24 Hours in Downtown LA

GUIDES / Neighborhoods / Downtown

Downtown

Hollywood

San Fernando Valley

Print |

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Downtown is LA’s creative bullseye, where world-class architecture, cutting-edge restaurants, avant-garde art and of-the-moment nightlife come together as one. Here’s a 24-hour itinerary of how visitors can experience Pritzker Prize-winning buildings (the Academy Awards® of architecture), fabulous food and sizzling sports and entertainment.

8–9 a.m.
Have breakfast at the Daily Grill Downtown, where you’ll join trendy locals and visitors enjoying a traditional American menu in a modern wood-and-tile setting. 612 S. Flower St.

9 a.m.–noon
Take a self-guided walking tour of Downtown’s Pritzker Prize-winning architecture. You’ll see the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall (offering free self-guided audio tours); the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (the third largest cathedral in the world); the I.M. Pei-designed U.S. Bank Tower (the tallest building west of Chicago); and the Thom Mayne-designed Caltrans District 7 Headquarters (solar panels deliver five percent of the building's energy needs).

Noon–2 p.m.
Have lunch at Warung Café, a stylish urban eatery frequented by young professionals who enjoy the menu of Asian fusion cuisine and the décor of original art. Speaking of art, this café is in the Downtown Arts district, which hosts a very popular Downtown Art Walk the second Thursday of every month. 118 W. 4th St.

2–2:20 p.m.
Take the F DASH bus from Figueroa Street to Exposition Park. Visit www.ladottransit.com for more information.

2:20–5:40 p.m.
Visit Exposition Park and explore the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where you’ll see CSI experts in the Dinosaur Institute at work on a teenage T-Rex skeleton to solve the mystery of its life and premature death.

Walk a few steps to the California Science Center and discover the mysteries under your own skin at Body Worlds 3, with more than 200 authentic human specimens. Next door, view the permanent and rotating art exhibits at the California African-American Museum.

Then, relax and smell the roses — thousands of them — in the Exposition Park Rose Garden. The gorgeous blooms, arbors, trellises and shady benches have brightened the park since 1928. You might even see a wedding or a movie being made — it’s a popular film location.

5:40–6 p.m.
If you’re visiting on a Saturday during college football season, stay in Exposition Park for a USC Trojans game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (home to the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics).

6–8 p.m.
Otherwise, catch dinner at one of Downtown's many great restaurants by taking the F DASH bus from Exposition Park to 7th Street/Metro Center Station (visit www.ladottransit.com for schedules). At Cardini Ristorante in the Wilshire Grand Los Angeles, you’ll find the classic Italian menu is boldly delicious under the new chef, Antonio Chavez, and the setting is uptown sleek. 930 Wilshire Blvd.

8–11 p.m.
Your favorite entertainment options are all Downtown. See the LA Philharmonic perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall; attend a concert at the NOKIA Theatre; catch a baseball game at Dodgers Stadium; or watch the LA Lakers, LA Clippers, LA Kings (NHL), LA Sparks (WNBA) or LA Avengers (AFL) play at STAPLES Center.

11 p.m.–4 a.m.
Hit the late-night hot spots. The first locale on the evening crawl is Elevate Lounge, a stylish space where the distinction between inside and outside is blissfully blurry. Be sure to take in the views from a 21st floor balcony. If you look northeast, you’ll see The Standard Downtown — your next destination. At The Standard Downtown Rooftop Bar, you’ll discover an intimate space with vibrating waterbed pods (think ultramodern plastic cabana), red Astroturf, some of LA’s top DJs, a dance floor, spectacular high-rise city views — and if that's not enough, an alluring swimming pool.

If you’re ready for a more low-key experience, duck into Library Bar across the street for a setting that’s playfully erudite. End the soirée at The Edison. Formerly a private power plant, the one-of-a-kind underground lounge has retained much of the building’s industrial aesthetic.

4–8 a.m.
Treat yourself to a late-night snack or early breakfast at The Original Pantry Café, a Downtown fixture since 1924 (open 24 hours). Or get some shut-eye in one of Downtown’s many fine hotels, including the following: