Uniek Rondrit door LA

[ginie]

Hallo iedereen,

Wat volgt is een rondrit door LA, die ik al een heel tijdje geleden vond op internet. In mei '04 zijn we dan eindelijk voor het eerst naar de States getrokken. Met de beschrijving op zak zijn we door LA langs alle bezienswaardigheden gereden. We vonden het is erg duidelijk beschreven en echt de moeite waard. Deze rondrit hebben wij wel in twee dagen gedaan. Het hangt er natuurlijk vanaf hoelang je telkens uittrekt voor de stops. Wij hebben er zeker iets aangehad, misschien kunnen we er nog iemand anders mee plezieren.

Have lots of fun!
Ginie

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From Franklin turn left (north) on Western and notice the Hollywood Hills ahead of you with the famous Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory. When Western turns to the right and becomes Los Feliz Blvd, be in the left lane and turn left at the first traffic light onto Fern Dell Drive. Follow this road, which is renamed Western Canyon Rd, up the long, winding hill which leads through Griffith Park to the Observatory.

Stop #1 - Griffith Park
(2800 E. Observatory Road, located atop Mount Hollywood)
This is L.A.'s largest park and includes the L.A. Zoo, the Hollywood Sign, the Greek Theatre, the Observatory and miles of hiking trails.

Return to Western by retracing your route. Be sure to turn left on Western Canyon. If you go through a tunnel, you're off-track.
Turn right on Hollywood Boulevard and you'll soon cross over the 101 freeway.

Stop #2 - Hollywood Blvd.
Parking is usually tight, so you might have to go to a pay lot (usually around $3). You can try to park at The Hollywood & Highland center, which sits atop a 1 million square foot, six-story underground parking structure which can accommodate more than 3,000 cars.
Spend at least 30-60 minutes on foot to see some of the following:
-Hollywood Walk of Fame Gateway Gazebo, at the corner of Hollywood & La Brea
-Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
-Grauman's Chinese Theatre
-Hollywood & Highland center & Academy Awards theatre
-Disney's El Capitan Theatre
-Capitol Records (1750 Vine Street)
and lots more.

Returning to your car, continue west on Hollywood Blvd and turn left on La Brea Avenue.
Turn right on Sunset Boulevard and you'll be on one of L.A.'s most famous streets.

Optional Stop – Sunset Blvd.
The Sunset Strip is running between Crescent Heights Boulevard (on the east) & Doheny Drive (on the west). The Strip is a lively stretch of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood where several nightclubs have launched the careers of many famous musicians and entertainers.
Once you reach West Hollywood you’ll see several billboards that are gigantic, provocative, or strange. Look for one of Angelyne, a woman famous for nothing except the billboards displaying her big chest.
Notice e.g. the following:
-The Guitar Center (7300 Sunset Blvd)
-The Dudley Do-Right Emporium & Bullwinkle Statue (8200 Sunset Blvd -at Marmont Drive)
-Chateau Marmont (hovering above the Strip at 8221 Sunset Blvd - just past Crescent Heights on the right side)
-The House of Blues (8430 Sunset Blvd-left side)
-The Comedy Store (8433 Sunset Blvd-right side)
-Spago (just above 8795 Sunset - at Horn)
-Tower Records (8801 Sunset Blvd)
-The Viper Room (8852 Sunset Blvd-left side)
-The Whisky a Go-Go (8901 Sunset Blvd-right side)
(...as you drive farther west on Sunset, past the end of the Sunset Strip and the Los Angeles city limits, Sunset Boulevard suddenly undergoes a startling transformation. The harsh city streets and eccentric storefronts of West Hollywood abruptly disappear, and are replaced by broad, emerald green lawns and elegant white mansions. Welcome to Beverly Hills...)

After the Roxy, turn left on Doheny.
At Santa Monica Blvd, turn left on Melrose. (it diverges from Santa Monica at this intersection)
Continue on Melrose past San Vicente and notice the Pacific Design Center (8687 Melrose), nicknamed the "Blue Whale" for good reason. Pass La Cienega and Fairfax and you're in one of the most avant-garde shopping areas of L.A.

