Things to do in the LA area on non-DLR days?

[Lumpy1106]

I like taking a break at the beaches nearby. If you haven’t, been Huntington beach is a great place to visit. This year for our trip we’re going to Laguna Beach for a couple of days to relax before heading to Disneyland.

If you can time your trip to coincide with the Sawdust Festival, the Pagent of the Masters is a great, only in Laguna Beach event - not to be missed if you've never been.
Check out the schedule at Hollywood Bowl too. Attending a concert, ANY concert @ Hollywood Bowl should be on everyone's bucket list. Local tip; park elsewhere and take a shuttle to get there. Parking at Hollywood Bowl is a whole new level of difficult (and in So Cal that's saying something). The shuttle is way easier and as affordable as paying to park there.

 

[ktlm]

We loved the Griffith Observatory.

You said you weren't really interested in a Studio Tour, but our other favorite was the Warner Brothers Studio Tour.

 

[Fred M]

I'm a big fan of the Griffith Park Observatory (also gives a good view of the Hollywood sign), as well as the Autry Museum on the east side of Griffith Park.

Also, if you have your own transportation, the Huntington Library in San Marino is fantastic!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

We did a series of podcasts of things to do around the LA area, called Day 6 Adventures (since Disneyland only sells up to 5-day park hoppers). If you have time you might want to listen to them: https://www.disboards.com/threads/day-six-podcasts-of-things-to-do-around-disneyland.3620288/

 

[nkereina]

The Grove/Farmer's Market is close to the tar pits. We loved walking around there, enjoying the atmosphere, and the lunch we had at one of the Farmer's Markets vendors was one of our favorite things we ate the whole trip!

 

[oakleycat]

We like the Tar Pits, including the museum, though the Natural History Museum is better. The CA Science Center is right next door and is also great. As others have said, definitely pay the extra fee to see the space shuttle. For art experiences the Getty is great, as is the Broad, and my favorite is the Huntington Library and Gardens in Pasadena. Getty and Huntington are more of a drive (and more traffic) but worth it! I actually really enjoyed the Peterson as well even though I didn't expect to, and the Museum of Tolerance is well worth a visit too.