Parts of LA to stay in

[left knee cap]

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Koreatown hands down is the best whether you’re using public transportation or a car.
Only a few stops away from transferring to any line except the green line.
And only a few miles from the 101, the 10, and the 110.
I lived all over LA with the exception of the valley and my years in KTown were the best for consistently being all over the city.

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This is a good rec too. Tons of spots in the Mid-wilshire area, but a lot are a bust. LA High and J-Kwon are the obvious ones. Also, a bunch of the best food spots

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Sorry to bump such an old thread but did not see anything newer. Will be staying in Koreatown in early march sans board. Would happily take some food recs if anyone has any. Also don’t drink anymore so would also take coffee shop recommendations.

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Most of these are eastside because I live over there and don't really head west except for work. But you can't go wrong with any of these places.

Maru
Madlab
Kindness and Mischief
Kumquat or Loquat
Sightglass
Civil
Blue Bottle (I think a lot of folks might frown at this one but I'm a fan)
Stereoscope
Thank You Coffee
Cafecito Organico

hmm… Dayglow hater??

i also recommend the coffee shop that is behind Braindead.

[smellsdead]

los angeles i will be inside you this thursday through sunday

busy 9-5 but will happily push around afterwards

hotel is in torrance

[rocklobster]

Will be in Irvine for a few weeks in March, planning on doing some skate tourism. Appreciate any suggestions that aren't too sketchy and live up to the scale of the spot:

- UCI ledges and rails - are visitors allowed in to walk the grounds?
- El Toro - maybe from the outside, not looking to break in over the weekend
- JKwon - on a Sunday for pro spotting
- West LA Courthouse - most skate-able option, maybe on a day we head into LA

Also got a couple of days in San Diego, if anyone has accessible / historic spots to check out please list them down.

[tom]

Never been to UCI but if it’s like any other college in socal you can just sort of walk in and do whatever you want for the most part. JKwon gets insanely crowded and can be a bit intimidating if you roll up and have to warm up in the middle of a crazy session. Lafeyette skatepark is near there towards downtown if it gets overwhelming. If you’re lucky you might even be able to get in a session at the granite quarterpipe waves

If you wind up at USC check out the rose garden ledges


Val Surf in Valley Village is supposedly the first ever skateshop, so by extension I ~think~ they’re the longest continuously run skateshop in the world. It’s gonna be a hike and a half from Irvine though

[rocklobster]

Never been to UCI but if it’s like any other college in socal you can just sort of walk in and do whatever you want for the most part. JKwon gets insanely crowded and can be a bit intimidating if you roll up and have to warm up in the middle of a crazy session. Lafeyette skatepark is near there towards downtown if it gets overwhelming. If you’re lucky you might even be able to get in a session at the granite quarterpipe waves

If you wind up at USC check out the rose garden ledges


Val Surf in Valley Village is supposedly the first ever skateshop, so by extension I ~think~ they’re the longest continuously run skateshop in the world. It’s gonna be a hike and a half from Irvine though

UCI is on the list got to check out those white hubbas and square rails which Kirchart and BA destroyed. No intention of skating JKwon either, maybe just a walk around and see whose attending service. I'll be with my wife and in-laws for most of the trip so I don't want to abandon them for too long.

Valsurf was on the radar when we initially planned on driving up North but I'm ok to skip that.

[AitchBeeGayBuh]

Yeah, you can scope out the campus and not get bothered if you’re not skating. There are many spots you’ve seen in videos (off the top of my head I could think of over 10 easily). Thing is, it’s a huge campus and if you don’t know where to go or where to park you’re gonna waste a lot of time exploring.

First time skating there my buddy and I didn’t know where anything was and it took most of our afternoon just going around trying to find the spots we knew where there.

[rocklobster]

Yeah, you can scope out the campus and not get bothered if you’re not skating. There are many spots you’ve seen in videos (off the top of my head I could think of over 10 easily). Thing is, it’s a huge campus and if you don’t know where to go or where to park you’re gonna waste a lot of time exploring.

First time skating there my buddy and I didn’t know where anything was and it took most of our afternoon just going around trying to find the spots we knew where there.

https://findskatespots.com/spots/irvine-ca

This website was pretty helpful with the spot tourism, I'm happy to spend the day exploring the campus

[Francis Xavier]

You can wander UCI, school will be in session anyway.
Theres a good curb spot I got out there, University high is near and has some stuff (it's near that turtle rock ledge).

 Theres a skatepark at Harvard park, kinda trash, but theres stuff to skate around there.

Contenders in Orange is prob the best local skate shop. Socal skate shop in Mission Viejo isn't far off.

[rocklobster]

You can wander UCI, school will be in session anyway.
Theres a good curb spot I got out there, University high is near and has some stuff (it's near that turtle rock ledge).

