5 top attractions in Travis Newport Beach? 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.
As it features an art gallery, an impressive library and elaborate botanical gardens, it’s not only bibliophiles who will love the enchanting Huntington Library. After exploring the library’s exhibitions and collections of rare books, step outside and be transported to a garden straight out of a Jane Austen novel. Roses and marble statues surround the ponds and waterfalls, with a Japanese-style bridge in the middle of it all. To immerse further in the experience, visitors can also enjoy tea and freshly baked pastries in the Rose Garden Tea Room, which overlooks the garden. Admission is free the first Thursday of the month, $25 on weekdays and $29 on weekends. Established in 1917, Grand Central Market is a one-stop shop for every craving. Here you can find vendors offering an overwhelming selection of cuisines – from decadent breakfasts at Eggslut to handmade pupusas at Sarita’s Pupuseria – plus there’s coffee from G&B and juice from Press Brother’s, along with a host of choices for wine and beer. In addition to meals, visitors can also shop for fresh produce and sundries here.
Gondola Adventures offers a romantic cruise along the Newport Harbor in an original Venetian gondola. Your excursion can even feature a singing gondolier, if you wish. Watch the sunset, have a glass of champagne and a picnic lunch or dinner, exchange a few kisses, and enjoy the pure romance of this unique cruise. If you are looking for date night ideas in Newport Beach, this is a great romantic activity. There are specially decorated wedding gondolas that are beautifully carved and ornate if you want to pop the question or tie the knot in a unique setting. There are gondolas with a canopy for privacy, shade, or protection from rain. And there are also gondolas with a motor to get you a bit farther along the harbor. Read additional details on Travis Newport Beach.
Bordering Los Angeles to the south, about 20 miles from downtown LA, Long Beach extends along San Pedro Bay. This is another community in the Los Angeles area that you can easily spend a day exploring. Worth visiting here are the historic Queen Mary ocean liner, now converted into a hotel and museum, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and the Museum of Latin America. You can also catch the Catalina Express from Long Beach for a trip over to Catalina Island. In Hancock Park, La Brea Tar Pits were formed 40,000 years ago, when oil seeped through the rock. The Tar Pits would entrap passing animals, which would get stuck in the substance. The tar then preserved the fossils throughout the ages, leaving behind an incredible glimpse into another age. The Page Museum shows reconstructed fossils of prehistoric animals found in the giant tar-craters of La Brea, as well as the process of fossil recovery. You can see bones being worked on and learn what takes place behind the scenes, before bones and skeletons are able to be displayed. The museum displays fully reconstructed fossils of a variety of mammals including mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and others, all dating from between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago. An outdoor area in Hancock Park displays replicas of extinct animals.
Tucked away in a 16-square-bloock area known as the Golden Triangle in the exclusive neighborhood of Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive is L.A.’s most famous shopping street. While few come to buy the high-priced designer clothing and accessories sold in the luxury shops, Rodeo Drive is nevertheless a tourist hot spot. Window-shopping is irresistible on this avenue of haute couture, and there’s always the chance of spotting a celebrity shopping for the latest styles. The mini-mall at Two Rodeo Drive always attracts attention. With its “faux-European” architecture and cobblestone street, it looks more like a theme park than a mall.
Gangteng Monastery: This is a very important temple in the Nyingmapa school of Buddhism. Black-necked cranes swoop around the building on their way to and from Tibet, and behind the temple, the Black Mountains rear into the heavens. Dating from the early 17th century, the temple stands in the village, looking down over the beautiful Phobjika Valley far down below. See extra information at Travis Newport Beach.