TRAVELPHOTOBOX

The Palos Verdes Nature Preserve  comprises eleven individual reserves. There are several trails available with a variety of walks and experiences. They range from easy strolls to strenuous climbs up hillsides and ridges. While exploring, you’ll also enjoy with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Start at the trailhead near the entrance on Forrestal Drive and take the PirateTrail . Follow this and turn left on the Mariposa Trail . The trail makes a sharp turn north and crosses a small bridge over a blue lin e stream. Then it continues with a st eep descent down the Flying Mane Trail and progress es  through the  Canyon View Trail . Take a walk down to the Klondike Canyon Creek and ride up the hill on the other side of the canyon till find the Burma Road Trail . This path crosses Kelvin Canyon Trail where you will turn left and head uphill along the Zote's Cutacross trail . During the last section of our route we walk through the McBride Trail en...

The Dominguez Gap Wetlands is small restored wildlife habitat area adjacent to the Los Angeles River, in the city of Long Beach . These wetlands are completely man made by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District as a flood control zone for the Los Angeles river . The Dominguez Gap is a great place for a walk or run. It offers a 2-mile round trip hike around the wetland zone. The loop can be hiked in either direction. The trail is well maintained and reasonably flat. One side is dirt and the other side is paved. There are a variety of native plants , seasonal birds , rabbits and tortoises .

When people think of Los Angeles, images of Hollywood, Downtown skyscrapers, or the beaches of Santa Monica usually come to mind. Yet, in the middle of the city, there’s a place that takes you back to the very origins of L.A.: Olvera Street , part of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument . This vibrant street is perfect for travelers who want to experience culture, history, and a taste of Mexico right in the heart of Los Angeles. Olvera Street: celebrating mexican heritage Olvera Street was established in 1930 to honor the city’s Mexican roots . Today, it’s a pedestrian street buzzing with life , lined with traditional Mexican restaurants, colorful shops, and artisans selling handmade crafts. Festivals and live performances often fill the street, making it one of the most authentic cultural experiences in the city. The area includes 27 historic buildings , but none is more significant than the Avila Adobe , the oldest standing house in Los Angeles. The origins of Los An...

Union Station is the main train station in Los Angeles, California . The site is on the original location of Los Angeles' Chinatown , which was moved to make way for the station. Union Station  was the last of the great American rail stations that were built. Visitors can see a unique architectural combination of Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco styles. In the waiting room, travelers stroll along the marble-floored main hall, with cathedral ceilings, original leather chairs and 3000-pound chandeliers. Its design make it seem large and open. 📺  This landmark is one of Los Angeles’ most iconic movie locations . All areas of the station have been backdrops for films.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is an impressive building in downtown Los Angeles . It has a really interesting modernist design and a great collection of relics. Our Lady of the Angels  replaces the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana . It served the archdiocese for over a hundred years until it was damaged in an earthquake in 1994. Rather than try to repair it, the archdiocese sold the church to the city and constructed a new cathedral in a different location. The new cathedral opened in 2002. The  Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels  was designed by Spanish architect, Rafael Moneo . He made minimal use of right angles and incorporated the latest techniques for earthquake safeguards.  The exterior is made of architectural concrete in an ocher hue reminiscent of California missions. The interior is an expansive space, brightly illuminated, with a high vaulted ceiling. At one end of the sanctuary are the main altar, the choir risers and a huge organ. ...

The Walt Disney Concert Hall , in downtown Los Angeles , is one of the city's premier cultural destinations. The stainless steel exterior forms, symbolizing musical movements, have now become iconic. It is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. There are free daily audio tours, as well as private group tours. The Concert Hall is situated on historic Bunker Hill at the intersection of First Street and Grand Avenue, adjacent to the existing Music Center of Los Angeles. In 1987, Lillian Disney donated $50 million to "build a world-class performance venue as a gift to the people of Los Angeles and a tribute to Walt Disney's devotion to the arts". The  following year,  Frank Gehry was selected from among several candidates during a design competition. A rose-shaped fountain made from Royal Delft porcelain is a tribute to Lillian Disney in the Level 3 garden. Frank Gehry  created a similarly building for the Guggenheim Museum ,...

The Battleship USS Iowa is the West Coast’s only battleship museum at the San Pedro waterfront, California . This huge battleship is a naval museum that honors and illustrates the contributions of the USS Iowa and its crew at important moments in American history. Built in 1940, the Iowa was an important part of the Navy fleet for five decades. The battleship, nicknamed “The Big Stick,” saw action for four decades in World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Cold War. The ship was decommissioned in 1990 and then served as a training and reserve vessel until arriving in Los Angeles in 2012. Visitors follow a single route that passes through a wardroom, the vessels upper decks and the captain’s quarters.

Crystal Lake is the only natural lake in the San Gabriel Mountains , in northern Los Angeles County. The lake is settled in a bowl below the granite crags surrounding Mount Hawkins . Severe  drought  in California has nearly dried out Crystal Lake. Only snow and spring rain feds it and it has no other artificial means of being replenished. It is open year round. 🐟 Following a good rainy season, the lake may be stocked with fish, typically rainbow trout .