 Theres a skatepark at Harvard park, kinda trash, but theres stuff to skate around there.

Contenders in Orange is prob the best local skate shop. Socal skate shop in Mission Viejo isn't far off.

I'll definitely check out Contenders and Socal to pick up an order I made over SSD. Amazing how many shops there are within 10-15 minutes from each other in CA.

Will check out the Etnies park for a morning session, Soletech is nearby but I doubt they give random strangers a tour of their building. Maybe I'll see Shecks outside with a cardboard sign telling passerbys to boycott Etnies.

[Francis Xavier]

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You can wander UCI, school will be in session anyway.
Theres a good curb spot I got out there, University high is near and has some stuff (it's near that turtle rock ledge).

 Theres a skatepark at Harvard park, kinda trash, but theres stuff to skate around there.

Contenders in Orange is prob the best local skate shop. Socal skate shop in Mission Viejo isn't far off.

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I'll definitely check out Contenders and Socal to pick up an order I made over SSD. Amazing how many shops there are within 10-15 minutes from each other in CA.

Will check out the Etnies park for a morning session, Soletech is nearby but I doubt they give random strangers a tour of their building. Maybe I'll see Shecks outside with a cardboard sign telling passerbys to boycott Etnies.

Haha thats a solid plan

If you'd like any other tips/spots/recs drop a PM, I live 10 minutes away from Irvine so it's my zone so to speak haha

[GardenSkater77]

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You can wander UCI, school will be in session anyway.
Theres a good curb spot I got out there, University high is near and has some stuff (it's near that turtle rock ledge).

 Theres a skatepark at Harvard park, kinda trash, but theres stuff to skate around there.

Contenders in Orange is prob the best local skate shop. Socal skate shop in Mission Viejo isn't far off.

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I'll definitely check out Contenders and Socal to pick up an order I made over SSD. Amazing how many shops there are within 10-15 minutes from each other in CA.

Will check out the Etnies park for a morning session, Soletech is nearby but I doubt they give random strangers a tour of their building. Maybe I'll see Shecks outside with a cardboard sign telling passerbys to boycott Etnies.

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Haha thats a solid plan

If you'd like any other tips/spots/recs drop a PM, I live 10 minutes away from Irvine so it's my zone so to speak haha

@rocklobster Etnies park in Lake Forest costs money and unless you like bowl skating I would pass. It’s huge but you could probably do better.

Don’t forget to meet up with Brink to make custom candles together.

I go to Irvine on business but I don’t see much skating around Irvine proper. However, there is a good Peruvian and Sushi restaurant where a classic rail used to be in Lake Forest.



http://uokolakeforest.com/
https://www.inkagrill.com/

Also, get @Francis Xavier to buy you a drink at https://www.greencheekbeer.com/ in Orange

There are plenty of micro brew pubs in OC but this one is my favorite. If I could make up some fake business I would come out to hang but I got nothing in CA for March.

Oh, @Ray C. Usery is the San Diego guy. Anyone can find Washington Street and the downtown has tons of spots but I don’t know what’s a bust. Ray knows all…

[rocklobster]

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You can wander UCI, school will be in session anyway.
Theres a good curb spot I got out there, University high is near and has some stuff (it's near that turtle rock ledge).

 Theres a skatepark at Harvard park, kinda trash, but theres stuff to skate around there.

Contenders in Orange is prob the best local skate shop. Socal skate shop in Mission Viejo isn't far off.

[close]

I'll definitely check out Contenders and Socal to pick up an order I made over SSD. Amazing how many shops there are within 10-15 minutes from each other in CA.

Will check out the Etnies park for a morning session, Soletech is nearby but I doubt they give random strangers a tour of their building. Maybe I'll see Shecks outside with a cardboard sign telling passerbys to boycott Etnies.

[close]

Haha thats a solid plan

If you'd like any other tips/spots/recs drop a PM, I live 10 minutes away from Irvine so it's my zone so to speak haha

[close]

@rocklobster Etnies park in Lake Forest costs money and unless you like bowl skating I would pass. It’s huge but you could probably do better.

Don’t forget to meet up with Brink to make custom candles together.

I go to Irvine on business but I don’t see much skating around Irvine proper. However, there is a good Peruvian and Sushi restaurant where a classic rail used to be in Lake Forest.



http://uokolakeforest.com/
https://www.inkagrill.com/

Also, get @Francis Xavier to buy you a drink at https://www.greencheekbeer.com/ in Orange

There are plenty of micro brew pubs in OC but this one is my favorite. If I could make up some fake business I would come out to hang but I got nothing in CA for March.

Oh, @Ray C. Usery is the San Diego guy. Anyone can find Washington Street and the downtown has tons of spots but I don’t know what’s a bust. Ray knows all…

Solid recommendations food and drink wise, "what are we having for dinner" always gets the missus and I on edge. And @Francis Xavier I'll hit you when we need a dinner recommendation.