Stop #3 - Melrose Avenue
Melrose is an area with limited parking. If you park on a side street, be sure to read the signs and pay the meter. Parking citations are given out everyday around the clock. Try to park around Martell Avenue, and then walk east on Melrose.
This is L.A.'s greatest concentration of funky shops and boutiques, particularly from 7200 to 7700 Melrose (from Spaulding to Alta Vista). People watching (weekend afternoons and evenings especially) and sign displays are as much fun to see as what the shops have to offer.
Look for the following and browse inside a few:
(Melrose shops change often, so some might be gone):
-Fred Segal (8100 Melrose, at Crescent Heights, four blocks west of Fairfax)
-Red Balls (7365 Melrose Av)
-Off the Wall (7325 Melrose Av)
-Pom Pom (6819 Melrose Av)  BELGISCH

At La Brea, turn right and go 1.5 miles to Wilshire. This is the eastern part of L.A.'s Jewish area. If you're passing through here on a Saturday afternoon, you're likely to see Orthodox Jews walking to or from the synagogue, distinctive for their traditional clothing (largely black) and broad brimmed hats. Turn right on Wilshire.

Observe (and optional stops) on Wilshire's Museum Row (Miracle Mile):
The one-mile stretch of Wilshire from La Brea to Fairfax has been traditionally called "The Miracle Mile" but now is more commonly called "Museum Row"
Turn right on Fairfax.

Observe (and optional stops) along Fairfax:
This part of Fairfax Avenue (like La Brea) is a central artery of L.A.'s main Jewish neighborhood. Many Jews in L.A. live elsewhere, but the Fairfax District has retained a strong presence of Orthodox Jews.

At the corner of Fairfax and 3rd (right side) is the Farmer's Market, L.A.'s oldest outdoor market, with 150 stalls selling fresh produce and gift items, a good place for a snack. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Los Angeles. Just past Farmer's market (also on the right side) is CBS Television City, mostly offices but also where game shows like Wheel of Fortune and The Price is Right, are produced.
Just past CBS, turn left on Beverly.

Observe (and optional stops) along Beverly:
If you want to make a short stop for a photo, turn right at San Vicente and park across from Tail-o'-the-Pup. It's only a 2-minute walk back to the Beverly Center and the Hard Rock Cafe.

Continue west on Beverly, then turn left on Doheny.
Less than a mile down Doheny, turn right on Burton Way.
Burton Way changes names and becomes (Little) Santa Monica Boulevard, leading to the heart of Beverly Hills' shopping district.

Stop #4 - Beverly Hills
Find a parking lot or meter around Beverly Drive.
Walk down Brighton Way or Little Santa Monica Boulevard until you reach Rodeo Drive.
On Rodeo Drive turn left and do some window-shopping. Notice the designer products, prices, and the kinds of people who are on the streets: tourists? wealthy locals?
Be sure to continue on Rodeo Drive to Two Rodeo Drive, an upscale shopping area built like an Italian hill town, with cobblestone walkway leading past boutiques to a central piazza. Stroll through to see what you see. At Rodeo and Wilshire Blvd is the most expensive hotel in L.A., the Regent Beverly Wilshire (9500 Wilshire) with a presidential suite costing $4000/night! The standard doubles only cost $275/night. Also on Wilshire to the right (west) is Niketown (don't look for Reeboks here!) and Planet Hollywood, with movie memorabilia on display inside. Movie clips play endlessly while you eat your lunch, a great L.A. experience.

Return to your car and drive west on Wilshire Boulevard past the Beverly Hilton, the Los Angeles Country Club, and turn right on Comstock. Turn right again on the first street (Club View) just before Holmby Park. This is a pleasant place for a peaceful break.

Turn right on the first street (Mapleton) and slowly drive past the incredible homes. The first mansion on the right is huge. Notice the architectural variety of the houses. (House of Aaron Spelling, 594 Mapleton)
Turn left on the first street (Wyton) and then right at the stop sign (Beverly Glen). This area is known as the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles, but is just outside of Bel Air and Beverly Hills. Turn left at Sunset. If you have the time and inclination, you could go straight across Sunset into Bel Air to marvel at more magnificent houses. If you do so, you would benefit from one of the Star Maps sold on street corners in this area. Turn left at Hilgard, the northeast corner of UCLA. Follow Hilgard around the perimeter of campus, past the sororities (with Greek names) on your left. Turn right on LeConte.
Turn right at Westwood Plaza and that will take you straight onto the UCLA campus.

