Transit in L.A.

I've touched on public transportation in a few of my other posts, but I wanted to write one that features all of the different modes available because transit is not something you think about when you think about getting around L.A. True, it can be more of a hassle using buses and the limited Metro system, but the truth is there are more rail lines available to take here than there are in my home city of Seattle, which I've heard called the "Europe of America" more than once.

Public transportation can be very much like the chicken and the egg- it needs a lot of funding to become a useful system, but no one wants to pay for it because they don't use it, because it's not a useful system. Hope springs eternal for we transit nerds, though, so I believe that one day, I won't be laughed at or looked at incredulously when I talk about navigating L.A. without a car.

East of L.A.

The greater Los Angeles area is made up of many small cities with their own downtowns and cultural centers. I happen to have family living in one of the towns east of L.A. and spent Friday night and Saturday morning hanging out here.

Hiking to the Hollywood Sign

The great outdoors. Even in L.A., there's plenty of opportunities to get away from the urban environment, right in the city.

Located in the same park as the Griffiths Observatory, there are a few paths to get to the Hollywood sign, I chose a 6.5 mile hike that starts at Canyon Drive that just happens to be right next to the Bronson Caves, also known as the Batcave from the 60's Batman. Quite a treat.

Vacation Day at Santa Monica Beach

It was a slightly overcast and windy day to head to the beach, but that made the trip all the nicer, avoiding the feeling of being fried by the sun.

Griffiths Observatory in Los Angeles

The City of Angels.
It's a place I've visited a few times in the past due to growing up for a time in Central California, but in all those visits, walking was not an activity I really engaged in. Friends and family with cars always shuttled me around when coming to visit. For good reason, as Los Angeles might be the most car-centric city in the world. Cars are the dominant force on the road, and everyone knows this, so you really must be aware at all times of traffic signals and the potential for cars to make a right turn into your walking path.
It's a bit unnerving.
All that being said, West Hollywood is actually a nice place to walk around. My friend happens to have an apartment near a lot of neat tourist destinations, all of which I shunned in favor of hiking up to the Griffith Observatory about an hour and a half away from her.