Despite the relatively recent construction of numerous cultural centers (such as the Music Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art) and a handful of hip restaurants, L.A.'s Downtown isn't the tourist hub that it would be in most cities. When it comes to entertaining visitors, the Westside, Hollywood, and beach communities are all far more popular.
Easily recognized by the tight cluster of high-rise offices -- skyscrapers bolstered by earthquake-proof technology -- the business center of the city is eerily vacant on weekends, but the outlying residential communities such as Koreatown, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, and Los Feliz are enticingly ethnic and vibrant. If you want a tan, head to Santa Monica, but if you want a refreshing dose of non-90210 culture, come here.
El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic District, a 44-acre ode to the city's early years, is worth a visit. Chinatown is small and touristy, but can be plenty of fun for souvenir-hunting or traditional dim sum. Little Tokyo, on the other hand, is a genuine gathering place for the Southland's Japanese population, with a wide array of shops and restaurants with an authentic flair.
Silver Lake, a residential neighborhood just north of downtown, and adjacent to Los Feliz, just to the west, has arty areas with unique cafes, theaters, graffiti, and art galleries -- all in equally plentiful proportions. The local music scene has been burgeoning of late.
Exposition Park, south and west of downtown, is home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the L.A. Sports Arena, as well as the Natural History Museum, African-American Museum, and the California Science Center. The University of Southern California (USC) is next door.
East and South-Central L.A., just east and south of downtown, are home to the city's large barrios. This is where the 1992 L.A. Riots were centered. It was here, at Florence and Normandie avenues, that a news station's reporter, hovering above in a helicopter, videotaped Reginald Denny being pulled from the cab of his truck and beaten. These neighborhoods are, without question, quite unique, though they contain few tourist sites (the Watts Towers being a notable exception). This can be a rough part of town, so avoid looking like a tourist if you decide to visit, particularly at night.
