We chose to stay Downtown and after hearing a lot of negative comments about the city were really surprised. Downtown LA is the financial centre but is in the middle of an urban revival with buildings being converted to apartments, new bars opening, some great old and new architecture and it is very possible to go to places by the very efficient and cheap public transport system.
From and to the airport is probably best done by shuttle our hotel fixed this and it was reasonably priced, watch out if you pay the hotel a deposit that the shuttle driver doesn’t try and charge you again.
Go to the tourist office on S. Figueroa Street, very helpful staff, loads of maps and booklets and a leaflet on how to get to places by bus.
Buy a daily $5 ticket which covers MTA buses and metro, the tickets are available at outlets and Metro stations. They have a series of Rapid buses (limited stop) which are brilliant for getting to Santa Monica, Wiltshire Boulevard and the museums.
There are also DASH buses which run mainly Monday to Friday and are great for crossing downtown and cost 25 cents a journey.
O Hotel, 819 S Flower Street, Downtown, www.ohotelgroup.com one of the first new boutique hotels to open, very smart, great staff and by LA standard reasonable priced.
Ciudad, 445 S. Figueroa Street, Downtown, owned by two well known female chefs it specialises in modern Latin American food. They have a lovely terrace and when we went an excellent set meal offer. They also have the Border Grill in Santa Monica and in Las Vegas.
Rock’n Fish, LA Live W. Olympic Boulevard, Downtown, smart restaurant specialising in as it says Fish, located at LA Live an entertainment centre with quite a few other bars and restaurants.
Engine Co No. 28, 644 S. Figueroa Street, Downtown, an old fire station converted to a restaurant good range of food and very busy.
Getty Terrace Café, at the Getty Centre wonderful setting and reasonably priced selection of sandwiches, salads and soups in a great setting.
Hal’s Bar and Grill, 1349 Abbot Kinsey Boulevard, Venice, loads of places in this street but this was a good choice for brunch, very smart loads of choices and reasonable priced.
O Restaurant, O Hotel S Flower Street, getting good reviews for its food the hotel restaurant is very smart attracting quite a young crowd.
Chaya Downtown, 525 S. Flower Street, Downtown, very smart Japanese bar and restaurant, open Monday to Saturday excellent happy hour offers on drinks and bar snacks
Welland Brewery Underground, 505 S. Flower Street, Downtown, open Monday to Friday underneath a big office complex where there are loads of places to eat, this bar does a huge selection of beers and other drinks as well as food.
Yard House, 800 West Olympic Boulevard, LA Live, Downtown, with 200 beers and loads of other drinks as well as serving food this place is good fun.
Bonaventure, 404 S.Figueroa Street, Downtown, you get an award if you find this but loads of people do it is in the Westin Bonaventure Hotel building. Big range of drinks and food.
Seven Grand, 515 West 7th Street, 2nd Floor, Downtown, a very smart Scottish bar with an amazing selection of whiskeys. Very popular and definitely worth a visit.
Coles, Bar & Restaurant, 118 East 6th Street, Downtown, this is a well known bar and restaurant however hidden behind the far wall is……..
Varnish, one of the best cocktail bars that you will find in the city !
Broadway Bar, 830 Broadway, a young bar but worth visiting to see the place
Golden Gopher, 417 West 8th Street, Downtown, another young bar but a real find
Hanks Bar, 840 South Grand between 8th & 9th, one of the few old fashioned original bars left downtown stays open late and gets the bar staff from some of the other bars that shut earlier
Edison, 108 West 2nd Street, Downtown was recommended by the owner of a great bar in San Francisco, didn’t try it out opens only Wednesday to Saturday and reputed to have a very tight door policy.
On the Waterfront, Venice Beach, as you walk from Santa Monica to Venice Beach this is at the start of Venice, great to sit outside and watch the world go by.
Go and see the Disney Concert Hall, Downtown, designed by Frank Gehry it is a fabulous building.
The Getty Centre is amazing, the setting, the buildings, the works of art, everything. It can be reached by MTA bus and then there is a tram that takes you up to the complex and it’s free.
Santa Monica pier and walk to Venice Beach, ideally on a Sunday when it’s at its best. When you get to Venice try and see Abbot Kinsey Boulevard and the canals.
Hollywood, well you have to see it and you get a great view of the sign from the Highland Centre. It’s probably what you would expect very touristy, easily reached on the Metro.
Downtown Fashion District, 90 blocks of clothes, shoes, everything and in areas Mens, Womens etc. get a map from the tourist office and use the DASH to get there.
Union Station must be second to NY’s Grand Central what a building, try out Tracks Restaurant.
Updated April 2009
