Insider tip: Go nose-to-nose with a mama hippo and her baby at the zoo’s Hippo Encounter. With a cup of hot cocoa in hand, you can walk through shimmering light tunnels and a disco-ball forest, watch larger-than-life animal-shaped displays, and meet real reindeer. ![]() If visiting during the winter holiday season, stick around until after sunset to see the elaborate holiday lights show, Zoo Lights. And, as you’ll discover in the kid-friendly California Condor Rescue Zone, it has played a key role in bringing the iconic California condor back from the brink of extinction. The zoo is also a horticultural paradise with more than 7,500 individual plants. Get close-up (but safe) looks at spectacular Sumatran tigers, deadly Komodo dragons, and bright-orange orangutans. Zoo is home to more than 1,100 animals, including 29 endangered species. (World-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall praised the chimps’ digs as one of the world’s outstanding zoo habitats.) Explore tropical habitats at Rainforest of the Americas, and observe chimps in a natural setting of waterfalls, palm trees, and rock formations in Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains. No time for an African safari or Amazon adventure? Then take a walk on the wild side at the remarkable-and remarkably varied- Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens in L.A.’s Griffith Park. It was a Christmas gift to be used as “a place of rest and relaxation for the masses.” Since Griffith’s original contribution, bits and pieces have been added to the park, which now attracts more than 10 million visitors a year. Griffith, who in 1896 donated over 3,000 acres of his Rancho Los Felis to the City of Los Angeles. It was an eccentric mining tycoon, Colonel Griffith J. But the public park has been around for generations. The sprawling public park is now well known for its cameo in 2016’s smash hit La La Land- actors Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone begin their epic dance scene twirling on one of Griffith Park’s hilltops as city lights twinkle below (more on this later). And high on a slope overlooking Los Angeles, the landmark Art Deco-era Griffith Observatory gives you a window to the cosmos. Kids can get close-up looks at koalas and Komodo dragons at the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens. Leading musicians love to play at the open-air Greek Theatre. Learn about American western art at the Autry Museum of the American West. Griffith Park has a more refined side, too. Unpaved roads also provide access for mountain bikers and trail rides guided rides out of Sunset Ranch include great views of the Hollywood sign. Another trail takes you to the site of the Old Zoo, where you can explore animal enclosures that have been abandoned and untouched for over 50 years. Want to hike? Choose from more than 50 miles of trails lacing the chaparral-studded slopes, including one to the top of 1,625-foot Mount Hollywood, the park’s highest point. It’s a remarkable stretch of rough, hilly wilderness in the heart of an enormous urban area-and it’s also home to a wealth of culture. There is parking along the road, but intrepid visitors might make the 2-mile hike from the Observatory.Īs the largest municipal park in Los Angeles, Griffith Park protects 4,511 acres of mountains and canyons at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. If you’re eager for a snack before or after your visit-say, a slice of quiche, a crumbly scone, or just a good cup of joe-it’s worth a stop at the nearby Trails Café, a walk-up eatery nestled amongst the trees. A nice perk: Admission to the Observatory is free. The Griffith Observatory presents mind-expanding planetarium shows throughout the year, plus films and special events in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater, and hosted telescope parties (check the calendar for details). While some simply go to the Observatory for the view (arguably the best in L.A.), there’s much more to see. A lot of fan photos still get taken by that statue, says Winings, “since the backdrop is also the Hollywood sign.” ![]() That bust is now on prominent display near the front lawn of the Observatory. In an interesting real-life plot twist, Dean commissioned a bust of himself shortly before his death at age 24. James Dean’s new-kid-in-town character tries to impress his classmates inside the planetarium, only to get caught up in a knife fight in the parking lot. Prior to the award-winning film, the Observatory served as the signature location for 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause. It appeals to anyone who “loves space, science, the stunning view of L.A., and the building’s Art Deco architecture,” says Bonnie Winings, a director for Friends Of The Observatory.īut for movie fans, the observatory in Griffith Park may be recognized most recently as the feature spot in 2016’s magical La La Land dance scene in which actors Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone waltzed through the air under a star-filled ceiling. Completed in 1935, the Griffith Observatory is almost as iconic as the Hollywood sign.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |