Griffith Park
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Griffith Park is a 4,000-acre natural playground of rugged hills and gentle valleys, draped with native oak trees, manzanita, and sage and crisscrossed by hiking and horseback trails. The country’s largest urban park owes its existence to the Welsh Griffith Jenkins Griffith (1850–1919). In 1896, Griffith donated a large portion of his estate to the city with the proviso that it become “a place of recreation and rest for the masses.” Today, the park is filled with picnic areas, golf courses, and tennis courts.
For more information on Griffith Park log on to www.ci.la.ca.us/RAP/grifmet/griffith.htm
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1. Griffith Observatory & Planetarium
The sparkling white observatory has been the park’s chief attraction since 1935. It’s closed for renovation until early 2006, but a small satellite facility with planetarium shows and exhibits is in operation.
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2. Greek Theatre
A favorite LA outdoor concert venue, the 1930 Greek Theatre presents a summer season of top musical talent in its leafy natural bowl setting. With just over 6,000 seats, it’s great for close-ups of legends.
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3. Mount Hollywood Trail
The popular trek to the top of Mount Hollywood, the highest point in Griffith Park, rewards hikers with plenty of exercise and sweeping views of Los Angeles. Trailheads are located at Fern Dell and the Observatory.
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4. Merry-Go-Round
A slice of nostalgia in the midst of futuristic LA, this beloved 1926 Stillman carousel has 68 exquisitely carved horses complete with real horse-hair tails.
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5. Los Angeles Zoo
Some 1,200 animals are found here, including koalas and chimps. The breeding program has brought the California condor back from near-extinction.
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6. Autry Museum of Western Heritage
This great collection of art, artifacts, and memorabilia demystifies the history and mythology of the American West. Star exhibits include a Colt handgun collection.
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7. Travel Town Museum
A good-sized fleet of vintage locomotives, freight and passenger cars, and several cabooses (goods trains) draw railroad aficionados to this outdoor museum. Children love riding the miniature train.
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8. Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills
Buster Keaton and Bette Davis are among the celebrities interred in this parklike cemetery dotted with patriotic art and architecture. It was founded in 1917 by Hubert Eaton, who invented the “full-service cemetery” concept satirized by Evelyn Waugh.
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9. Bronson Caves
Scenes from Star Trek , Batman , Bonanza , and countless other film and TV productions were shot in this former rock quarry and its caves. Tucked away in a remote corner of Griffith Park, it requires a short hike.
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10. Griffith Park & Southern Railroad
Generations of children have boarded the three miniature trains that chug along a 1-mile (1.6-km) track past pony rides, a Wild West ghost town, a Native American village, moving over a bridge and through a tunnel, past grazing goats and a cactus garden.
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