Los Angeles in a Day...what Palmy sites to see?

[Daryl]

Hi Palm Peeps, three of us Ratpackers are coming over to the Miami Biennial in a couple of weeks....getting super excited and airfares are now booked! First ever trip to the US for all of us, and as it turns out we have a 16 hour layover in Los Angeles before connecting with our Miami flight.

We don't particularly fancy hanging about the airport for all of that time, and there are plenty of things to see and do in a day. The challenge is to cram as much good PRA into the day.

Any ideas of suggestions from locals are most welcome...

regards,

Daryl

[Sabal Steve]

The Huntington Gardens, on the north side of LA - near Pasadena.

[yachtingone]

What Steve said and the L. A. arboretum too! They should keep you busy for hours!

http://www.arboretum.org/

http://www.huntington.org/

Randy

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Get in touch with Dave , he will know all the best gardens

I can tell you accurately Daryl that it is 38 Min drive from LAX to Ralph velez's garden and about 5 min from there to Larry Blacks !

and 1 hour and 30 min from LAX to Jeff Brusseau's and 12 min from Jeff's to Pogobob's !

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Get in touch with Dave , he will know all the best gardens

I can tell you accurately Daryl that it is 38 Min drive from LAX to Ralph velez's garden and about 5 min from there to Larry Blacks !

and 1 hour and 30 min from LAX to Jeff Brusseau's and 12 min from Jeff's to Pogobob's !

Just keep in mind driving times in LA are unpredictable and the airport is on the West Coast's worst freeway, the infamous 405.

[Hammer]

Absolutely link up with Dooms Dave for ideas but whatever you do, go see the Huntington. And make sure you spend enough time to really explore. It will not disappoint.

[MattyB]

You're probably gonna have plenty of time in Miami doing palmy stuff. So in LA, I'd maybe go up to griffith park observatory and check the nice view or hike up runyon canyon and check the view from the hollywood hills. Or go up the mountain in Altadena. Or stay coastal and check out santa Monica pier and the promenade.

[Daryl]

So you reckon we do the touristy stuff instead Matty? Some of the other options sound great, although I'm not sure I would brave driving around in a rental on the wrong side of the road...

[David in Berkeley]

think the Huntington is a must see spot for both the palm garden and the desert garden, and the Los Angeles County Botanic Garden is great too, and very close by. The Museum collection at the Huntington is great also. If you did just one, relatively close to the Airport tourist stop, the New Getty Museum and gardens can give you that classic panoramic view of the LA basin, and is a fascinating destination on its own. Traffic on LA freeways can definitely mess up any tight schedule that relies on typical non-traffic estimates, so don't get overambitious.

[DoomsDave]

When, exactly, does the Ratpack arrive, and when are they supposed to depart?

What day of the week?

If it's a Saturday or Sunday, a trip to the big H is doable. If it's a weekday, a bit riskier. Timing is all.

Shoot me a PM!

[Hammer]

think the Huntington is a must see spot for both the palm garden and the desert garden, and the Los Angeles County Botanic Garden is great too, and very close by. The Museum collection at the Huntington is great also. If you did just one, relatively close to the Airport tourist stop, the New Getty Museum and gardens can give you that classic panoramic view of the LA basin, and is a fascinating destination on its own. Traffic on LA freeways can definitely mess up any tight schedule that relies on typical non-traffic estimates, so don't get overambitious.

Very good advice. But don't forget to include the Japanese garden if you make it to the Huntington. It's really quite breathtaking. Been in many a movie too.

One final Huntington must see...the Australian garden. I'm sure you will want to check it out.

Hey DD, let me know what the plans are. I will try to tag along, schedule and traffic permitting.

[Daryl]

We get in at 6:30am on Wednesday the 21st...don't know how long it takes to clear customs etc but we have most of the day...have to fly out again at 10pm that night.

The Huntington sounds great...especially the Aussie section..can't wait!

Hehe

Daryl

[Kennybenjamin]

How do you go sleeping on long haul flights Daryl? I arrived at LAX from brissie on zero sleep after a long trip, I was buggered!!

[Daryl]

Sleep? Who needs sleep?

As long as the person in front of me keeps their seat off my knees it isn't too bad...

Having said that, excitement and chatting with your mates makes time go real quick...so a bad trap to fall into!

Ben, you should try one of our Ratpack interstate adventures...very little sleep for 4 days...just running around on pure adrenalin checking out the palms...

