Its true.

I like stopping by the missions when traveling through California. I believe Mission San Juan Capistrano is the closest one to Anaheim and it's on the way to L.A.

Warner Bros studios has a tour of their lot that I believe is now open. There is also Universal Studios. Maybe you can try to check out a live taping of a show eg. Jimmy Kimmel Live, https://1iota.com/show/1/jimmy-kimmel-live.

There is the Getty Center, Getty Villa, MOCA for Art.

And if you're feeling adventurous and you are in Downtown LA, drive through skid row starting by 6th and Wall and head east to get a dose of reality. Stay in your car and don't stop.

Have fun!

I’ve never been there, but this place sure looks interesting-

https://www.facebook.com/worldfamousdh/

1.5 miles North of Disneyland.
One of o-din’s favorite hangouts?

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Casey and DI still playing?!? That’s awesome. Loved them growing up and they put on a good show.

So if you are flying into LAX the first thing I do is take the kids to Venice Beach to watch the freak show. Venice Beach is really close to the airport and is well worth the show. I like to sit at the Sidewalk Cafe on the boardwalk drinking beers and just watch people(nothing like people watching in Venice). Next go check out iconic dogtown skate park(the birth of skateboarding) and watch the Pros. Sit on the beach for a bit and just soak it in. Then we usually drive to Anaheim to get ready to check in. Once in Anaheim you really don't want to drive around LA traffic unless you need to(you are on vacation). It will take hours to get to other side of town. Now Disneyland and California Adventure have tons to offer(try and get park hopper). I recommend getting up early and be at gates a half hour before opening. Then walk straight to Star Wars ride to get in line. If you get there early-usually no need for lightning pass. Then ride Space Mountain 10X in a row . Go get a Dole Whip in Frontier land and I just bought a badass Indiana Jones pleather jacket for $100 at Indiana Jones gift shop and love it(btw IJ ride is my favorite-a must). Go over to California Adventure if you want to have some beers or cocktails, they also have a good Mexican restaurant with Birria. Try and watch a parade or performance as well. Between walking a ton and eating a ton a day at Disney will wipe you out and you may not want to do much. If you do feel the need to venture out here are some of my suggestions: Old Town Antique malls-tons of cool vintage stuff to check out, Portillo's in Socal, The Hat(bomb pastrami), Farolito in Fullerton, and checking out shops and beach in Huntington Beach(close to Disney). Once you drive in LA traffic you will know what I am talking about-stay close to Disney-tons to do. I took a wrong turn one time and ended up cruising in Crenshaw trying to find my way back to the highway-it was classic.

Also you are going during the busiest time of year-download Disney app and buy the Genie+ passes for more enjoyable experience(it is a cattle call).

If staying a night in north LA, The IVY in Beverly Hills is our favorite and located behind The Viper Room and walking distance to Whisky a Go Go. Check out performance calendar for artist. Last time we saw an Iron Maiden cover band that was really good. Also try Joes Pizza on Sunset after night of drinking.

https://whiskyagogo.com/calendar/

Sorry-The London not Ivy(restaurant nearby)

Museum of Jurassic technology!
Not to be missed, especially if you are a Ricky Jay fan.
Taco trucks are your friend.
If you go to Tucson remember there are so many different styles of Mexican food to enjoy, Michoacan, Sinaloa, mexico city, etc stay away from the Cali mex crap, awful compared to the real deal.
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Forgot to add Magic Castle!! Holy shit what a fun place to go, can be a bit difficult to get in but so much fun.
Make sure you are there from open to close regardless of your reservation time, you will not be disappointed!

I was gonna say, stay away from Compton, Hawthorne and El Monte. Try a rost beef sandwich at Philippe [The Original] a few blocks from Dodger Stadium. Private parking lot attached, free for good customers!

L. A. Is the greatest place in the world. I’ve never visited anyplace where I thought that I would prefer to live. Especially Springfield, Mass. That place is a boring suck pit.

Look at them mountains
Look at them trees
Look at that bum over there he's down on his knees

Look at them women, ain't nothin like them nowhere

I LOVE LA!

You might run into rude and pretentious people. They’re most likely transplants.

I grew up and lived in LA for 30 years. I earned the right to hate it. Springfield is no good. I live 20 miles north of Springfield in the Pioneer Valley, surrounded by farms, woods, 2 vibrant college towns, a nexus between Boston and NYC, a highly educated population. Wonderful place to live, relaxing, no traffic, but doesn’t matter because I peacefully work from home with a view of the woods out my window.

Sounds wonderful. Boring AF, but wonderful.

One of my favorite stops on any trip. I knew nothing about it going in, and that's probably the best way to go about it.

The Hare Krishna museum nearby was also really well done.

Whatever you do make sure to stop by Trader Sams at the Disneyland hotel and grab a tiki drink. It is a great tiki bar (and kids can be inside before 9....just cant sit at the bar)

If you were here later in the month, there’s Punk in the Park

https://www.punkinthepark.com/

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T.S.O.L. At OC Tavern March 11

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How about both T.S.O.L. AND D.I. on March 10th?!

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We spent SO much time in the "haunted" piano room there trying to stump the ghost every time we went. It could play almost every single song we threw at it. Had more fun in that room than even the closeup magic shows.

I haven't been there in ages. Don't you have to know a magician to get you in anymore? They also have (or had) a dress code.

I don't know how long you'll be in LA, but at 7 years old LEGOLAND is absolutely right in their demographic. Our kids loved the place and the rides at that age, and even as an adult, it was easy to appreciate the work that went into some of the exhibits. We enjoyed the park.

