Travis Newport Beach attractions? Known by locals as “The Back Bay,” Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserves is a large coastal wetland or estuary. Consisting of approximately 1,000 acres, it is one of the largest coastal wetland areas in southern California. The preserve is a popular place for bird watching because it is an important stopover for some 35,000 birds that are traveling on the Pacific Flyway, the major north-south migration path that extends from Alaska to Patagonia. In addition to bird watching, other popular activities include biking, hiking, and horseback riding. The park also features the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center which is a great place to visit with kids.
It might seem morbid for a cemetery to feature in a list of must-visit sights, but the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is undoubtedly one of LA’s top attractions. This cemetery is known for its famous permanent residents, including director Cecil B DeMille, actress Judy Garland, and The Beatles’ George Harrison. Johnny Ramone of The Ramones was cremated after his death in 2004, but a bronze statue stands as a memorial to the musician in this cemetery. The burial ground comes into its own in the summer when Hollywood Forever regularly hosts concerts, film screenings and other events for the living to enjoy. Designers Charles and Ray Eames – the husband-and-wife duo who gave us the Eames chair – built the Eames House in 1949 as part of the Case Study House Program. The couple lived in this home (also known as Case Study House No 8) until their deaths in 1978 and 1988, respectively. Since 2004, the Eames Foundation has managed this landmark of mid-20th-century modern architecture. Visitors can see the home’s striking exterior for $10 (reservations required 48 hours in advance) from 10am to 4pm daily, with the exception of Wednesdays and Sundays. Interior tours are $275 for up to two people.
The Spa at Pelican Hill at the Resort at Pelican Hill features 22 treatments rooms, a boutique, fitness center, and relaxation lounges. Some of the options include day packages, personal training, spa cuisine, and wellness classes. The spa’s Acqua Colonnades have saltwater soaking tubs, herbal steam rooms, and saunas. Treatments include advanced aesthetics, body therapy, massage therapy, and more. The spa offers skin care treatments such as facials and peels, and massage therapies include deep tissue, reflexology, and terra stone, as well as scalp massages and foot massages. The spa also offers a wide variety of packages. Read more info at Travis Newport Beach.
A suburb of Los Angeles, Hollywood is a destination in itself, with its own unique history and iconic sites. The attractions in Hollywood are closely associated with the film industry and the glamour of the silver screen. The hillside Hollywood sign, Hollywood Boulevard, the Walk of Fame, and the Chinese Theatre can easily fill a day or two of sightseeing. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a celebrity or two. On a hilltop in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Getty Center, designed by Richard Meier, is a huge complex measuring 0.75 square miles and set on 110 acres. The uniquely designed building and the beautiful grounds provide the perfect setting for this impressive museum. Collections include European paintings, drawings, sculpture, and decorative arts, as well as 19th- and 20th-century photography. The Getty Center is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum, created by the late oil magnate, J. Paul Getty.
The oil magnate Jean Paul Getty was considered one of the richest men in the world when he established the J. Paul Getty Trust in 1953. Today, the world’s wealthiest art institution funds several institutions, including the stunning billion-dollar Getty Center perched high atop L.A.’s Brentwood Hills. A sleek hover-train funicular whisks visitors up to the museum where an extraordinary collection of artwork from the Middle Ages to the present awaits, including masterpieces like van Gogh’s “Irises,” Monet’s “Wheatstack” and “The Abduction of Europa” by Rembrandt. Outside, sculpture-ornamented gardens offer panoramic views of the Los Angeles Basin.
Tour the Los Angeles Central Public Library: The Los Angeles Central Public Library reflects the Egyptian-style architecture mania that swept the country in the 1920s, after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. Discover fossil fun: At La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park, the site of the richest discovery of Ice Age fossils in the world, more than 100 tons of fossilized bones representing 200-plus species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish have been unearthed from pools of sticky asphalt dating back to prehistoric time. This is a uniquely favorite point of interest for sightseeing in L.A. See more details at Travis Newport Beach.