What to do in LA?

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
01/24/2019 at 10:59 • Filed to: None

We are planning our family trip to CA for June. We will be starting in the Oakland area, then working our way south to Disneyland. We’ve got two days to fill in LA before we head home, and will likely be staying with family in the Thousand Oaks area. I would appreciate suggestions for family-friendly stuff to do in the LA area, preferably NW, but not necessary. Thanks!

DISCUSSION (31)

Chariotoflove > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:12

You are the family road trip king.

For Sweden > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:13

Planes of Fame in Chino.

someassemblyrequired > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:13

Drive or r ide the Surfliner out to Santa Barbara for the day.

ttyymmnn > Chariotoflove
01/24/2019 at 11:14

I am! But we’re f lying this time, and renting. It’s going to be an expensive rental, and an expensive trip. But it’s the BIG TRIP to Disney, so we’re going all out.

ttyymmnn > For Sweden
01/24/2019 at 11:15

I like that idea, but it might be a hard sell to the rest of my family.

ttyymmnn > someassemblyrequired
01/24/2019 at 11:16

Interesting. Our preliminary itinerary has us staying a night in SB, though. Definitely something think about. Thanks.

Chariotoflove > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:18

I am trying to avoid the pilgrimage to Disney until my kid is old enough to stop asking. It’s too expensive.

JustAnotherG6 > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:18

I haven’t had good experiences in LA, though that may be due to LAX.

Santa Barbra is nice, other than that I have nothing to offer.

ttyymmnn > Chariotoflove
01/24/2019 at 11:21

It’$ $uper expen$ive.

ttyymmnn > JustAnotherG6
01/24/2019 at 11:22

We’re flying out of LAX. We plan to hit the In n Out Burger for a little planespotting before we depart.

Kinja'd!!!

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:25

The Nixon and Reagan Presidential l ibraries (I’m a fan of presidential libraries , regardless of politics of that president). Nixon’s has a VH-3A on display and Reagan’s has a 707 in display.

someassemblyrequired > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:28

Channel Islands are apparently amazing,there’s a ferry for day trips :

http://islandpackers.com/santa-cruz-island/

If you’ve got money to burn , you can also charter a Britten-Norman Islander to get you out to the more remote islands.

ttyymmnn > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
01/24/2019 at 11:37

I did Nixon’s library about 20 years ago (!!), but either one might be good. My boys have been to the LBJ library here in Austin. Might be fun to hit another. Thanks!

ttyymmnn > someassemblyrequired
01/24/2019 at 11:38

If you’ve got money to burn, you can also charter a Britten-Norman Islander to get you out to the more remote islands.

Not that much, but it sounds like fun.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:45

The Peterson for the cars.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:47

Are you thinking more of a relaxing beach day, outdoor activity like hiking, a food day, museums, touristy sights, etc? There is a ton to do in every area, for all ages, and all budgets.

There is a downtown art deco tour that I hear is cool. You can’t go wrong with the Getty or science museum. Griffith park is good if you want to do some light hiking and checking out the observatory. There is the hike to the Hollywood sign. Plenty of beach just south of Thousand Oaks in Malibu. There is also every type of food imaginable so you could go on an eating tour. Also breweries but that would be less family friendly.

Whatever you do, though, get out as early as possible. Everyone in LA sleeps in, so if you wake up and get out in the morning, you will beat most of the traffic and crowds. It makes for a much better LA experience.

someassemblyrequired > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 11:51

Yeah for some reason I want to catch a ride on a Trislander or Islander at some point - I’d really like to do the Loganair flights in the Orkneys:

https://www.loganair.co.uk/travel-information/orkney-inter-island-services/

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 12:13

I did LBJ’s library a few years ago. It is a good one. I really like that they way the stacks are displayed there, even if they only used the fancy archival boxes with a pretty finish and seal on the shelves facing the display windows.

DucST3-Red-1Liter-Standing-By > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 12:17

I can vouch for planes of fame, really amazing stuff!

ttyymmnn > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
01/24/2019 at 12:27

Agreed on LBJ. I like it because it’s as much a museum of the era as it is of LBJ. I took these shots of the stacks a few years ago. It’s a neat building.

Kinja'd!!!

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 12:56

Shake Shack

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
01/24/2019 at 12:58

I’m a fan of Aeroplanes; could give a hoot about libraries from dead presidents; have had those libraries’ aircraft on my bucket list for years.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
01/24/2019 at 13:23

I work in the political papers part of our archives and special collections department of an academic research library, so I have a professional interest in those papers. They’re bastions of primary source data for all kinds of research, just like the congressional collections that my archive primarily focused on (and they’re often pretty well funded institutions, which usually isn’t the case outside of the biggest political papers archives like OU’s Carl Albert Center or UT’s Briscoe Center for American History). While the museum aspect of presidential libraries certainly has a public outreach and education component that is important(and this is probably what most people associate with them ), that part of them really exists to help fund (or draw in donors to fund) the historic preservation and (primarily) academic research components behind their existence.

RallyWrench > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 13:30

Which way are you getting to LA? If Highway 1, see the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Maybe h ave lunch at Baja Cantina in Carmel Valley. If you’re coming down Highway 1 or 1 01, particular to your interests is the Estrella Warbird Museum in Paso Robles, a cool collection of aircraft and cars about 3 hours north of LA (near me) . Good restaurants nearby too, including the Firestone brewery. I couldn’t tell you what’s currently cool in LA though, because I avoid it at all costs.

RallyWrench > Chariotoflove
01/24/2019 at 13:31

I fully support this strategy.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
01/24/2019 at 14:14

I respect that great ly. My cousin recently retired as a director of the library at the Baker School of Business at Harvard. She laments that nowadays, much of what would be stored is all digital, such as emails that get stored on someone’s server in their basement or whatever.

You know, I may not always give the impression here, but I really am a very serious guy. My comment was hurried and glib. And generally, of late, my disgust with things Washingtonian is spilling over into my commentary here, Oppo being a primary outlet for me. So in the past few weeks, I’ve probably seemed particularly snarky, sardonic, sarcastic, cynical, and more.

ttyymmnn > RallyWrench
01/24/2019 at 14:47

We’re coming south from OAK, and Monterey is already on our list. Basically Monterey, Big Sur, San Simeon, Santa Barbara, Disneyland , LA. Thanks!

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
01/24/2019 at 14:47

Duly noted.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 15:20

It’s right by the big indoor mall with the $6,000 backpacks. And Downtown Hollywood, and the LDS temple.

just-a-scratch > ttyymmnn
01/24/2019 at 19:15

I had a good time at the Peterson museum on my trip a few weeks ago.

ttyymmnn > just-a-scratch
01/25/2019 at 09:18

That looks great. Not sure I can sell it to the family.

Thanks!