Viator Los Angeles

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens (or simply “The Huntington” for short) is one of the best existing examples of philanthropy and, lucky you, it’s nestled snugly in Los Angeles. Originally the private residence of Henry E. Huntington, the Huntington estate was built on railroad tycoon money and, upon Mr. Huntington’s passing in 1927, became the library, art collection and botanical gardens it’s known as today. The 120-acre estate is a special escape in the heart of Los Angeles, and its specialized gardens, its fabulous art collection, and its superlative collection of rare books are a treat separately or as a whole day excursion.

While Los Angeles is known for being the city of angels and for its near-incessant sunshine, come Christmastime, this large metropolitan city definitely gets into the spirit of things. While you might be visiting and expecting nothing by palm trees and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, forget the pool parties and get out and see the town that now rivals New York for merry Christmas events. Great for families and singles alike, there’s something for everyone when it’s Christmas in Los Angeles.

Head to the Palms District of Los Angeles (9341 Venice Blvd., Culver City, to be exact) and find this fun and bizarre collection of relics, sculptures and other-worldly displays. With no clearly discernible museum ethos, nor any particular epoch or art form to focus on, the Museum of Jurassic Technology proves to be a wonderfully refreshing look into the odd, the interesting, the oft-passed-over aspects of history and artistic world.

The tour starts with a few minutes of basic bicycle education—you do need to know how to ride a bike in order to ride an electric bike. The electric bike looks like a normal bike with the addition of a battery pack in the back and a throttle on the handlebar. On this thirteen mile tour, you can choose to pedal, use the electric power or a combination of both—my favorite.

If you’re in Los Angeles for the first time, it’s undoubted that there’s plenty to do—from the beaches to Hollywood to the Getty, it’s almost too much. But if one of those things on your To Do List is getting in line to be part of a live television audience, of being part of the crowd that makes the magic happen, then this is how you should go about doing it.