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During your Hollywood vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
For more than 50 years the LACMA has been one of the finest art museums in the nation, housing a 110,000-piece collection that includes works by Degas, Rembrandt, Hockney, and Monet. The huge complex -- it's the largest visual arts museum west of the Mississippi -- was designed by three very different architects over a span of 30 years, and though the architectural fusion can be migraine inducing, this city landmark is well worth delving into.The Japanese Pavilion, which has exterior walls made of Kalwall, a translucent material that, like shoji screens, permits the entry of soft natural light. Inside is a collection of Japanese Edo paintings that's rivaled only by the holdings of the emperor of Japan. The Anderson Building, the museum's contemporary wing, is home to 20th-century painting and sculpture. Here you'll find works by Matisse, Magritte, and a good number of Dada artists. The Ahmanson Building houses the rest of the museum's permanent collections. You'll find everything from 2,000-year-old pre-Columbian Mexican ceramics to 19th-century portraiture, to a unique glass collection spanning the centuries. Other displays include one of the nation's largest holdings of costumes and textiles, and an important Indian and Southeast Asian art collection. The Hammer Building is primarily used for major special-loan exhibitions. Free guided tours covering the museum's highlights depart on a regular basis from here.Be sure to visit the museum's website to see what special exhibits are currently on display.
Descanso Gardens
Camellias -- evergreen flowering shrubs from China and Japan -- were the passion of amateur gardener E. Manchester Boddy, who began planting them here in 1941. Today his 160-acre Descanso Gardens contain more than 100,000 camellias in more than 600 varieties, blooming under a canopy of California oak trees. The shrubs now share the limelight with a 9-acre International Rosarium, home to hundreds of varieties. This is a very relaxing place, with paths and streams that wind through the towering forest, bordering a lake, bird sanctuary, Japanese Garden & Tea House, and Boddy House art museum. Each season features different plants: daffodils, azaleas, tulips, and lilacs in the spring; chrysanthemums in the fall; and so on. Monthly art exhibits are held in the garden's hospitality house, and the Courtyard Café offers light meals daily from 10am to 3pm. Guided tram tours, which cost $2, run Tuesday through Friday at 1, 2, and 3pm; and Saturday and Sunday at 11am and 1, 2, and 3pm. Picnicking is allowed in specified areas.
Griffith Park
Mining tycoon Col. Griffith J. Griffith donated these 4,107 acres to the city in 1896 as a Christmas gift. Today Griffith Park is the largest urban park in America. There's a lot to do here, including 53 miles of hiking trails (the prettiest is the Fern Dell trail near the Western Ave. entrance, a shady hideaway cooled by waterfalls and ferns), horseback riding, golfing, swimming, biking, and picnicking (see "Golf, Hiking & Other Fun in the Warm California Sun," later in this chapter). For a general overview of the park, drive the mountainous loop road that winds from the top of Western Avenue, past Griffith Observatory, and down to Vermont Avenue. For a more extensive foray, turn north at the loop road's midsection, onto Mt. Hollywood Drive. To reach the golf courses, the Museum of the American West, or Los Angeles Zoo, take Los Feliz Boulevard to Riverside Drive, which runs along the park's western edge.Near the zoo, in a particularly dusty corner of the park, you can find the Travel Town Transportation Museum, 5200 Zoo Dr. (tel. 323/662-5874), a little-known outdoor museum with a small collection of vintage locomotives and old airplanes. Kids love the miniature train ride that circles the perimeter of the museum. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm; admission is free. Griffith Park entrances are along Los Feliz Boulevard, at Riverside Drive, Vermont Avenue, and Western Avenue (Hollywood; tel. 323/913-4688; www.laparks.org/grifmet/griffith.htm). Park admission is free.
ESA LAX-Airport
Extended Stay America Los Angeles-Lax Airport is designed specifically for people who need more than just a room while away from home. Whether youre in town on vacation or for business, stay connected with our High Speed Internet Access. In addition to the comfortable recliner and large work desk, the oversized studio suites feature a kitchen that allows you to prepare meals at your convenience. As a guest of Extended Stay America, you will also receive complimentary movie channels, free ...
Quality Inn Mid Wilshire Plaza
Centrally located to all major attractions. Excellent for business travel due to close proximity to all financial districts. Walking distance to famous Korean night life and shops and cafes. Newly renovated and well maintained ...
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