Spring break in Los Angeles doesn’t sound as fun as spring break in Cancun, Miami, or Fort Lauderdale, but it sure can be. The City of Angels is a cultural hot spot, with locations that are great to see and go to. What’s even better is that a lot of these places are either low on price, free, and easy to get to, either by car or public transportation. Newbies to the city might find it all a bit overwhelming, so we’ve broken it down for you tourists.
EXPOSITION PARK is located near the University of Southern California campus in South Los Angeles. This giant park houses many different museums and points of interests, including the Natural History Museum, California Science Center, California African American Museum, Exposition Park Rose Gardens and the Los Angeles Coliseum, where the 1984 Summer Olympics were hosted. The California Science Center offers free admission but donations are encouraged. The Natural History Museum’s general admission for college students with a valid college ID is only $7 and the Exposition Park Rose Gardens is free.
For those who love hiking, exploring, horseback riding or having a nice picnic under big, shady trees, GRIFFITH PARK is the place to do all that and more. Historic Griffith Park is located in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles and is actually a part of the Santa Monica Mountains. According to the Los Angeles parks website, Griffith Park is “the largest municipal park with urban wilderness areas in the United States”. There are 53 miles of trails to explore and hike, and the top of the hills and moun-tains give some of the best views of Los Angeles and the surrounding area. Also located within Griffith Park is the Griffith Park Observatory, where one can learn about astronomy and the wonders of our universe. Nearby locales include the Gene Autry Museum and the forgotten Old Los Angeles Zoo, which was the original LA Zoo from 1912 to 1966. People can still explore what remains of the cages and caves that once held exotic animals.
If you love going to the beach, then VENICE is the place for you. Only a couple miles down from the Santa Monica Pier is the Venice Beach and Boardwalk, where many come to lay on the golden sand, jump in the cooling water or stroll around the boardwalk, which has a nice array of shops, restaurants and street performers. “There’s always some interesting things that’ll be sure to catch your attention here,” says Celia Chavez, freshman CTVA major. “Some things are really cool but others a bit creepy!”
UNIVERSAL CITYWALK is located adjacent to the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and movie studio in Studio City. This location is very easy to get to via public transportation: the Metro Red Line subway and numerous Metro buses all make a stop here. Universal CityWalk offers its guests a plethora of activities. There are countless restaurants, bars and shops, an arcade, a bowling alley, and a movie theater. Bernardino Sosa, freshman accounting major loves going. “(It’s a) fun and exciting place to go with friends because there are so many things to do and see,” Sosa said. On weekend nights, Universal CityWalk’s Five Towers concert venue puts on concerts and shows by amazing artists and everyone gets into the music by dancing and singing along. If you’re lucky, you might catch an off-duty celebrity strolling the shops with you.
