Acton, CA Real Estate Information

Animal Acres

Studio Tours

Please note the individual details in the entries. Advance tickets are required for the Paramount Tour and recommended for many of the rest. The KCET tour is for KCET members only (membership is $40 and you need to receive a membership card through the mail). The prices for the other tours vary from free for the Paramount Ranch (which is a park now) to $35 for the Paramount Tour. Do not try to do all of these in one day! The tours have just placed on one day for conciseness. [Photo courtesy of Vanilla Twilight] read more about Studio Tours

Los Angeles Beaches

Day 1 lists the Malibu beaches, starting close to the city and heading up the coast. Day 2 lists the Santa Monica and beach cities beaches, starting in Santa Monica and heading south. read more about Los Angeles Beaches

Los Angeles Walks

Although you may not guess it, there is great hiking very close to the City of Angels. The Los Angeles basin is located immediately next to the rugged Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountain ranges. Outdoor adventure is at hand. read more about Los Angeles Walks

Spend a romantic weekend in sultry Palm Springs

Beautiful Palm Springs has been a playground for many of Hollywood's best and brightest stars since the 1950's. Its natural seclusion and rejuvenating hot springs create a romantic haven for those looking for a sultry stay in the desert. Whether you want to escape to Le Vallauris and indulge on fine French cusine, savor the flavor of gourmet Italian food at Augusta, or just enjoy the beauty in your lavish room at the Viceroy Palms you will find yourself and your partner lost in all of the magic that the beautiful Palm Springs has to offer. read more about Spend a romantic weekend in sultry Palm Springs

The Lap of Luxury is Palm Springs

Palm Springs is known as the playground of the stars, so why not help Palm Springs keep its name and be a king and queen for a weekend, or take the whole royal family. There are so many things you can do here ranging from their array of art galleries to boutiques and shops all for your pleasure. If it is going to be a family affair, these places are great for kids too, and remember there are a ton of water parks here. read more about The Lap of Luxury is Palm Springs

Great food, great fun all in the beautiful and family friendly Palm Springs.

A beautiful weekend in Palm Springs, and the kids can come? Palm Springs is not only the playground for the stars, it can be the playground for you and your family. The Sands Hotel at Indian Wells is the perfect home away from home for your weekend in Palm Springs, it offers large rooms, with kitchenettes in every unit so that you can bring your own lunches when you visit the mysterious and beautiful Indian Canyons and plunge into Knotts Soak City saving your money for the arcades at Boomers. Now that you have had your fun in the sun, enjoy some of Palm Springs culture and enjoy the Olly-O-Land Children's art gallery, created by local artist Ron Chespak. read more about Great food, great fun all in the beautiful and family friendly Palm Springs.

Historic Movie Theaters

Day One lists the movie palaces that are still showing movies. If the place has been multiplexed, I recommend watching a movie in the main auditorium! Day Two lists smaller historic theatres. Day Three collects theatres that have been converted into nightclubs, concert halls, or multi-purpose performance spaces. [Photo courtesy of laasB] read more about Historic Movie Theaters

Budget Travel in Los Angeles

Los Angeles can be experienced on the cheap: there is memorable sight-seeing here and great affordable ethnic food. As a rule of thumb the farther west you go the more expensive everything gets. (Don't let this keep you away from the ocean; the Pacific is a must see and no one can charge admission.) The Getty Center is included here as it's affordable–you just pay for parking–and it is a whole lotta museum! My other guides (especially L.A. Beaches, Walks, and Affordable Restaurants) supplement the selection here. The days of this list are organized with this content: Day 1 --- Downtown Sites Day 2 --- Hollywood/Westside Sites Day 3 --- Dive Bars Day 4 --- Lodging read more about Budget Travel in Los Angeles

