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Los Angeles 2008

A Travel Diary

Los Angeles 2008

Hollywood, the La Brea Tar Pits & the SoCal coast — November 2008

25Photographs
5Days
5Places
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Hello from LA

A Thanksgiving-week trip to Southern California: the Hollywood sign up in the hills, the prehistoric ooze of the La Brea Tar Pits, an afternoon among the rays and sharks at the aquarium, and long grey-sky walks on the Venice and Santa Monica sand. Tap any photo to enlarge it, or open the map.

Our first trip out to Southern California, over Thanksgiving week. We spotted the Hollywood sign up in the hills, peered into the prehistoric ooze of the La Brea Tar Pits, and spent an afternoon among the rays and sharks at the aquarium.

The coast was all grey skies and cool sand — long walks on Venice and Santa Monica beach, the Pacific stretching out flat and silver. A gentle first look at a city we'd keep coming back to.

This trip ran 5 days, November 23–28, 2008. Along the way we spent time at The aquarium, The La Brea Tar Pits, Venice & Santa Monica Beach, The Hollywood Hills, and Los Angeles after dark. The gallery below tells it day by day, in 25 photographs.

Planning your own trip? Read Los Angeles with kids: our itinerary & tips →

Day 1

Sun 23 Nov

The Hollywood Hills

The Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood HillsThe Hollywood sign on its hillside, exactly where it should be.
The Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood HillsChaparral and canyon, with a little white sign making it unmistakable.
The Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood HillsThe Hollywood sign on its hillside, exactly where it should be.

Day 2

Mon 24 Nov

The La Brea Tar Pits

The La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar PitsLeaves caught on the surface of the tar, the way the mammoths once were.
The La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar PitsThe La Brea Tar Pits, asphalt still bubbling up after tens of thousands of years.
The La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar PitsA mammoth looming in the museum, a reminder of what the tar once trapped.
The La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar PitsLeaves caught on the surface of the tar, the way the mammoths once were.
The La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar PitsA mammoth looming in the museum, a reminder of what the tar once trapped.
The La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar PitsA mammoth looming in the museum, a reminder of what the tar once trapped.
The La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar PitsThe La Brea Tar Pits, asphalt still bubbling up after tens of thousands of years.

Day 3

Tue 25 Nov

Los Angeles after dark

Los Angeles after dark
Los Angeles after darkHeadlights and palm-tree silhouettes - LA in the dark.
Los Angeles after dark
Los Angeles after darkLos Angeles after dark, all tail-lights and neon.

Day 4

Thu 27 Nov

The aquarium

The aquarium
The aquariumRays and reef and the underwater glow of the aquarium.
The aquarium
The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.
The aquarium
The aquariumA leopard shark idling along the bottom of the tank.
The aquarium
The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.
The aquarium
The aquariumRays and reef and the underwater glow of the aquarium.
The aquarium
The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.
The aquarium
The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.
The aquarium
The aquariumA leopard shark idling along the bottom of the tank.
The aquarium
The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.

Day 5

Fri 28 Nov

Venice & Santa Monica Beach

Venice & Santa Monica Beach
Venice & Santa Monica BeachEmpty winter sand, big sky, and the ocean doing its thing.
Venice & Santa Monica Beach
Venice & Santa Monica BeachThe Pacific going silver under a low grey afternoon.
Venice & Santa Monica Beach
Venice & Santa Monica BeachEmpty winter sand, big sky, and the ocean doing its thing.
Venice & Santa Monica Beach
Venice & Santa Monica BeachThe Pacific going silver under a low grey afternoon.

Where we wandered