Daryl

[bgl]

Daryl,

Arriving at 6:30 am is probably pretty good when it comes to going through Immigration. That's where there will be a long line. Going through Customs shouldn't take more than a minute or two. I don't believe there are all that many flights arriving LAX at that time, so theoretically you could be on the road in an hour's time or so. Which is right smack in rush hour... The Huntington will be great but it WILL take you a while to get there. Plus, they don't seem to open up until late in the morning anyway. Checking their website, and assuming that's correct and up-to-date, then they open at 12 noon during the week.

And yes, the adrenalin will definitely keep you going even though I wouldn't be overly ambitious with too many other places. Dave and others can certainly help you plan your day and guide you in the right "direction". Ralph Velez in Westminster (not all that far from LAX) is of course the local palm legend and I'm sure he'd appreciate a visit if it fits into your schedule that day.

Have a great day in LA and see you in Florida!

Bo-Göran

[Daryl]

Thanks Bo. I don't think we are going to be overly ambitious and try to do 'LA an a day', but definitely want to see a little of LA and also maybe say hello to some local palm folk (if they are interested in meeting us!)

We also have the best part of a day on the return journey on 31st of May...arriving at 10:00am and leaving at midnight...although I'm sure by then we will all be suffering from "Post Biennial Exhaustion"

I just don't fancy hanging about LAX for 14-15 hours...that would put anybody to sleep!

The other 2/5 of the Ratpack are lucky enough to be doing an extended California visit (Col and Wal)

Daryl

[Walter John]

My method of sleep on the plane will be to watch the in flight movies. For some reason most movies put me into sleep zone.

[_Keith]

Since I started traveling on jets 3 times a month on my new job, I have the secret ingredient. Bose Quiet Comfort Headphones are as close to magic as it comes. I used to never be able to sleep on planes, not I am snoozing before the pilot even turns off the Seatbelt light.

[MikeL]

I just went to the Getty today and the place is really spectacular - probably the best museum structure I've been to anywhere in the world - but it's quite big and worth a whole day's trip itself.

The idea about going to Santa Monica is a good one. It's not far from LAX and I've hung out there a few times while waiting for flights. The scene at the pier is quintessential southern California.

And make sure to grab some Mexican food during your stay. Just about any taqueria will do, but ask around to find the really good places that serve stuff you'd be hard pressed to find down under.

[Kennybenjamin]

I just went to the Getty today and the place is really spectacular - probably the best museum structure I've been to anywhere in the world - but it's quite big and worth a whole day's trip itself.

The idea about going to Santa Monica is a good one. It's not far from LAX and I've hung out there a few times while waiting for flights. The scene at the pier is quintessential southern California.

And make sure to grab some Mexican food during your stay. Just about any taqueria will do, but ask around to find the really good places that serve stuff you'd be hard pressed to find down under.

I would agree with what Mike said, Santa Monica is a great way to spend a day, you will see Washingtonia and Phoenix sp I think? Great spot though!!! I'm sure ralph's place is the bomb as well though!!

I was hopeless at sleeping on the plane, due to cramped space and the knowledge of a long flight ahead.

Hope you guys all have a great time!!! One day I will join you!!

Bon voyage......

[sgvcns]

Darryl

Add some prescription relaxants with the Bose headphones and the LA leg from Brisbane is much less debilitating.

Hit the ground running.

Steve

[Hammer]

I still suggest the Huntington if at all possible.

However, if you do go to Santa Monica for the day, make a happy hour or sunset visit to The Penthouse Restaurant at The Huntley Hotel. It's on 2nd Street near Wilshire. The food, drink and views are outstanding.

[Jeff Searle]

Sounds like a worldwide tour! Epic.....

[Hammer]

Sounds like a worldwide tour! Epic.....

Sounds like the makings of a movie!!!

[Kennybenjamin]

I still suggest the Huntington if at all possible.

However, if you do go to Santa Monica for the day, make a happy hour or sunset visit to The Penthouse Restaurant at The Huntley Hotel. It's on 2nd Street near Wilshire. The food, drink and views are outstanding.

I stayed at the Shangri La hotel, it also has a great rooftop bar with A1 views, it can be a bit chilly of an evening when the winds get up though.

[Walter John]

It is a movie.

[DoomsDave]

Everything's a movie, eventually . . . .

[Sandy Loam]

I have another suggestion for your L.A. stopover, but I leave it to the California natives to advise whether this suggestion is realistic.

