I am bad at showing people around.
 

I have come to the realization that I am a really bad tour guide when people come to town. This has happened now on probably three or four occasions, where friends or family come to Los Angeles and I really suck it up when it comes to showing them the sights. I really don't know what I am supposed to do. I don't know the places you are supposed to go. Where do normal tourists visit? I mean, I can tell you the best bars in any given area, or good food, but you can't fill a day like that. Go downtown and stare at the tall buildings? I dunno. Especially if they aren't bar or club people, which they never are, I have nothing.


My girlfriend's college friend from France flew in yesterday and they were looking for things to do. I started talking about good bars at the Hermosa pier and up in Manhattan. Then my girlfriend politely noted to me that her friend doesn't drink. Doesn't drink? Well then I've got nothing for you babe.

Anyone else like this? You just feel bad that you can't show people a better time when they visit, especially people from outside the US.

Just because they don't drink doesn't mean they don't like bars or restaurants.

I don't drink these days, but there is a bar I enjoy going to, having iced tea or coffee.

Just drop them at the Getty and come back four hours later. Spend that four hours in a good sports bar, problem solved.

Um, you're in Hermosa.. go to the Beach?

Griffith Park
Hollywood Blvd.
Sunset Strip
Shopping on Melrose (girls love this)
Downtown Artwalk and then The Edison (dress code)
Helms Bakery (jazz, great food and beer at Father's Office)
Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier
Getty Center
Amoeba Records
Exposition Park
Venice Boardwalk
Museum of Jurassic Technology
Universal Citywalk and/or Universal Studios
Disneyland

Thankfully with this visitor, my girlfriend is taking her everywhere- they flew up to SF for two days and are back today, and tonight we're hitting up a concert in Pomona.

I still am sucky at giving suggestions on where to go. I guess many of the touristy locations I find dumb, and partying on the Hermosa Pier can be a bit wild for some to keep up.

show them the ocean, the tar pits, and the petersen museum.

Same here, Mike. I am a completely worthless tour guide.

When I am in a place to do the "tourist" thing, I can google and garmin my way around. I really don't need a friend for that.

What a tour guide-friend is for is the things that aren't in the typical tourist brochure. Those cool little places that are "undiscovered". So not just a beach, but that odd little secluded one where you hike down a near cliff to deserted sand and perfect waves - THAT beach.

I want my friends to take me to the places THEY think are cool. :)

angela

I actually got pretty good at showing people round at one time but I refuse to do it anymore. Too exhausting to do in L.A., there is just so much to see and so much driving in a car and talking. One problem, (maybe two), is that you live in the South Bay and you only recently moved to the L.A. area. I would have no clue what to show people down there. The beach areas are very nice but there is not much to see for a tourist once they've seen the beach and the cute little neighborhoods near by, especially someone from Europe or some other interesting place. People generally want to see the more famous areas of an area basically bordered by Hollywood to the east and Malibu to the west with Beverly Hills, UCLA, Brentwood/Palisades/Santa Monica/Venice/etc. in the middle.

Don't get me wrong about the SB beaches, it's a cool area for a young person who likes a certain type of lifestyle but it's also the epitome of the old saying about L.A. being a great place to live and a lousy place to visit. San Francisco is the exact oposite, FWIW. (IMO of course).

L.A. is a place where you really need a good tour guide in the way of someone with a fun life showing you around or you just don't know WTF is going on. In the last 48 hrs., my younger friends have been to the Foster for the People show @ the Wiltern + afterparty w/ major snugs and Bill Clinton's 65th BD party/benefit @ the Hollywood Bowl w/ Stevie Wonder/Bono/Lady Gaga/etc. and huge afterparties, I know all this courtesy of FB. (I live like a hermit in comparison). :D

There is more than one L.A. to see on any given weekend. maybe there are a thousand. That's what sets it apart from just about any other city in the U.S. other than NYC. :cool:

When we lived in CA, when people visited, they wanted to see the things they see on TV and the movies, so "Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, Brown Derby Restaurant, Graumann's Chinese Theater, Hollywood Walk of Stars, etc..." that type of thing...

Absolutely, in LA, all of the standard Hollywood stuff, walk of fame (pretty lame, but you've gotta see it once), Grauman's Chinese theater (cool to see the hand/foot prints), HOLLYWOOD sign on the hill, maybe even the observatory that overlooks that area. That sort of stuff.

Using Long Beach as an example, I drive them along Ocean Blvd from downtown to Belmont Shore and the marina area. Then I head up to Signal Hill which has a panoramic view of most of the L.A. basin on a good day, and at least a great view of the harbors, the airport and the general layout on as so-so day. From a perspective like that you can point out the mountain areas and the coast. Most of the world does not look like that.

If I were doing this in the SoBay, I would head up the hill in PV for that same view and hit a beach and/or a marina (like Del Rey). I'd probably hit the SM 3rd St. Promenade and maybe Beverly Hills.

It all depends on how much time you have. I've done the LB thing in an hour because there is a LOT you don't want to see.

Jared's recommendations look very good if you have that kind of time.

It has gotten this far without the obvious question - is she hot?

the friend, not your g/f...

for the record I don't tour guide anyone, but most places I suggest to visit are restaurants. I don't like tourist stuff.

Interestingly enough, the concert we hit up in Pomona was Foster the People.

This Mark Foster cat is a talent. The show was ridiculously good.

The friend? Not hot. not interesting. didn't really like the music. Didn't seem to have a good time.


Oh well, I rocked out.

This is what I'm hearing. :)