Causecast

by JEFF FOSTER, Contributing Writer, Stand-up Comedian and Editor of TheLean.org

Don’t believe anyone that tells you that you can’t see L.A. without a car. Just because the nation’s second-largest city is known for its expansive low-density sprawl, notorious for its gridlocked freeways and notable for its underdeveloped public transit system, doesn’t mean conventional wisdom can’t be trumped (can’t it always be?). Here’s how to set out to explore this motor-centric metropolis by bus and train. It’s better for the environment and your wallet!

(For those of you who aren’t making it to L.A. anytime soon, check out some tips for taking public transportation in any city.)

Your L.A. Tour Starts At The Terminal:

I’ve created this guide for a tourist to follow, so if you’re already in L.A., you can skip ahead and check out instructions for how to get to all your favorite spots on public transportation.

So, assuming you are visiting L.A., we’ll start your adventure off at LAX airport. Chances are you’ll be entering L.A. through the world’s sixth busiest airport.

Keep in mind that I’m not telling you to rent a car, park somewhere, and get on one of these silly little “buses” I speak of for a couple hours of novel street gazing, before you hit the freeway again for the real sightseeing. When I say you can see L.A. without a car, I mean it literally.

Note: to get the best deal on public transit in L.A., you’ll need a TAP card. Order it ahead of time! You can “load” it later.

Once you have your luggage (not too much of it, I hope), head to the ground transportation platform and hop on the free LAX “G” shuttle – the one that takes you to the Metro Green Line/Aviation Station. Laugh arrogantly at all the poor suckers getting on the parking lot shuttles.

First Stop: Santa Monica, L.A.’s Sun-bathed, Beachfront Playground

When you get to the Aviation station, get on the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus (route 3) and drop $0.75 into the fare box. All buses take bills and coins. Ask the driver to tell you when you get to 4th and Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica. It’s a pretty popular stop, though, so there’s a good chance others will be getting off there too.

Downtown Santa Monica has a lot of hotels, but if you’re reading this, you’re the type that can’t be bothered with such bourgeoisie extravagances. Walk two blocks toward the ocean, and you’ll find Hostelling International’s Santa Monica hostel just around the corner to the right on Second Street.

Now that you’re rid of your stuff, it’s time to do some exploring! You can do a lot in Santa Monica: the Pier and Pacific Park, Third Street Promenade, and Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium are all within walking distance of the hostel.

Second Stop: Venice Beach, Where Weird Meets Weirder

When you’re done with Santa Monica, start walking south down the beach-side pedestrian path toward Venice Beach. California’s coolest beach, in my opinion, boasts a hyper-eclectic boardwalk (not actually made of boards) dotted with art vendors, smoke shops, t-shirt stores, pizza stands, and some interesting characters. It will renew your faith in the American people.

Third Stop: Culver City

When you’ve had your fill of the smell of incense smoke, go from the boardwalk up 17th Avenue. When 17th ends (very quickly), go left on Pacific Avenue, then turn right on Venice Way (the very next street). The next road you’ll encounter will be Main Street, and it’s from this intersection that you can board Metro line 33 or 333 (333 is the same route, but stops less often) headed east toward Downtown LA via Venice Boulevard. Ask the driver to load your TAP card with a Day Pass ($5.00) so all your Metro fares will be covered for the rest of the day.

If you’re a savvy individual and enjoy stuff that’s just plain weird, get off the bus at Venice Boulevard and Bagley Avenue in Culver City after about 20 minutes. The Museum of Jurassic Technology, right across the street from the bus stop, is not your ordinary museum, unless you consider dogs of the Soviet space program and letters from religious fanatics to Mount Wilson Observatory ordinary.

Fourth Stop: The Historical Heart of L.A., Downtown

Get back on the 33/333 bus and continue your journey to Downtown L.A. The route ends in the Patsaouras Transit Plaza at Union Station, so you won’t have any trouble knowing where to get off. Go inside, and you’ll get a look at “the last of America’s great rail stations.” Go out the front door, cross the street, and you’ll be standing at El Pueblo Historic Monument (also known as Olvera Street), the birthplace of Los Angeles and a nicely preserved glimpse of Old Mexico. Enjoy a Churro or Horchata, and head back to Union Station.

Fifth Stop: Passing Through Pasadena

Follow the signs to the Metro Gold Line and jump on L.A.’s newest light rail route. Your fare is already paid (remember when you bought the Day Pass on the bus?) – just wave your TAP card over one of the sensors at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the platform. Ride the Gold Line up to Memorial Park Station in Pasadena.

