First trip to LA area (Long Beach/Hollywood)

[MareVitals]

Hi Pals,

I'm making my first trip to the west coast from NYC. This is not a skate trip but i feel pretty obligated to skate and see some historic spots as LA is the skate mecca. Any spots/shops I should check out in the long beach/hollywood area? I don't get buck and am more looking for some nice schoolyard, ledge, or bank situation to mess around on. I've been eyeing the LA high banks but assume they'd be a lot harder to skate than they seem on video.

[Xen]

Santa Monica Court house
Stoner Plaza
JKwon
Hollywood High <-maybe catch some shit going down

[DCLOVE]

Message me if
You wanna meet up and skate grab a brew or something.

[MintySandwhich]

Can you still skate Jkwon?

Hollywood High is worth checking out for tourism alone. 1521 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (NE side)

California Schoolyards are amazing. Check out the brick banks at LA High.. 4650 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019   ..  You can't skate lockwood though. They put a hug container where the bank is and all the benches are gone.

I would highly recommend Griffith park. It's a practically a damn skatepark with alot of grass and trees and you never get kicked out. One of my favorites. here: Mineral Wells Picnic Area, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (GPS: 34°08'47.7"N 118°17'47.2"W)

[MareVitals]

Thanks for the tips everyone. Very solid advice. Really excited about griffith park. Had no idea where it was and it is just the thing I am looking to skate. Definitely going to check out the courthouse and at least see hollywood high in person. 

[badfomyhealth]

Dagger ditch

[Gasstationgarry]

Can you still skate Jkwon?

Hollywood High is worth checking out for tourism alone. 1521 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (NE side)

California Schoolyards are amazing. Check out the brick banks at LA High.. 4650 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019   ..  You can't skate lockwood though. They put a hug container where the bank is and all the benches are gone.

I would highly recommend Griffith park. It's a practically a damn skatepark with alot of grass and trees and you never get kicked out. One of my favorites. here: Mineral Wells Picnic Area, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (GPS: 34°08'47.7"N 118°17'47.2"W)

When we went there last spring there were still benches, just had to whip out the boltcutter since it was behind a fence. getting in now is pretty tricky too, ya gotta sneak through the alley behind the old folks home behind it. I would almost say its worth a trip just for the tourism alone. (and the ledges are still good)

[JB]

I'm going in about 2 weeks for a work conference. My skate plan is to just wake up early a few days and just skate around downtown and see what I find. I'm staying right by the convention center, so I'm sure I'll find some shit.

My wife is coming with me and we need some stuff to do though. Any must-do LA activities or anyone got any good restaurants or bars that aren't too far from downtown? Definitely want to go to the ocean at least once. Other than that, we're basically going off suggestions on instagram and yelp because we don't know anyone there. I'd like to hit some cool local spots and not just the touristy shit. Last year we went to Vegas and the thing I disliked the most was that there was absolutely no local culture to be found on the strip, and we didn't know enough about where to go off the strip other than Freemont. I know Vegas is the extreme, but my whole thing with traveling is that I want an experience that I can't get at home.

[MintySandwhich]

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When we went there last spring there were still benches, just had to whip out the boltcutter since it was behind a fence. getting in now is pretty tricky too, ya gotta sneak through the alley behind the old folks home behind it. I would almost say its worth a trip just for the tourism alone. (and the ledges are still good)

I was just there in May, and we searched the place and didn't find any benches or tables. They seemed to have replaced them with those plastic mesh versions that are coated in rubber. You're right about the ledges though.

Last year we went to Vegas and the thing I disliked the most was that there was absolutely no local culture to be found on the strip, and we didn't know enough about where to go off the strip other than Freemont. I know Vegas is the extreme, but my whole thing with traveling is that I want an experience that I can't get at home.

Damn, bout to go to Las vegas mid November for a work conference. Staying at the Paris. Any tips or things to check out?

[JB]

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When we went there last spring there were still benches, just had to whip out the boltcutter since it was behind a fence. getting in now is pretty tricky too, ya gotta sneak through the alley behind the old folks home behind it. I would almost say its worth a trip just for the tourism alone. (and the ledges are still good)

[close]

I was just there in May, and we searched the place and didn't find any benches or tables. They seemed to have replaced them with those plastic mesh versions that are coated in rubber. You're right about the ledges though.

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Last year we went to Vegas and the thing I disliked the most was that there was absolutely no local culture to be found on the strip, and we didn't know enough about where to go off the strip other than Freemont. I know Vegas is the extreme, but my whole thing with traveling is that I want an experience that I can't get at home.

[close]

Damn, bout to go to Las vegas mid November for a work conference. Staying at the Paris. Any tips or things to check out?

They sell $2 Hamms at the bar right outside of the Eiffel tower, which was the cheapest beer I found on the strip. You walk towards mandolay Bay and there are some party stores that you can get cheap tall boys.

Basically all we did for fun was walk around with drinks. We have casinos in Detroit and I don't gamble, so I had no desire to do any of that. Fremont Street is worth the trip, but it's just a trashier version of the strip. My cousin said there's a cool driving rage if you like golfing. If I went back, I'd go to the neon museum. It looks really cool online. I also saw the human bodies exhibit in the Luxor and that was really cool.

