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 21st, 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 1st, 2nd and 3rd
choice dates). My request was specific for October 1st – 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.