Didn't know the etnies park had an entry fee, just off the photos alone that thing look monstrous, don't think I've ever seen that much concrete poured into a plot of land. Entry fee is $6 a day or $40 a quarter, not too bad but I'll see what we have planned for the trip.

Any other parks worth checking out? Something that isn't all concrete death bowls and more interest street sections?

I saw RSQ and Focus skate shops nearby too, worth checking out?

[GardenSkater77]

Here is another restaurant for you and the missus: https://www.izakayahondaya.com/home/tustin/

And…if you want to see American capitalism in all its glory then go visit the Irvine spectrum. The restaurants are overpriced crap but plenty of snacks. Also, there is a pretty well renowned comedy club at the spectrum.

https://improv.com/irvine/?y_source=1_MTI5NjcyNzUtNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU%3D

I am not out in CA with skating in mind so you can rely on the locals for good park recommendations. The Etnies park layout is really dated and when I have gone there no one of any note is skating.

[rocklobster]

Here is another restaurant for you and the missus: https://www.izakayahondaya.com/home/tustin/

And…if you want to see American capitalism in all its glory then go visit the Irvine spectrum. The restaurants are overpriced crap but plenty of snacks. Also, there is a pretty well renowned comedy club at the spectrum.

https://improv.com/irvine/?y_source=1_MTI5NjcyNzUtNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU%3D

I am not out in CA with skating in mind so you can rely on the locals for good park recommendations. The Etnies park layout is really dated and when I have gone there no one of any note is skating.

We're going to Spectrum like it or not, wife wants to do some shopping there.

Harvard skate park looks pretty manageable, nice ledges too. I forgot how spread out CA is and you need to drive to get anywhere.

[Francis Xavier]

Tustin skatepark is alright, usually pretty busy. Worth a visit. It's not far from Havard Park.

Volcom park in Costa Mesa is even wilder, busy as shit, but you'll deffo spot a pro or a vlogger there.

Theres a grindline park in Anaheim (Ponderosa) thats pretty good.

Laguna Hills has two parks, one is free and its packed with scooter kids typically. If you go early morning you can have some fun there.

Most of the other parks in the area were built in the early 00s boom and are either hunks of shit or just not worth it u less you're local.

I haven't stepped inside Focus skate shop, but I would go there before I'd go to RSQ, which is in the spectrum(an outdoor mall)


Diamond Jamboree, The District and Spectrum have a decent food for a date night

[rocklobster]

I'm dragging my wife and her family here for dinner.

Edit: Tustin skate park looks pretty good too, nothing that will break me off horribly.

@GardenSkater77 that Peruvian restaurant has been added to the list for sure.

Looking for a good burrito / taco place too, I'm sure they are a dime a doze but if you have names please share them!

[Francis Xavier]

I'm dragging my wife and her family here for dinner.

Edit: Tustin skate park looks pretty good too, nothing that will break me off horribly.

@GardenSkater77 that Peruvian restaurant has been added to the list for sure.

Looking for a good burrito / taco place too, I'm sure they are a dime a doze but if you have names please share them!

Theres a shitload of mexican food out here, from good to bad, but it's kinda dependent on your tastes.

El Camino Cafe in old towne Tustin is good spot for breakfast or lunch.

Taco Mesita is also good and down the street in Tustin

Theres a street taco guy off Tustin Ave and the 22 freeway, on front of a 99 cent store that has great tacos

Downtown Santa Ana has a lot of places too, 4th st and French is kinda where everything gets poppin. Can't go wrong with anything around there.

[rocklobster]

Thank you so much @Francis Xavier

[AitchBeeGayBuh]

Downtown Santa Ana does have good food. Also nearby, is the courthouse that has some spots from old videos. Santa Ana park is pretty fun as well.

HB park is right off the freeway. If you want, check out HBHS to see where Templeton and Jason Lee used to skate and nearby is Dwyar middle school where the Penny front blunt ledge is.

Have fun…

[rocklobster]

Checked our Tustin Legacy park which was fun and compact, did a short morning session to acclimate to the new shoes and deck.

[sutures1995]

listen to the locals

dont talk to the police

ok look the weather has high winds
there is altitude ther
do not get stuck on a transportation going what you would call "hood" or

like if you pee outside against the wind its not good

so piss against the wind

there is scarce board shops there

the board shops are very protocol
they are political

they want to see california skaters

the california skateboard scene is very prompt in being celebrity

go meet pros

ask about the locals

they will take you in

dont ..i mean dont

do not tell gang that you not from there

do not tell those skateboarders that you are not from there

if you go to cali and come back smelling like Dank weed

those boys not going to want you back