Keep Your Out-of-Town Visitors in South Park!
Living in one of the greatest cities in the world means that you will inevitably have visitors from out of town. We love them, but people who aren’t local to Los Angeles don’t know the first thing about planning a fun day here. They’ll suggest three activities in completely different neighborhoods, not realizing that it’s literally impossible to visit Disneyland, the Hollywood sign, and the beach all in one afternoon.
Your visitors might not realize what Downtown Los Angeles has to offer.
Maybe they’re scared of it and scared for you and don’t understand why you would choose to live here. Sure, maybe they’ve heard of The Staples Center (RIP) but they don’t know anything about our neighborhood. Let’s change that. Why plan a day away from the place you call home?
Next time you have out-of-town visitors, create an itinerary of places you can walk to right here in your neighborhood. That’s right, I said walk. Downtown is not a great place to drive or park. So, leave the car at the hotel, Airbnb, or your apartment, and stretch your legs. Not only is it safe, but it’s picturesque.
Am I saying you won’t encounter trash on the sidewalk? No.
Am I saying that there won’t be gross construction sites with scaffolding to navigate around? Of course not. When you live among millions of people, things can get a little messy. But the way the sunset lights up Figueroa takes my breath away. And the people-watching during certain convention weekends is always a good time.
Allow your guests the privilege and the adventure of getting out of the air-conditioned Uber. Walk around. Interact with the locals, the other tourists, and the people in our neighborhood. You don’t need to drive to the beach or encounter a single minute of traffic to be entertained.
Start in the late morning. You’ll have more than enough to do until you get to dinner in the evening. I am here to help. In the July Scene, I will offer an itinerary for entertaining your out-of-town friends. The August Scene - where to take your parents, and September will be a romantic day with a partner. Check back.
By Audrey Knox