Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [103]
And if that’s not enough train stuff for you, head to the Griffith Park Southern Railroad (Map; 323-664-6903; 4400 Crystal Springs Dr; adult & child/senior $2/1.50; 10am-4:30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun; ), a small fleet of miniature trains that has ferried generations of children around a 1-mile loop past pony rides, an old Western town and a Native American village since 1948.
FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL PARK – HOLLYWOOD HILLS
Pathos, art and patriotism rule at this humongous cemetery (Map; 323-254-3131; www.forestlawn.com; 6300 Forest Lawn Dr; admission free; 8am-5pm; ) next to Griffith Park. A fine catalog of old-time celebrities – including Lucille Ball, Bette Davis and Stan Laurel – rests within the manicured grounds strewn with paeans to early North American history. Look out for the giant The Birth of Liberty mosaic, Boston’s re-created Old North Church and bronze statues of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln or watch a movie about the American Revolution. Staff aren’t helpful in locating stars’ graves but you can download guides from the internet (try www.seeing-stars.com). More dead stars are at the original Forest Lawn in nearby Glendale.
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THE TRAGIC TALE OF GITA
In 2006, the LA Zoo’s elephant program came under severe pressure and scrutiny after the headline-making death of a much beloved 48-year-old Asian elephant named Gita. Elephants traditionally don’t do well in captivity because of a lack of space, exercise and stimulus, and the LA Zoo has lost 11 pachyderms since 1975. To prevent further tragedy, Gita’s 46-year-old buddy Ruby was sent to a sanctuary in 2007. That brings the zoo’s elephant herd down to one: 21-year-old Billy the bull. He’ll be the first to move into the new $39 million Pachyderm Forest, which is seven times bigger than the current enclosure and set to open in late 2009. Let’s hope Billy makes it until then.
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BRONSON CAVES
Scenes from Batman, Star Trek, The Lone Ranger and many other TV shows and films were shot in this former quarry in a remote corner of Griffith Park. It’s well worth exploring for its steep cliffs, spooky caves and cool views of the Hollywood Sign. However, it’s a bit tricky to find. Head north on Canyon Dr and park in the last lot before the locked gate at Hollywoodland Camp. Walk back south, then turn left and head past a gate and up a fire road for about a quarter-mile, then turn left when the trail forks and the caves will be right there. The trail continues on the other side of the caves.
GREEK THEATRE
A more intimate version of the Hollywood Bowl, this 5800-seat outdoor amphitheater (Map; 323-665-5857, tickets 213-480-3232; www.greektheatrela.com; 2700 N Vermont Ave; May-Oct; ) tucked into a woodsy hillside of Griffith Park is much beloved for its vibe and variety – Goo Goo Dolls to Joss Stone to Tony Bennett. Parking is stacked, so plan on a post-show wait.
San Fernando Valley
Despite being home to most of LA’s major movie studios – including Warner Bros, Disney and Universal – much of the sprawling grid of suburbia known as ‘the Valley’ is an exercise in bleakness. It also has the dubious distinction of being the world capital of the porn-movie industry, memorably captured in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 Boogie Nights. Car culture was basically invented in the Valley, which also claims to have given birth to the mini-mall, the drive-in movie theater, the drive-in bank and the drive-in restaurant.
Attractions are few and scattered about; Burbank has the studios, and North Hollywood, west of here, is home to a growing arts scene. Studio City, west of Universal, has some decent nightlife and shopping along Ventura Blvd.
Note that temperatures here are usually 20°F higher – and pollution levels worse – than in areas further south. For studio tours, see the boxed text Click here.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD & CITY WALK
One of the world’s oldest continuously operating