L.A. Must Do's
The Iconic Santa Monica Pier
With its all season fair on the pier and special events like the "Twilight Dance Series", each Thursday night throughout the summer, the Santa Monica Pier is a recreational and entertainment venue in LA. Over 10,000 people get attracted to the summer concerts that feature popular performers in every musical genre. Many companies and non-profit organizations choose the Pier as a unique location for special events, and it continues to be a location favored by still photographers and film crews, who choose to use the Pier extensively as a backdrop for magazine layouts, movies, television shows, commercials, and videos. What’s more iconic than the Ferris wheel and roller-coaster sitting atop Santa Monica Pier? But that’s just the beginning; this amusement park is packed with rides, games, food and all kinds of family fun.
The Griffith Observatory
The Griffith Observatory has been a major Los Angeles landmark since 1935. It was visited by nearly two million people each year and ranked as one of the top tourist attractions of Southern California. It sits on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood where it commands a stunning view of the Los Angeles basin below. Tens of millions of people enjoyed the view from its balconies and terraces, especially at night. A Traveling Telescope visit consists of a portable telescope and an astronomer from Griffith Observatory, and it includes several hands-on activities illustrating the scale of the solar system, moon phases, and the stars and planets. An ambitious $93-million renovation project to renew the Observatory's world-class standing and restore and enhance the Observatory's ability to pursue its public astronomy mission was recently completed, so the experience is better than ever!