There are some impressive natural palm habitats (Washingtonia Filifera) in the wild near Los Angeles. However, only the locals could tell you whether LA traffic would prevent you from travelling from LAX airport at 6:30 am and returning by 8:00 pm. According to Google Maps, it would take you 2 hours and 10 minutes to drive from LAX airport to Palm Springs. There are several natural palm oasis clusters around and near Palm Springs, California. As far as I know. all are the result of natural springs (waterfalls!) that create little rivers through the desert and feed these centuries-old palm canyons. I am attaching a photo we took of the palm oasis outside Palm Springs at the Coachella Valley Preserve. From the photo, you can see how impressive these palms are. They are MASSIVE and you can't believe your eyes until you are standing nestled among them, listening to the babbling brook which runs through them.

I have also been to the wild palm canyons at Indian Canyons park in Palm Springs, California. The Indian Canyons are even more impressive because of the surrounding red desert mountains and the more pronounced waterfalls running through the palms. Also, the Indian Canyon trails are extremely easy to find because the entrance to the park is right at the southern tip of Palm Canyon Drive, which seemed to be the high street in Palm Springs. The park entrance is no more than a five minute drive south of the town centre. Within the Indian Canyons park, the first canyon of palms is quite close to the park entrance and is vehicle-accessible. Admission to the park is about $7.00, if my memory serves me correctly.

I am not aware of any wild palm habitats right in Los Angeles, so you would have to leave the city to find those hidden gems.

If you visit these California palm habitats first, you will be shocked by the contrast with Florida because the various native palms to Florida are completely different....as is the humid climate and the wet places where palms grow in Florida.

The second photo below is not one that I took, but I understand that it is from another one of the wild palm canyons outside Palm Springs, California. It may be a photo of the palm canyon in the San Jacinto mountains park. Click to enlarge the photo in order to see the impressive size of these trees.

Happy travels.

P.S. - car hire is extremely cheap at LAX airport if you reserve well in advance. Web sites like Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity have fares as low as $16.00/day sometimes. Petrol is about half the price of Europe but I have no idea how prices compare with Australia. Safe travels!

[Sandy Loam]

While I'm at it, the first photo below is one of the wild palm canyons at the Indian Canyons, just outside Palm Springs, California. Click to enlarge.

The second photo below is of another wild palm oasis, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, but it must be 45 minutes south of Palm Springs so will be too far away.

I recommend the Indian Canyons anyway.

Enjoy your trip. I wish I could join you at the Biennial in Miami, but unfortunately we (locals) are not allowed to attend any portion of the event unless we pay for the whole thing. I would have dropped in for the cocktail party to say hello.

[Sandy Loam]

While I'm at it, the first photo below is one of the wild palm canyons at the Indian Canyons, just outside Palm Springs, California. Click to enlarge.

The second photo below is of another wild palm oasis, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, but it must be 45 minutes south of Palm Springs so will be too far away.

I recommend the Indian Canyons anyway.

Enjoy your trip. I wish I could join you at the Biennial in Miami, but unfortunately we (locals) are not allowed to attend any portion of the event unless we pay for the whole thing. I would have dropped in for the cocktail party to say hello.

[Sandy Loam]

While I'm at it, the first photo below is one of the wild palm canyons at the Indian Canyons, just outside Palm Springs, California. Click to enlarge.

The second photo below is of another wild palm oasis, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, but it must be 45 minutes south of Palm Springs so will be too far away.

I recommend the Indian Canyons anyway.

Enjoy your trip. I wish I could join you at the Biennial in Miami, but unfortunately we (locals) are not allowed to attend any portion of the event unless we pay for the whole thing. I would have dropped in for the cocktail party to say hello.

[NorCalWill]

Palm Springs is a nice suggestion, but a one day visit is pretty ambitious after a long flight. Plus, it is a 2 hour drive from LAX with no traffic, but on a Wednesday morning, I wouldn't even consider it. If you can stay an extra few days, then definitely without a doubt go.

If it was me doing this trip, I'd rent a car at LAX, drive on the right side of the road up to Santa Monica first thing. It's not far, so you won't be in traffic for long, especially if you take highway 1 (Lincoln Blvd) instead of the 405. Take a morning stroll along the beach ( plenty of palms to see here), maybe even walk down to Venice Beach. It's a hike, but nice to move around after a long flight. Get some coffee, breakfast, a tattoo, and then drive leisurely over to the Huntington Library & Gardens. Traffic will have subsided by then, and they don't open til noon anyway.

