EXCURSIONS DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PARK
rowing and more; rentals and classes are available. For a novel workout challenge, try YOGAqua’s (yogaqua. com) 90-minute classes that combine SUP and yoga, giving new meaning to the word “balance.” Post-workout, savor a cocktail or dinner aboard a Hornblower Cruise (hornblower.com).
Venice G ET TH E RE:
Bike along the scenic beach bike path or take the Santa Monica Circuit shuttle (ridecircuit.com).
West Hollywood G ET TH E RE:
Take the Metro Rapid Bus (metro.net).
Make your way east (on historic Route 66—aka Santa Monica Boulevard) through West Los Angeles and Beverly Hills until you arrive in West Hollywood. The home of the famous Sunset Strip offers revelry at exclusive clubs and concerts at the legendary Troubadour (troubadour.com) and The Roxy Theatre (theroxy.com). Shop in the stylish Design District, anchored by the 1.6 millionsquare-foot Pacific Design Center (pacificdesigncenter.com). Explore Santa Monica Boulevard restaurants and nightlife with a stop at The Abbey (theabbeyweho.com), one of the most popular gay bars in the United States. ✺ 7 4 S A N TA MON I CA OF F I C I A L V I S I TOR S GU I DE
WHERE MAGIC RESIDES SANTA MONICA HAS ITS OWN WORLD-FAMOUS HUB OF AMUSEMENT RIGHT
on the Pier: Pacific Park, home of the Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel, the West Coaster ride, midway attractions and more. But it’s also a great location from which to see outlying Los Angeles–area theme parks. Consult with your hotel staff to arrange for a visit to these local wonderlands. Ever since a certain mouse set up house in Anaheim back in 1955, fans have flocked to D I S N E Y L A N D . Today, the Magic Kingdom complex encompasses the original park as well as Disney California Adventure Park. The magic continues at U N I V E R S A L S T U D I O S H O L LY W O O D T M , where today’s blockbuster films are still made on the studio back lot. Topping the lists of recently added rides and attractions are Jurassic World: The Ride® and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. At S I X F L A G S M A G I C M O U N TA I N , more than a dozen roller coasters carry on the magical theme as they speed along in seeming defiance of physics. Among the thrill rides at the ready is X2, a 5-D roller coaster that spins the cars carrying riders independently on their own axis in a 360-degree arc as they careen around the track. On the site where the eponymous preserves originated, K N O T T ’ S B E R R Y F A R M puts a magical spin on the history of the American Northwest with attractions like its Wild West Stunt Show and Native American– inspired, special effects–enhanced Mystery Lodge experience. The latest of its 13 roller coasters is The Hang Time, featuring a 150-foot-high midair suspension, five inversions and a 96-degree beyond-vertical drop.
TYLE R N IX/ U NSPLASH (DISN EYLAN D)
This bohemian California neighborhood to the south of Santa Monica is famous for its boardwalk, which comes alive daily with a colorful array of fortune tellers, beach volleyball players, tattoo artists and street performers. Keep an eye out for the historic murals. Travel inland to Abbot Kinney Boulevard to visit art galleries, boutiques and upscale restaurants.
