Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [105]
Paramount (Map; 323-956-1777; 5555 Melrose Ave, Hollywood; tours $35, minimum age 12; Mon-Fri; ) The only remaining studio in Hollywood proper runs two-hour tram tours of its historic lot that also incorporates the original Desilu and RKO Studios. Group size is limited to eight per tram, giving you ample opportunity to pepper your guide with questions. No two tours are alike as guides don’t follow a set script and access to stages varies day by day. Visits to the sets of Dr Phil and Nip/Tuck are potentially on the cards.
NBC (Map; 818-840-3537; 3000 W Alameda Ave, Burbank; adult/child/senior $8.50/5/7.50; 9am-3pm Mon-Fri; ) This major TV studio offers tours that include a stop at the set of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
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Snack food and drinks, including beer and margaritas, are available throughout the park, although you’ll have more choices at the adjacent Universal City Walk, an unabashedly commercial fantasy promenade of restaurants, shops, bars and entertainment venues. Just make sure to get your hand stamped for re-entry. Parking costs $8.
Also here is the Gibson Amphitheatre (Map; 818-622-4440; www.hob.com; 100 Universal City Plaza), a big venue for headlining rock and pop acts.
FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL PARK – GLENDALE
This humungous cemetery (Map; 818-241-4151; www.forestlawn.com; 1712 S Glendale Ave; admission free; 9am-5pm; ) is the final home of such Golden Age superstars as Clara Bow, Humphrey Bogart and Jimmy Stewart. Alas, many of their graves are in mausoleums and off-limits to the public. It doesn’t help that cemetery staff strongly discourage star seekers. You can download maps from the internet (for example www.seeing-stars.com), but be discreet or risk having them confiscated. The grounds are still worth a visit if only to marvel at the country-club feel of the place and oddly impressive art such as a stained-glass version of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.
Highland Park & Mt Washington
Mt Washington and Highland Park wrap around the Arroyo Seco, a rocky riverbed running from the San Gabriel Mountains to Downtown LA. It was flooded with artists and architects in the early 20th century, but lost its idyllic setting with the arrival of I-110 (Pasadena Fwy) in 1940. Of late, though, there’s been an artistic revival and the area is slowly becoming the go-to place for contemporary Latino art. About two dozen galleries now belong to the Northeast Los Angeles Arts Organization (NELAart; www.nelaart.com) and keep their doors open late during Gallery Night every second Saturday of the month. Galleries are too scattered to be explored on foot, so plan on driving or hop on a bicycle for the free Spoke(n) Art Tour (http://bikeoven.com/spokenart).
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DETOUR: RONALD REAGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM
No matter how you feel about Ronnie Reagan (1911–2004), his presidential library (off Map; 805-577-4000, 800-410-8354; www.reaganlibrary.com; 40 Presidential Dr; adult/teen/senior $12/3/9; 10am-5pm; ) is really quite fascinating. Galleries cover the arc of the man’s life from his childhood in Dixon, Illinois, through his early days in radio and acting to his years as governor of California, although the focus is obviously on his stint as president (1980–88) in the waning years of the Cold War. The museum features re-creations of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room, Reagan family memorabilia, gifts from heads of state, a nuclear cruise missile and even a graffiti-covered chunk of the Berlin Wall. His grave is on the grounds as well. The library is a bit of a drive, but worth the detour. Get there via the I-405 (San Diego Fwy) north to the 118 (Ronald Reagan Fwy) west; exit at Madera Rd South, turn right on Madera and continue straight for 3 miles to Presidential Dr.
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Other area attractions spotlight a premetropolitan LA. Eight Victorian beauties saved from the wrecking ball were airlifted here to become the Heritage Square Museum (off Map; 323-225-2700; www.heritagesquare.org;