If it happens to be a summer evening, Wednesday through Sunday, between 7 and 9 pm, catch a free community concert from the grass field in front of Levitt Pavilion right next to the station. Speaking from personal experience, the acoustics are great and the acts are all outstanding. It’s hard to describe the euphoric feeling you get from a huge local crowd respectfully enjoying some of the best live music in L.A. on a warm summer evening.

Head two blocks south to Colorado Boulevard (think Little Old Lady from Pasadena) and stroll up and down Old Town Pasadena, a modern but nicely unplanned mixture of unique local merchants and big chain stores. One of my favorite dining spots is Jake’s of Pasadena, which could renew your faith in ground beef with a burger that tastes better than most steaks. Also check out 21 Choices Frozen Yogurt, where most of my high school friends worked at some point (their yogurt is great, too).

Sixth Stop: Discovering Your Stardom, Hollywood

Return to Memorial Park Station and take the train back Downtown to Union Station (fare is still covered, but don’t forget to wave your TAP card). When you’re back on the platform, follow the signs to the Metro Red Line, wave your TAP card again, and get on L.A.’s first and only subterranean train. Make sure you board a train marked “North Hollywood,” not “Wilshire/Western.” They both run on the same track.

Get off at the Hollywood and Highland Station, where you’ll emerge beneath the Kodak Theatre, home of the Oscars. The sights around here will be self-explanatory and easy to find, but be sure not to miss anything because you’re staring at the ground as you read the names from the sidewalk tiles on the iconic Walk of Fame. Depending on where your journey on Hollywood Boulevard takes you, you can get back on the Red Line at Hollywood and Highland, Hollywood and Vine, or Hollywood and Western. Keep riding in the same direction (toward North Hollywood).

Seventh Stop: Universal City

Get off the Red Line at the Universal City Station, where a jaunt across Lankershim Boulevard will put you on a free tram up the hill to Universal City Walk, directly adjacent to the Universal Studios theme park. You can also walk up the hill (“climb” would actually be more accurate – trust me, I’ve done it). City Walk is pretty “commercial” if you will, but it does have some enjoyable novelty stores and the very nice Jon Lovitz Comedy Club. It’s as authentic a place as any to catch some live stand-up, one of the most important staples of the L.A. entertainment culture. When this entertainment mecca has exhausted you, head back down to the station and board the Red Line back toward Union Station.

Eighth Stop: Return To Downtown

The three other Downtown L.A. Red Line stations also give access to some great local landmarks. Check out the Pershing Square website for a free live music calendar. There’s a Red Line station that bears its namesake. Civic Center Station puts riders in the heart of L.A.‘s government district. It becomes a ghost town after 5:00 p.m. and on weekends, but just walk one block south from the station to check out one of my personal favorite spots, the Redwood Bar & Grill – a rare find for the 20-something crowd in Downtown L.A. The 7th Street/Metro Center Station is in the middle of the financial district, where L.A.’s magnificent skyline can be experienced at the ground level. Follow the tall building with the crown on top to find yourself across the street from the Los Angeles Central Library, which boasts beautiful architecture and an astounding collection.

Ninth Stop: A Look At Wilshire

Any Downtown station (Union Station, Civic Center, Pershing Square, or 7th Street/Metro Center) can connect you with the Purple Line, which is indistinguishable from the Red Line except for the electronic marquee on each train’s side. Take the Purple Line (trains marked Wilshire/Western) until it ends at Wilshire and Western. Go above ground and get on Metro Rapid (the big red bus) line 720 headed away from Downtown (look for the skyline). Your fare is still covered by your Day Pass, assuming you’re brave enough to tackle this all in the same day!

Ride for about 10 minutes and get off at Wilshire and Fairfax to see the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the famous La Brea Tar Pits. LACMA always has great temporary exhibits, and an impressive permanent collection, so I try to go a couple times each year. The natural history-inclined will love the Tar Pits and the adjacent Page Museum, which boast the largest collection of extinct Ice Age plants and animals in the world.

Heading Back: To Santa Monica, the Scenic Route

Get back on the 720 line, and an hour later you’re at Colorado and Ocean in Santa Monica, a block away from your hostel. But not until you’ve enjoyed an amazing trip down Wilshire Boulevard through the infamous Beverly Hills, UCLA’s Westwood Village (another Pandora’s Box of great things to see and do), and the affluent main corridor of L.A.’s Westside. Not bad for a total of $5.75, is it?

This route is by no means conclusive. Naturally, there are many, many more things to see and do in L.A., but I can only take you so far. Public transit, however, can take you to almost all of it, so write your own adventure by taking advantage of Metro’s website, Google Maps, and maybe this book (it’s how I found out about Jurassic Technology).

Speaking as someone who’s proud of their city, ditch the car and see L.A. the way it should be seen. Happy travels!

Photo by The Marmot, flickr.