The Huntington is doable in a few hours. It's a big place, and has a lot to see, and if jet lag starts to kick in and you need to rest, take a nap on the lawn in the palm garden; I've done this many times.

I'd try to get back on the road by 3:00 p.m at the latest, and head back to Santa Monica to kill any time you have left. Go to the 3rd Street Promenade here, which will be more active later in the day. Good people watching, good food options, and a few palms scattered about.

It's an easy drive back down to LAX from here, maybe 45 minutes. Much slower if you drive on the wrong side of the road.

[Kennybenjamin]

The promenade is a cool place! There is a very good Mexican food place / bar which has unreal happy hours!! A real happy hour ( except I think it goes for 2 or 3 hours ), pay for 1 beer and you get 2. Beer is way cheaper than here in oz!! You rat packers will feel like you are getting 4 beers for the price of 1!!

Also some good buskers and a good atmosphere all afternoon, the wife and I loved a morning on the pier and the arvo in the promenade.

That driving on the right (wrong) side of the road is not an easy thing to do, if you do give it a go be carefull! It's when you get to intersections and are turning that is the most confusing. I personally would not attempt it in LA, especially if you don't know where you are going??

I would grab a cab and enjoy a beer or two!

[Daryl]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far everyone. There seems to be a bit of a picture taking shape...

Still not keen on the driving bit...don't want to add extra stress to what should just be an enjoyable time...

What are cab fares like in L.A? Or is there other public transport to get to these places?

Also it would be good to meet a few palmies but understand it is hard being a weekday...

[Daryl]

While I'm at it, the first photo below is one of the wild palm canyons at the Indian Canyons, just outside Palm Springs, California. Click to enlarge.

The second photo below is of another wild palm oasis, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, but it must be 45 minutes south of Palm Springs so will be too far away.

I recommend the Indian Canyons anyway.

Enjoy your trip. I wish I could join you at the Biennial in Miami, but unfortunately we (locals) are not allowed to attend any portion of the event unless we pay for the whole thing. I would have dropped in for the cocktail party to say hello.

Sandy Loam, thanks for the suggestions. FYI I believe there are a couple of events at the Biennial that are 'open' to other palmtalkers etc...see the Biennial section...BBQ etc for locals

[JasonD]

The LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum) would be a good palmy stop along the way east to the Huntington for a PRA. LACMA's palm collection assembled by Robert Irwin is very cool, with plants lined up in rows, some fairly rare (Foxy Ladies, e.g.), all of it a landscape art installation as much as a garden.

The Huntington is a must. The palm collection is the oldest and most extensive in California, and the other gardens are as good or better (the Desert Garden will astonish.)

Driving is a virtual necessity unless you have a large budget for taxis. Perhaps there is a tour company that could pick you up and take your sites/sights into account?

The LA County Arboretum is not far from the Huntington and could be your first stop instead of LACMA or Santa Monica. You could have dim sum for breakfast nearby in Arcadia, stop at the LA County Arboretum, then get to the Huntington at their noon opening time.

[mnorell]

Per Jason's recommendation above, the Los Angeles County Arboretum is a very enjoyable place to visit, with a nice palm collection, and you may recognize the central lake and Victorian house from many movies, and particularly from the Fantasy Island television series. Many, many "jungle" movies over the years have been filmed there, it is the old "Lucky" Baldwin estate from the 19th century, and has the tallest Washingtonia robusta in the USA, dating from the early 1880s. My own advice would be to skip Santa Monica as it is a traffic nightmare getting there and really nothing special once you're there. A bunch of nondescript mall shops and nothing special architecturally. Also, remember that you are in the "May grey," "June gloom" time of year and the beach will most likely be a letdown unless you get very lucky. However, if you're determined to go to the beach you should visit the Venice boardwalk as that will actually have some native southern California funky charm. This is also closer to the airport. There is no question that you will want to visit the Huntington and see the desert garden (with a truly fantastic selection of dry-climate plants), and I agree that the arboretum, which is nearby, is very worthwhile. It has its own special charm and a very undisturbed feel in contrast to the very formal attitude that pervades the Huntington. Make sure you pay attention to the Santa Anita racetrack next to the arboretum. It is an art-deco architectural masterpiece...one of the few historical things in the L.A. area that has not been knocked down (it recently came close to demolition, actually).

