California Science Center: Located in Exposition Park near downtown, this extensive science museum offers free admission to its permanent exhibits, an IMAX theater and some exciting special exhibits.

Little Tokyo: Bounded by First and Third Streets from Main to Alameda, this area is the social, cultural, religious and economic center for Southern California"s Japanese-American residents.

Hermosa Beach: With a scenic pier, a pedestrian-only zone and a scenic beachfront walk, Hermosa Beach retains a 60s Beach Boy feel.

Dodger Stadium: Home to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Besides the baseball, there's a view of downtown Los Angeles to the south, the Elysian hills to the north and east and the San Gabriel Mountains beyond. With 56,000 seats, it's got plenty of room, too.

Did You Know?... Local legend has it that the Point Vicente Light Tower is home to a lady ghost who lost her lover at sea. Realists will tell you that the ghostly images are really reflections from the working Fresnel lens atop the 67 foot tower.

Whale Watching: Point Dume is also one of the best places in the Los Angeles area to watch for California gray whales during their December-March migration.

Hollywood Sign: This structure, located atop Mt. Lee in Griffith Park, is perhaps the most enduring symbol of Hollywood. The nine 50-foot letters can be seen from all over the L.A. basin, and occasionally even from passing aircraft. Originally constructed in 1923 and reading HOLLYWOODLAND, it was actually a promotional tool meant to draw attention to housing developments in a nearby section of the Hollywood Hills. By the '70s, however, the letters were in pretty bad shape, so the city decided to reconstruct it and began promoting it as a tourist attraction.

Beaches: Boho Venice Beach is the place to go for people-watching.

Did You Know?... that the LAPD had the very first policewoman?

Sand Sculptures: Sand castle contests are extremely popular and draw not only thousands of castle enthusiasts but professionals who make a living sculpting sand. Imperial Beach and Carmel are several locations with annual sand castle contest events.