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While it's in the process of a long restoration, the section of the Los Angeles River past Northwest L.A. is actually already open as a recreation zone, with a soft-bottomed bed that supports trees and wildlife. A bike path runs along the western bank of the river between Riverside Drive at the north end of Griffith Park and the neighborhood of Elysian Valley, better known to locals as Frogtown, an up-and-coming area that has been the subject of much interest lately with the restoration of the river. Pocket parks dot the banks and there are opportunities for kayaking along this stretch of river. On summer weekends, the Friends of the Los Angeles River operates The Frog Spot on the bike path in Frogtown, with various vendors, live music, and plenty of river-based outdoor activities.
A historic neighborhood between Echo Park and Downtown which contains many Victorian residences that are nationally or locally registered as historic places.
Metro: Vermont/Sunset
A small hill in East Hollywood with sweeping views of the neighborhood as well as an arts complex on top that serves the local community, with an art center that offers classes to adults and children, a community theater, the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, which holds changing exhibits of art from local artists, and Hollyhock House, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and is open to the public. