Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [110]
The track opened in 1934 and pioneered the use of the automated starting gate, the photo finish and the electrical timer. Stars who kept and raced their horses here have ranged from Bing Crosby and Errol Flynn to Mark McGrath (of Sugar Ray), Alex Trebek and Burt Bacharach. The only stain on its legacy happened during WWII when it served as a Japanese-American detention camp.
TOURNAMENT HOUSE & WRIGLEY GARDENS
Chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley spent his winters in the elegant Italian Renaissance-style mansion (Map; 626-449-4100; 391 S Orange Grove Blvd; admission free; tours 2pm & 3pm Thu Feb-Aug) where the Tournament of Roses Association now masterminds the annual Rose Parade. When they’re not busy, you can tour the rich interior and inspect Rose Queen crowns and related memorabilia. Feel free to nose around the rose garden any time.
ROSE BOWL STADIUM & BROOKSIDE PARK
One of LA’s most venerable landmarks, the 1922 Rose Bowl Stadium (Map; 626-577-3100; www.rosebowlstadium.com; 1001 Rose Bowl Dr) can seat up to 93,000 spectators and has its moment in the sun every New Year’s Day when it hosts the famous Rose Bowl postseason college football game. At other times, it’s sadly underused even though the UCLA Bruins football team play here and the occasional concert or special event also brings in the masses, as does a monthly flea market Click here. In 2006, American Idol held its Los Angeles auditions here.
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DETOUR: MISSION SAN FERNANDO REY DE ESPAñA
It’s a long drive out to the northern San Fernando Valley, but history and architecture buffs will likely enjoy this haunting old Spanish mission (Map; 818-361-0186; 15151 San Fernando Mission Rd, Mission Hills; adult/child 7-15yr & senior $4/3; 9am-4:30pm; ), the 17th of 21 missions built in California. And so will fans of Bob Hope who, in 2003, was buried in a special garden adjacent to the main building. Singer Richie ‘La Bamba’ Valens, who died in the 1959 plane crash that also killed Buddy Holly, rests in the cemetery behind the mission.
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The Rose Bowl is surrounded by Brookside Park, which is a nice spot for hiking, cycling and picnicking. Families should check out the excellent Kidspace Children’s Museum, and architecture nuts the gracefully arched 1913 Colorado St Bridge (Map) and the 1903 Vista del Arroyo Hotel (Map; 626-441-2797; 125 S Grand Ave), now home to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
PASADENA MUSEUM OF HISTORY
A palatial beaux arts mansion that once housed the Finnish consulate, this interesting museum (Map; 626-577-1660; www.pasadenahistory.org; 470 W Walnut St; suggested donation adult museum/house tour/combination $5/4/7, children free; noon-5pm Wed-Sun, tours 1pm Wed-Fri, 1:30pm & 3pm Sat & Sun Oct-Jul; ) now presents changing exhibits on some facets of the culture, history and art of Pasadena and its neighboring communities. If you want to see the precious antiques and furnishings of the house itself, you’ll need to join a tour. The admission price also lets you sneak a peek inside a shed-like structure housing folk art from Finland.
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ACTIVITIES
Cycling & Skating
Get a scenic exercise kick skating or riding along the paved South Bay Bicycle Trail that parallels the sand for most of the 22 miles between Will Rogers Beach near Santa Monica and Torrance Beach. Weekends get jammed and there are sections where you must push your bike – don’t ignore the signs or risk getting fined.
Inland, the 8-mile Griffith Park trail passes by the zoo and museums. Another trip from Griffith Park travels along the LA River Bikeway, which parallels a surprisingly pleasant 5-mile stretch of