There are many free and low cost things to do in Los Angeles. As a traveler, it’s all about reaching them. At Los Angeles International Airport, rental cars recently cost around $75 per day before taxes and gasoline. Taxis and app-based rides between the airport and downtown cost $40 to $70, depending on the time of day. Then there’s overnight parking – $50 to $60 is just not unusual.
But there may be an affordable alternative: the subway, a bargain at $1.75 for a ride, $5 for a day occur or $18 for per week.
In Los Angeles, the land of traffic jams, the automotive is an important technique of transport. But for many years, the Los Angeles County Public Transportation Department metro, has sought to wean Angelenos from their cars and has built greater than 100 train stops on seven lines since 1990, including the brand new K Line, which opened in October and runs through South Los Angeles. In June, the Regional Connector Transit Project consolidated downtown connections, allowing east-west travel between East Los Angeles and Santa Monica and north-south between Azusa and Long Beach without transfers. Another expansion due in 2024 might be linked to Los Angeles International Airportone in every of nine future train stations scheduled to open before town hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The advantages of the system for residents vary depending on where they live within the sprawling city. But, said Michael Juliano, the editor of Time Out Media in Los Angeles, who did it written in regards to the system: “As a tourist, many places you want to visit are on a subway route.”
Nothing makes me feel more aware of a destination than successfully navigating it. In my opinion, going places does not imply I do know places unless I can navigate the local transportation. When I told friends that I used to be going to Los Angeles to tour town by subway, one joked that it could be “a very short story.” An Angeleno who admitted to never taking the train advised me to pack pepper spray.
But three days on the rails proved they were mostly improper. Not only is the subway well-connected to popular attractions—from Santa Monica’s beaches to downtown museums—trains also run incessantly. Even though my experience was not threatening, the system is threatening fought with an obvious influx of homeless people riding the trains. On several occasions, I rode with Metro Ambassadors, employees who travel the system to coach the general public and help ensure safety.
In a county that covers greater than 4,000 square miles and 88 cities, there have been places I could not reach by subway. A travel company that gives guided walking tours to the landmark Hollywood sign told me their place to begin was not near public transportation. Bus routes and ride services can fill the gaps, but with one notable exception – this FlyAway buswhich runs between the airport and roughly every half hour Union Station Downtown ($9.75) – I stuck with the trains to check their usefulness. Here’s what I discovered.
All lines result in town center
The FlyAway bus dropped me off at Union Station, a 1939 Mission Moderne gem that serves as a hub for greater than just Amtrak and regional trains Metrolink Service in Los Angeles County and five surrounding counties, but additionally as a hub for the three subway lines A, B and D.
These subway lines stop at several stops throughout town center, an area stuffed with cultural attractions – including the unique Mexican settlement Olvera Street across from Union Station – and lots of hotels like that Freehand Los Angeles.
About 4 blocks from the closest subway stop downtown, the retro hotel within the 1924 Commercial Exchange Building offers hostel-style rooms with multiple beds, popular with students, in addition to private rooms like mine with macrame -Wall hangings and eclectic art paying homage to thrift stores (I paid $150 per night).
The next morning, on the nearby subway station, I recognized my fellow travelers – a French family on the town to look at the Lakers games, two Danish backpackers, and an Irish student group.
“Guests ask about schedules and the nearest stops, and it’s a little funny because we go everywhere,” said Rich Oken, the hotel’s general manager, referring to the staff.
Using the subway and on foot, I discovered town center to be easy to navigate and many to explore, starting with the width Museum (free), a surprising home for collectors Eli and Edythe Broad’s contemporary art collection, stuffed with works by Basquiat, Lichtenstein and Warhol. In the subsequent block I took a break within the quiet gardens beyond Walt Disney Concert Halla cascading steel landmark by architect Frank Gehry.
Nearby I rode the shortest train in Los Angeles, Angel flighta 1901 funicular that travels up a block-long hill for 50 cents if you may have a Metro card ($1 if you happen to don’t).
With a subway stop practically across the road, Large central marketa snack hall from 1917, all the time lured me there to eat creamy scrambled egg sandwiches Ball slut ($9.75) and Salvadoran pupusas or stuffed corn cakes from Sarita’s Pupuseria ($5.50).