There's plenty to do on the strip, but it all feels like you're at a giant mall. None of it felt authentic to me and that's what I didn't like. That and everything costs a million times more than it should.

[JB]

Also, don't go to egg slut. If you don't know what that is, your girlfriend probably does. Don't waste your time or your money.

[sharkin]

Vegas blows. Just one big Potemkin village

Only thing I had fun doing was going to valley of fire a bit northeast of Vegas and the second time weed was legal so all the overpriced food tasted a little better.

Would probably go to Red Rocks Canyon if I ever went back, but I most likely won't

[Francis Xavier]

If you're going to hit a strip club in vegas, and don't want to dress up or pay a huge door fee...hit Talk of the Town. It's downtown,right in a Bermuda triangle of  Vegas, you can start with some drinks at Dino's before walking (or taking a cab) a couple blocks down to the Talk. It's full nude so no booze,but they don't really mind if you have a flask or cup of whatever. If that doesn't work for you just cross the street to the Thunderbird lounge and re-up then go right back in.
For music-beauty bar, double down saloon,dive bar and a couple others always have some range.

JB hit Olvera st. for some taquitos, Venice can kill all sorts of time/goals. You're going to be around a lot of good spots so it'll be a buffet if you get out early. I don't know much about night life shit there, most of the people I know out there are either in Long Beach or the south bay.

[MintySandwhich]

Hell yeah, thanks for the cheap beer tip. I know it's expensive there, and I'm not trying to spend a bunch. Neon sign place sounds dope!

Wish I could bring my board for that craig ranch park, looks insane.

[j....soy.....]

I'm going in about 2 weeks for a work conference. My skate plan is to just wake up early a few days and just skate around downtown and see what I find. I'm staying right by the convention center, so I'm sure I'll find some shit.

My wife is coming with me and we need some stuff to do though. Any must-do LA activities or anyone got any good restaurants or bars that aren't too far from downtown? Definitely want to go to the ocean at least once. Other than that, we're basically going off suggestions on instagram and yelp because we don't know anyone there. I'd like to hit some cool local spots and not just the touristy shit. Last year we went to Vegas and the thing I disliked the most was that there was absolutely no local culture to be found on the strip, and we didn't know enough about where to go off the strip other than Freemont. I know Vegas is the extreme, but my whole thing with traveling is that I want an experience that I can't get at home.

I uber' to the courthouse in the am for a skate and it worked out well.  We hiked Runyon Canyon and I liked that.  We stayed in Venice.  I'd say that's a good afternoon. 

[TheLurper]

I'm going in about 2 weeks for a work conference. My skate plan is to just wake up early a few days and just skate around downtown and see what I find. I'm staying right by the convention center, so I'm sure I'll find some shit.

My wife is coming with me and we need some stuff to do though. Any must-do LA activities or anyone got any good restaurants or bars that aren't too far from downtown? Definitely want to go to the ocean at least once. Other than that, we're basically going off suggestions on instagram and yelp because we don't know anyone there. I'd like to hit some cool local spots and not just the touristy shit. Last year we went to Vegas and the thing I disliked the most was that there was absolutely no local culture to be found on the strip, and we didn't know enough about where to go off the strip other than Freemont. I know Vegas is the extreme, but my whole thing with traveling is that I want an experience that I can't get at home.

This is probably too late, but while you are in LA check out Komodo and Silver Lake Ramen. Komodo is amazing. Avoid the burger place down the road from the court house (Plan Check Kitchen + Bar) it is terrrrrrible.

Finally, the movie theater across the street from the court house actually plays decent movies. It is my favorite theater in LA.

[lem]

Avoid the burger place down the road from the court house (Plan Check Kitchen + Bar) it is terrrrrrible.

I'm sorry but you're fucked if you think their fried chicken sandwich isn't really good.

[TheLurper]

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Avoid the burger place down the road from the court house (Plan Check Kitchen + Bar) it is terrrrrrible.

[close]

I'm sorry but you're fucked if you think their fried chicken sandwich isn't really good.

I went once, got a cheeseburger, and never returned, so I can't comment on the fried chicken sandwich.

However, the cheeseburger was pretty terrible. The cheese tasted like the pump cheese that gas stations sell with nachos, the food was expensive for what it was, and the vibe in there was a bit too "young professional" for me. In-N-Out has better burgers for 1/4 of the cost.

[burn_to_live]

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Avoid the burger place down the road from the court house (Plan Check Kitchen + Bar) it is terrrrrrible.

[close]

I'm sorry but you're fucked if you think their fried chicken sandwich isn't really good.

[close]

I went once, got a cheeseburger, and never returned, so I can't comment on the fried chicken sandwich.

However, the cheeseburger was pretty terrible. The cheese tasted like the pump cheese that gas stations sell with nachos, the food was expensive for what it was, and the vibe in there was a bit too "young professional" for me. In-N-Out has better burgers for 1/4 of the cost.

In-N-Out represent!