Exploring LA with Dad

We’ve all been there; friends or family, or friends and family, are coming to visit. And you have been putting off making plans for said visit because the task seems daunting. But you’re lucky! You live in Los Angeles - a big, vibrant city with an unlimited number of unique, interesting and fun things to do.

Such was my story last month. I was in the final days before my baby boomer Dad arrived from Florida. Time was running out and I needed to make a plan. So I grabbed my laptop, fired up Spotify, plunked myself on the patio, and got to work. I’m an event planner by trade and adore planning in general, so although I had been delaying the coordination of the visit I was excited about the challenge of identifying all the puzzle pieces and putting that puzzle together.

The first question I ask a client when sitting down to discuss his or her event is “What are your goals and objectives?” In this case, my Dad was the client and the objective was clear: plan an unforgettable visit for him. The next question I’ll ask is participant-specific: demographics/likes/dislikes/no-no’s. And finally, “What is the budget?” (In reality, I ask many more questions than this but these are the core 3.)

With the objective and participant in mind, I set to work on the ‘likes’. My Dad and I both love music so ‘musical stuff’ was added to the list. We’ve recently started visiting museums when we’re together and those aren’t in shortage here in Los Angeles so ‘museums’ was next on the list. And finally, with a not-super-huge budget to work with, I sought out a few no-fee options.

Here is a snapshot of our adventures over the course of 8 days (which, incidentally, flew by).

Los Angeles boasts a long and rich musical history, so why not delve into it? Consider taking your out-of-towners to the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. It’s largely interactive and there is quite literally something to please every musical palate – from the mechanics of recording music over the years to the Whitney Houston exhibit (through February 2013).

Dad, testing his skills on the V-Drums, part of the hands-on Roland Live exhibit.

 Another fun, music-related excursion is a trip to the Fender Guitar Factory in Corona. Roughly one hour from Los Angeles, the visitor center alone would be enough to entertain your music-loving guest(s) for a few hours. But don’t miss the 60-minute tour through the actual factory (10 AM and 11:30 AM – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday), where you get to see a block of wood transformed into the music-making instrument you only thought you knew. (Note: closed-toe shoes required.)

Those blocks of wood are beginning to resemble guitars.

  

In a city of countless museums, here are the three kid-tested, father-approved sites we visited:

The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.  Whatever your thoughts on the man himself, the Museum is a beautiful, sprawling oasis in Yorba Linda, featuring the carefully-restored farmhouse in which the 37th President of the United States was born. And in a not-often-seen case of life going full circle, President Nixon also happens to be interred just a few steps from his birthplace. You can’t help but learn a few things during a visit here and if you’re making the trip to Fender then this is a convenient stop on the way back to the city.

While you’re getting your Presidential Library and Museum on, a trip to Ronald Reagan’s in Simi Valley is well worth your time. Plan to spend a full day because the place is huge and the 4 hours we budgeted weren’t enough. A sucker for a love story, they had me with the more than half-century-long courtship of the President and the First Lady. For those more politically inclined, there is so much to see and learn here, not the least of which is SAM 27000, also known as Air Force One. Serving seven Presidents – Nixon through George H.W. Bush – and logging 660,000 air miles during the Reagan administration alone, it is equal parts sobering and exhilarating to actually walk through The Flying White House. Be sure to save time for the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives, a separate special exhibit on display through April 2013.

Two plaques President Reagan kept on his desk in the Oval Office.

Keeping in the museum vein but switching gears entirely (pun intended), the Petersen Automotive Museum (along Museum Row in Miracle Mile) is a fantastic place to take the car buffs in your life. Offering a history of the automobile in general and specifically in relation to its place in Los Angeles, you’ll see non-motorized cars, classic cars, space-age and prototype cars, and even movie cars. Exhibits are thoughtfully created with painstaking accuracy; you may feel like you’re actually in your childhood garage.

Greased Lightning, the car in which Sandy and Danny rode off into the sky during the final scene of Grease.

 Moving on to the “Free Stuff” category, we did three very cool free things:

The Venice Canal Historic District. Entering the canals from Washington Boulevard, we were immediately transported to another place… which wasn’t quite Venice, Italy but was pretty close considering we were in Southern California. Built in 1905 by Abbot Kinney and renovated in 1992, the canals provide a peaceful setting for a leisurely stroll over bridges and along the waterways which are lined with lovely, colorful, architecturally-interesting homes.

A picturesque view of the Venice Canals.

The Annenburg Space for Photography in Century City. “Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present”. Extended through October 21^st, this free exhibit showcases an incredible collection of both familiar and never-before-seen photographs – from iconic and unknown photographers alike – of some of the best-known musical performers of all time. There is also a film and an 80-image slide show.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. What’s a trip to L.A. without experiencing a little bit of TV & movie magic? It’s as simple as going online and ordering tickets for your preferred dates (they offer 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd choice dates). My request was specific for October 1^st – my Dad’s birthday – and the NBC pages were great about helping me secure these tickets. Guests included Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Argo), Rebel Wilson Brynn (Bridesmaids, Pitch Perfect), and musical guest Cher Lloyd. Good, clean fun! And the house band is amazing.

There were many more items on our agenda – the Griffeth Observatory, The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum & Galleries, and the Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach), to name just a few –  but because there is so much to do here in Los Angeles we ran out of time long before we ran out of activity options... which is good news, since this event planner is certain to have frequent visitors to her magical city.