[Sandy Loam]

Daryl, it sounds as though you have a choice. You can hire a car a see all of these recommended "palmy" sites in LA or you can stick to taxies and linger within the areas close to the airport. Several people have recommended visiting downtown Santa Monica and the old peer, which is near the airport and an easy taxi ride (although, personally, I find the 3rd Street promenade a bit artificial and the peer a bit touristy, but the views are quite stunning with ocean, beach and cliffs in every direction). Someone also recommended the Venice Beach beach boardwalk area which almost connected to the bottom end of downtown Santa Monica, so you could walk from downtown Santa Monica into Venice along the beach, then perhaps meander along the commercial strip of Main Street at the top end of Venice Beach (you'll see many pubs there), head over to the boardwalk action, then walk behind the beach to Abbott Kinney boulevard (good restaurants/cafes/people watching), which then sort of connects to the Venice Canals area, walk through the pathways along the canals (residential, but still scenic), which ends up at Washington Boulevard which has more outdoor terrasses/patios beside the beach to sit and have a beer in. In other words, you have walked from north to south from Santa Monica down to Venice. I would leave about 3 hours for that whole excursion, with an additional hour if you tend to linger on café terraces.

Google Maps says that Venice is 7 miles north of the airport and is a 16-minute drive. I would therefore estimate a $20.00 taxi ride, but the native Angelenos on this forum would know best.

This is not enough to fill in a 13 hour day, so if you still want to stay within taxi range of the airport, I would suggest exploring the boardwalk ("the strand") between downtown Manhattan Beach and downtown Hermosa Beach. This is about a 30 minute walk, but there are many places to rent a bicycle regardless of whether you start on the Manhattan Beach end or the Hermosa Beach end. Google Maps says that Manhattan Beach is 5.4 miles from the airport and is a 13 minute drive. I would therefore plan for a $20.00 taxi ride, but others would know better than me.

Manhattan Beach has a lot of topography whereas Hermosa Beach is flat, so your perch will be high or very steep down to the ocean at Manhattan Beach, offering superior views. However, in either place you see ocean, beach and desert mountains in both directions. It is quite stunning. For a particularly spectacular view, I would suggest having a coffee on the outdoor terrasse at Ocean View Café (oceanviewcafe.net) on 13th Street just off Highland Avenue in Manhattan Beach. It is located on one of the many pedestrian streets of Manhattan Beach which plunge directly down to the ocean along the side of a formerly steep cliff. The view of the sparkling ocean with desert mountains and tall washingtonia palms in every direction is worth it. The walk or bike ride along the ocean between Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach is also quite stunning. When you arrive at Hermosa Beach, you will also be welcomed by a town square right on the beach with at least a dozen outdoor cafes/patios/pubs with views of the beach and busy people-watching on the square, lined with giant phoenix canariensis.

It's not as though you won't be seeing any palms in L.A. if you skip the botanical gardens, etc. Palms are everywhere by the thousands in LA. However, you simply won't see rare palms. You will be seeing the run-of-the-mill palms, e.g. queen palms, king palms, triangle palms, various phoenix, and of course Washingtonias rule the skies of LA.

LA is a strange city because you feel as though there is no true city centre. You have the impression that it is a city made up of dozens and dozens of individuals city centres/downtowns, due to the nature of its evolution. But there is certainly plenty to do within short taxi distances of the airport. You won't see much of LA, but you will get a taste of the LA/South Bay coastline areas.

[Sandy Loam]

I forgot to mention -- Don't even bother taking a dip in the ocean at the Los Angeles beaches. California ocean water always seems clean, but it is just too cool for my liking, due to currents which flow down the west coast of North America from Alaska/arctic. Even in August the ocean in LA is too cool for my taste.

You won't have this problem when you arrive in Florida. The ocean from Miami down to Key West is quite comfortable for swimming 12 months of the year.

Also, the L.A. beaches are often too wide for my liking and the sand is too brown. Because I live in Florida, I prefer the sugar white sand with giant dunes along the Florida Gulf of Mexico coastline, even though Florida beaches lacks the spectacular cliffs and desert mountains which showcase California beaches.

Have a great trip. Now you have enough to keep you busy all day in L.A. within short and inexpensive taxi rides from LAX airport.

[BS Man about Palms]

Hmmmm..

Will have to see if I can take the day off.. at least to visit if not be the car hire.. lol