Stop #5 - UCLA (Westwood)
Park in the structure straight ahead of you when Westwood curves to the left. Make sure there's no UCLA basketball going on (season ends early March), or you'll never find a parking place. Meter parking costs $1 per 30 minutes or you can pay $5 for parking at the kiosk on Westwood just up from LeConte.
Wander onto the campus and get a feel for the people and facilities on such a large campus.
Ask someone how to get to Powell Library or Royce Hall (they're very close to each other).
These are 2 of the nicest buildings on campus. Take a look inside Powell Library, the main library on campus. Walk through the sprawling Bookstore (at Ackerman Union), very close to where you parked. The UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History features exhibits from around the world, like brightly colored, beaded flags used in Haitian voodoo ceremonies and Mexican ceramics. It's a bit of a walk, in the northeast part of campus. $3 for students; free on Th.

Drive back down Westwood to Wilshire and turn right. This intersection is possibly the busiest one in Los Angeles. After passing the tall Federal Building on your left (where you can get your passport) and the Veteran's Cemetery on your right behind the greenery, you'll pass under the freeway to get on the 405 Freeway going south (towards Long Beach).
The 405 is busy at most times of the day (Friday afternoon & evening is the worst) so be patient. Stay on the 405 past the 10, and then exit at Venice Boulevard. At the off-ramp go right, then turn left onto Venice.

Stop #6 – Venice
After passing Abbott Kinney, try to park on a side street like Venice Way or Mildred Avenue (right side of Venice Blvd). The more you're willing to walk, the better are the parking possibilities. Remember where you parked!
This area was a swampland 100 years ago but was drained by an enterprising cigarette manufacturer named Abbott Kinney. He tried to recreate Venice, Italy with canals, gondolas, and Venetian-style bridges. In 1925 when Venice was incorporated into the City of Los Angeles, the canals started getting paved over and now only 3 miles of canals remain. If you have energy and interest, take a canalside walk east of Pacific Avenue, south of Venice Boulevard along Dell Street.
Ocean Front Walk is the chief attraction, at its best on a sunny Saturday or Sunday afternoon. This is probably the best place in L.A. for people watching, where the city earns its reputation as being home to a crazy cultural kaleidoscope.
Muscle Beach is always an attraction as onlookers watch bodybuilders pump iron.
Look for interesting services, unusual merchandise for sale, ample opportunities for tattoo and body piercing, street performers who juggle, sing, dance, mime, impersonate, flip, and more. This is one of L.A.'s most interesting and unique experiences.
Venice has some great murals; one is a famous one of a 1970s roller skater proclaiming, "History is Myth". Look on the walls near the Venice Pavilion.

After visiting Venice, go north on Main Street (parallel to the beach and Pacific Avenue, one street inland from Pacific Ave.)

Observe (and optional stops) on Main Street, Venice:
See perhaps the most unusual building in L.A. on the right side between Sunset and Rose.
a 4-story high building shaped like a huge pair of black binoculars! The building was owned by an advertising agency but has been seeking new occupants. Best appreciated from across the street.
Just past the binoculars, see the 34' tall Ballerina Clown on the left corner of Rose and Main.
If you park around this corner, you can walk back to see the binoculars building.

After seeing the Binoculars and Clown, turn left on any street to go to Pacific Ave where you'll go right. Take Pacific Avenue to Santa Monica. The street changes names, first to Neilson, then to Ocean Avenue, but you're still going straight on the same street. On Ocean Avenue you'll see Santa Monica Pier to your left and just after the pier is the long grassy Palisades Park along the left side of Ocean Ave.