Next stop: Hollywood
From downtown, the B Line runs northwest into the guts of Hollywood. Showing up on the Hollywood/Highland station was like showing up in a low, sunny Times Square. Actors dressed as Spider-Man and Michael Jackson posed with tourists for suggestions. Advertisers offered TMZ bus tours to celebrity hangouts. I immediately crossed paths with Groucho Marx’s star in the image Hollywood Walk of Famewhere Tom Cruise shares the sidewalk with Weird Al Yankovic and fans took selfies at Snoop Dogg’s memorial plaque.
The star route passed the 1927 Grauman’s Chinese Theater (now often known as). TCL Chinese Theater), where I compared my footprint with Robert De Niro’s amongst the various celebrity greetings cemented into the pavement in front of the doorway.
The B Line also provides access to less hectic neighborhoods, including Koreatown, where I made a return trip to enjoy salmon fried in umami oil on the conveyor belt sushi stand In which ($3.65 per plate).
The route also offers a ready solution to realize Griffith Park, the plush Santa Monica Mountains Nature Preserve, with panoramic views of town and various mountain climbing trails. I caught a free bus from the B line stop at Vermont/Sunset LADOT DASH Bus to Griffith Park Observatorypopular for its rooftop views, and watched an exhilarating star show on the planetarium ($10).
Train to the beach
First-time visitors are sometimes surprised by the scale of the greater Los Angeles area, which incorporates Long Beach to the south, Malibu to the west, and the San Gabriel Mountains to the east.
“People come to California and want to go to the beach, but they don’t realize that Santa Monica is about 12 miles from downtown LA, and that’s a long 12 miles whether you drive or take public transit.” said Mr. Oken, the Freehand manager.
At 8:30 a.m. on a Wednesday, Google Maps set the train ride to E line from town center slightly over an hour, the identical because the drive, without having to search for a automobile parking space.
The E Line operated mostly above ground, providing a ride past the University of Southern California campus to Culver City and eventually Santa Monica. Recorded announcements identified the attractions near each stop, similar to: Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History And Exhibition Park on the Expo Park/USC stop.
The E line ends a number of blocks from the favored one Santa Monica Pierstuffed with amusement park rides and restaurants that were mostly closed within the morning while a guitarist played the lone Latino standard “Maybe maybe maybe” for hikers who benefit from the tranquil view.
Rent a beach cruiser bike from Flaming saddles ($13 for an hour) At the pier, I pedaled about three miles south to the Venice waterfront, where quad roller skaters doing pirouettes attracted onlookers.
With its clean boutique hotels and stylish restaurants, Santa Monica felt exclusive, an impression corrected by the colourful Jamaican lodge Cha-Cha Chickenonly a block from the beach, serves plates of spicy jerk chicken (from $11.95) on a shaded patio surrounded by Bob Marley paintings.
“Connect with creativity”
Metro markets the brand new K-line Featuring posters throughout the system encouraging riders to attach with creativity, a nod to South Los Angeles communities which have produced artists similar to artist Kehinde Wiley and actress Issa Rae, in addition to public art in each station.
“Art is part of an introduction to the system,” said Maya Emsden, who oversees Metro’s public art programs, including commissioning art for every of the K Line’s seven current stations. “It’s an eye opener.”
On my last afternoon, I rode the K through the communities of Crenshaw and Inglewood, home of, ranging from its northernmost stop at Expo/Crenshaw, where it meets the E line SoFi Stadiumwhere the NFL’s Rams and Chargers play.
In Crenshaw, a few of the most fascinating art on the route has yet to be unveiled. The economic development organization Target Crenshaw has works by greater than 100 Black artists installed in a central park and along 1.3 miles of Crenshaw Boulevard next to ground-level train tracks. The project will reflect “the talent, creativity and passion we have for the community,” Jason Foster, the organization’s president and chief operating officer, said over coffee Hot and funky cafe near the Leimert Park stop.
From the cafe we walked a number of blocks to the location of the long run Sankofa Park, a wedge-shaped block with gardens and a pedestrian ramp resulting in a second floor. The park, a part of the $100 million project and scheduled to open next February, will feature a sculpture from Mr. Wiley’s work.Rumors of war“Series and”Car culture“, a work by Compton, California-based artist Charles Dickson that depicts African figures crowned by cars.
“When the airport connection is finished, this will be the first thing people see in LA,” Mr. Foster said, adding his hope that the park will become a neighborhood attraction Little Tokyo or Mariachi Plazaeach accessible by train.
In three days I never managed to reach the Hollywood sign. But wherever I went, I saved money, emissions and incalculable stress caused by gridlock.