First Time in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a place that means so many things to so many people. Worldwide, the city is famous as the center of America's entertainment industry and also as the essential car city. To the rich and already famous, Los Angeles is the perfect place for a secluded garden hide-out in the hills, with easy access to top-shelf shopping, dining, and nightlife. To the many hard-working immigrants in this very diverse city, it is the location for their own chance at the American dream. For the traveler, visiting means a chance to gawk at the commotion and conspicuous consumption, all while enjoying the good weather and excellent food. The hardest thing about a first visit to Los Angeles is the logistics of transportation. The intrepid can navigate via public transportation, although they will sacrifice a lot of time to riding on buses. The region is very large and spread-out so renting a car is often the way to go. This opens a whole new can of worms: the traffic in Los Angeles is pretty bad and driving entails a lot of local knowledge regarding choice of routes at particular times of day. For a visitor, a little common sense will go a long way. The spots and activities listed here are mostly in the historic downtown or the Hollywood area. There are a ton of things to do in these locales, including many iconic landmarks. Day 4 is all about going shopping and has a wider geographic range. read more about First Time in Los Angeles

Favorite Kid-Friendly Activities in Los Angeles

Written by Kristi Marcelle and Cagney Jarvis for Ciao Bambino. With temperate weather and year-round activities, Los Angeles is a perfect vacation destination. Families should know that the LA area is sprawling and the best way to approach sightseeing is to divide and conquer. Rent a car, figure out what you want to do, and plan accordingly. Do you want beach, museums, or nature? The beauty of Los Angeles is that there are many diverse and interesting experiences and attractions within driving distance for a day trip. Note, traffic and parking are notoriously horrible—plan for just 1-2 activities per day. Disneyland, of course, is a main kid-friendly attraction, but is located in Orange County and subsequently excluded from list. Note: Be sure to read the Day Notes for the kid-friendly details on recommended attractions. Ciao Bambino provides tips and advice around all things related to traveling with kids and is a guide to the best kid friendly hotels. read more about Favorite Kid-Friendly Activities in Los Angeles

Hollywood and Palm Springs

There is more to Los Angeles than Disneyland, Beverly Hills and crime. Experience the throbbing Bohemian vibe of Silver Lake, the historical past of Hollywood's golden era and the hipster past of Palm Springs. This is the quintessential Los Angeles experience for those that want to live an updated 1950s lifestyle right here, right now. read more about Hollywood and Palm Springs

LA Architecture

Los Angeles is a treasure trove of both Art Deco and Modern architecture. Many Art Deco buildings are located either downtown or in the Mid-Wilshire district; often they have been adapted from their original uses. In terms of the Modern movement, Los Angeles is ground zero for residential architecture of this type. There are a number of Frank Lloyd Wright residences. Schindler and Neutra were based here for many years and had clients on the area. The later generations of Modernist residential architects are well-represented as well, including Craig Ellwood, John Lautner, and Gregory Ain, The trick is finding what you want to see in the massive Los Angeles area. read more about LA Architecture

Affordable Los Angeles Restaurants

A meal at the places listed here will cost you around $8 to $15 dollars a person; plus more for alcoholic beverages. This list started as my most frequented favorite restaurants in LA, with more expensive places screened out. I have also done some online research in an attempt to make this selection more comprehensive. The days are organized by location: Day 1 -- Westside Day 2 -- West Hollywood and Mid-Wilshire Day 3 -- East Hollywood, Los Feliz, and Silverlake Day 4 -- Koreatown Vicinity Day 5 -- Downtown Day 6 - San Fernando Valley Day 7 -- East Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Gabriel, and Eastward (Use the "hide/show day" options and number buttons below to focus in on your location.) read more about Affordable Los Angeles Restaurants

Offbeat Los Angeles

California has always been a haven for misfits and eccentrics. Accordingly, Los Angeles has many hidden locales that just make you wonder. Because the Southland is so huge, the more you look then the more odd stuff you will find. Listed here are a variety of sites to get you started. The Days below are organized geographically: Day 1 --- Westside Day 2 --- Hollywood Day 3 --- Mid-Wilshire and Koreatown Day 4 --- Near Downtown Day 5 --- San Fernando Valley Sites Day 6 --- Sites to the South Day 7 --- Sites farther East Day 8 --- Outside the City Photo: Venice Beach performer. By Irene read more about Offbeat Los Angeles

Channel Islands

Fishing, Hiking, Kayaking and Camping read more about Channel Islands