the
campuses) with more mom-and-pop shops. Just to the west, the remodeled
1920s-era College Heights Lemon Packing House and its neighboring
open-air Village Square shopping center call to a more modern set.
Here’s the best of both worlds in the City of Trees and PhDs.
Don’t miss:Bert & Rocky’s Cream Co.: Pick your ice cream flavor(s) du
jour at the local favorite at Bonita and Yale avenues, where samplings
have included chocolate Butterfinger and cream cheese chip. That is,
if you make it to the coolers without deciding on the blue ribbon-size
caramel- and candy-coated apples or other confections. (Prices start
around $3 a person, depending on your sweet tooth).
Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery: Finish the treats on a walk through
campus to the free-of-charge Scripps College museum on Columbia
Avenue. The permanent collection’s highlights include American and
Chinese paintings, more than 1,000 Japanese woodblock prints and
photographs from the likes of Diane Arbus and Edward Weston.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden: For a longer, mile-or-so trek from
the shops and restaurants, head up College Avenue past the Edward
Durell Stone-designed Claremont School of Theology to this botanic
garden (admission is $4 per person). Aside from showcasing the state’s
native plants, educators also frequently teach gardening and other
classes.
: Don’t forget this is a college town. And what would a college town
be without the quintessential music shop? Proudly proclaiming on its
website to be “independent since 1976,” across Yale from the ice cream
parlor, Rhino’s ever-surprising and well-stocked collections give
Amoeba a run for its money.
When you’re exploring this 225-square-mile tract of land, watch your
step. You might run into this creature in the grass.
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