You'd have to rent a car, though since it's about an hour and a half drive from LAX to Legoland by San Diego.

In LA, check out The Grove for star-watching/shopping and adjacent Farmer's Market for some great food. We usually get crepes or waffles at one of the stands there first thing in the morning when we're in LA.

Yoshinoya has a bunch of locations in the LA area and pretty much nowhere else in the US (a crime!), so if you like Japanese beef bowls, theirs are great and cheap eats. We usually go to the one on Pico Blvd (walk in - pic below) since it's pretty clean and not in a sketchy area like some of them. Get the red pepper flakes and pickled ginger shred to add to your bowl. The one on La Cienega is a drive-thru if you don't want to get out of your car.

While you're by the Walk of Fame, there's a Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles east of there, not far away. One of the better locations (some are in pretty sketchy areas).

Lawry's The Prime Rib is kind of midrange-upscale, but if you like prime rib, the place is so good. A reservation for this one is recommended.

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Also want to mention Santa Monica Pier is just a few miles up the road from Venice and is also well worth a visit for a couple hours. They have an amusement park on the pier that is cheap and the kids absolutely loved it.

I also forgot to mention I recommend making reservations early for any dining at Disney. If you want to try and do a dinner at Disney reservations are needed and they fill up quickly. You make reservations on the Disney app loaded to your phone.

Best Pastrami and it is in LA?

I dream of 'The Hat'

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Ok I forgot about one of the best parts of LA-The Farmers Market.

I was blown away on how cool this place is and the variety of great food vendors and shops. I think I spent an hour going through Monsieur Marcel Gourmet market. Just sitting having coffee and donuts with the locals was really memorable. I had some deep conversations with some really cool people there and it is on my must do list if in the area.
https://farmersmarketla.com/

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So fun! Fist time I went there Dia was still there, just killing it, sat with him for like 20 minutes, mind blown, he was at least 90.
Yes, you have to know a magician to get in, my wife worked with magicians for years so no prob, but there's other ways if you're resourceful!
Full dress code, I always try to look like a 70's used car salesman, plaid coat, mix matched tie, square white shoes, makes it fun.
Food is whatever, but who cares, you won't have more fun anywhere else in LA!!
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Odin quit his job quite a while back, although maybe he went back, who knows. I haven't heard from him since he dropped off Pinside. Some of the local guys know how to get hold of him, if you can't find him PM me and I'll see if I can get you connected.

Mexican food: Walk out the door, close your eyes, spin around 2 or 3 times, then open your eyes and walk 100 yards, and you'll find a good one.

Odin does have one that he likes in his area, which is near mouse land. Can't remember the name of it.

LA: Its not all bad. Lots of fun things to do. Here are some things we do here:

- Go shopping for new catalytic converters
- Take long circuitous walking routes dodging the homeless and their trash
- Go shopping for new bicycles
- Drink Starbucks coffee while sitting in a traffic jam listening to Megadeth albums (NO REMASTERS!)

Looking back at Dai Vernon footage I realized that I couldn't have seen him at the magic castle, he died in 92 I wonder who the super old guy who wowed me actually was now.
I swear he said he was Dai, but that was almost 20 years ago, guess my memory is less than stellar
Still every magician working the castle is amazing, Even if Dai and Ricky are gone.
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Yeah, I really like that place. Found a pic of the waffle I had there from one visit.

Greenblatt's Deli is also great. We stayed at an AirBnB nearby it one year and ate there once or twice every day we were there. Everything was great. Huge Reuben sandwich, and they had a house sommelier. At a deli.

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I'm doing a Disneyland run with the kids in June and the Magic Castle sounded intriguing, but from reading a bit it's a members-only club with a serious dress code? Any loopholes there or do you have to know a member to get in?

Yes, as I said above, it's members only but you can get in with a little ingenuity and effort, it's packed with people every minute it's open, so it's doable.
Yes, strict dress code, gotta wear a tie and jacket, I'm a punk rocker/ skater and I managed to pull it off, hit the thrift store and find some wacky duds!
It's super worth the effort, constant entertainment from the moment the valet takes your keys, secret doors, hidden delights, multiple shows happening, magicians everywhere, amazing history just fucking cool.
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Did anyone mention Korean BBQ & Pinball?!

ANYONE you saw at the magic castle would have been an absolute master, I wonder who it was. But really, throw a rock.... Probably wasn't Dai but hey you never know! LOL Still can't believe Ricky isn't with us any longer.

Ayce Gogi was mentioned in one of the very first posts of this thread.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/places-to-play-things-to-do-in-la#post-7440766

Funny you mention this. I have suits and we were there for business, so no problem for me, and the women had dresses, but one of the guys with us wasn't a suit guy, or even a dress jacket guy. Had nothing in his closet to use. I told him not to sweat it, we'd hit up thrift stores to get him a sport jacket, which we did. I think we paid like $10 for a jacket that worked, and he still has it for "emergencies."

Well Gryszzz, if it turns out o-din's a magician and can get you in at Magic Castle, be sure to post a pic of you guys in your tuxes!

"I can make that non-smoking sign disappear!"

The monte cristo at the Blue Bayou is worth swallowing, otherwise meh.

Ii know! I only got to see him once, and he was obviously unhealthy but still threw cards like a master.
I have everything he ever put out, except an original Cards as weapons , last copy that I saw come up was missing it's cover and went for over a grand, bummed I didn't have the kind of cash needed to bid at his auction, but he was hands down the best conman historian/magician, sleight of hand man of our time.
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