Once associated with the sort of hustle and bustle common to most urban areas, today the emphasis is firmly placed on a vibrant culture and green spaces.
There is a vast number of attractions on offer for visitors in this particular part of Los Angeles. Whether you’re interested in historical artifacts and dinosaur bones in the Natural History Museum, you wish to cast your eye over the architecturally exquisite Chinatown, or prefer to experience the Mexican district of Olvera street, with its authentic music, cuisine and traditions, there is something for everyone in Downtown LA, an area crammed with cultural, ethnic and historical experiences for all the family.
Downtown LA is a vast area, made up of sixteen distinctive districts spread over 21 square kilometres. Among them is the Fashion District, where you can pick up up-to-the-minute fashions, and Bunker Hill, a wonderful cultural enclave. For the sights, sounds and tastes of the East, head to Chinatown and Little Tokyo, where you can authentic local delicacies like sliced eel, taquitos and sushi.
It’s not merely culture, shopping and food that can be consumed in Downtown Los Angeles, there’s also a rich architectural heritage to digest as well. As with the United States’ other iconic city, New York, there are rows of impressive, gleaming skyscrapers, but there are other less obvious jewels in the LA architectural crown as well. Union Square offers a mix of art deco and Spanish Colonial buildings, while the Walt Disney Concert Hall is notable for its unique stainless steel appearance.
Children absolutely love the Natural History Museum, which features a particularly rich collection of dinosaur skeletons. The California Science Centre is also a favourite with families with its collection of interactive exhibits, exciting shows and spectacles that give a real insight into how the universe operates.
While LA has the reputation of being a concrete jungle, it in fact has its fair share of green spaces and parks the perfect place to relax for a while and enjoy a more peaceful environment away from the fast-paced life of Los Angeles. Downtown really has so much to offer visitors and is an unmissable part of any trip to LA.