Stop #7 - Santa Monica
Grab the first parking place you can. Street parking is usually a bit more available as you get farther from the pier. There are parking structures on 2nd and 4th Streets. (Ocean Ave is like 1st Street, so 2nd is just one street up)
If it's anytime close to sunset, be sure to take a stroll through Palisades Park (no sign) , on the bluffs overlooking the ocean. This is one of the best places in L.A. to catch the sunset. Be sure to have a sweater because it's always cool. Even during mid-day, this is one of the most pleasant (even romantic!) places to go for a leisurely walk.
The last place on this itinerary to experience is the 3rd Street Promenade, just 2 blocks up from Palisades Park (Ocean Ave). The 3rd Street Promenade is an outdoor pedestrian mall with a more orderly slate of street performers than that seen at Venice Beach. Good food, nice shops, cinemas, outdoor entertainment, and a high degree of safety make 3rd Street Promenade one of the great places in L.A. to spend a weekend afternoon or evening.

After Santa Monica, make your way back home!
If you go up to Lincoln and turn right, you'll get to the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10).
Go east on the 10 to the 405.
Go south on the 405 (towards Long Beach)

Congratulate yourself for seeing more of L.A. than most Southern Californians will see in a lifetime!

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[Steven]

Ziet er een mooie route uit, maar heb je ook een verslag + foto's van jezelf?

[jta]

is mooie route maar in het enorme griffith park is het observatorium spijtig genoeg nog altijd gesloten voor renovatie. vanop de parking heb je natuurlijk nog altijd het uitzicht op l a en je kan er wandelingen aanvatten. midden een wereldstad en toch middenin het groen.
jacques

[Doerak]

Bedankt Ginie,

Dit is precies wat ik bedoelde, stapsgewijs beschreven hoe we moeten rijden om de highlights te zien. Toppie!

Bedankt!
Antoinette

[ess]

hallo,

Helemaal goed....
Wij zijn er erg blij mee.
Ik heb hem al uit geprint en we gaan hem zeker rijden, het duurt nog even dus dan zullen de resteuratie werkzaam heden wel weer voorbij zijn.

Groetjes ess

[daydreamy]

Ik heb hem al uit geprint en we gaan hem zeker rijden, het duurt nog even dus dan zullen de resteuratie werkzaam heden wel weer voorbij zijn.

Hetzelfde geldt voor ons, heb em uitgeprint en tussen de overige routes gelegd

[ginie]

Wat zeker ook niet mag ontbreken op jullie rondrit is: Mulholland Drive. Hier wonen tal van sterren: Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson... Langs de weg heb je verschillende uitzichtspunten. Stop bij de Hollywood Bowl Overlook, hier heb je één van de mooiste uitzichten op LA! (d.i. het eerste uitzichtspunt vanaf de 101.) Vanaf de Universal City Overlook heb je dan weer een schitterend zicht op de San Fernando Valley. En voor wie het interesseert, op 7776 Torreyson Drive (een zijstraat van MHD) staat een wel heel speciaal huis, The Chemosphere. Het huis staat op één piloon tientallen meters de lucht in (soort paalwoning) en is ook te zien in de film Body Double.

voor meer info: http://www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=37

[ginie]

Hierbij vind je nog een link naar interessante scenic drives in LA.
http://www.bidontravel.com/travel/ladrives1.html

[jesse]

bij mijn zoektocht naar een dag met bekijken hoogtepunten LA kwam ik deze route tegen. Ik denk dat wij die wel gaan rijden, want volgens mij kom je wel langs bijna alle "highlights". Nu dacht ik: is het misschien een idee dat deze omschrijving in een routekaartje wordt omgezet? Ikzelf zou daar heel blij mee zijn, dan heb je een beetje overzicht van waar je bent, en welk deel van LA je nu precies gezien hebt. En misschien vinden meerdere mensen het wel prettig, zo'n routekaart.
Zelf heb ik met pen op een gekopieerde kaart van LA (uit mijn capitol reisgids) de route uitgetekend, maar dat is toch niet zo heel duidelijk.

Ik hoop dat het kan, maar wellicht vraag ik wel iets wat heel veel werk is, en waar alleen ik op zit te wachten!

[ginie]

Eindelijk heb ik een programma gevonden om bovenstaande route duidelijk aan te duiden op een kaart.

hierbij de link: http://www.wayfaring.com/maps/show/23719

Je kan ook zelf een route aanmaken, highlights aanduiden, ...

Echt een superprogramma!!

gr.
G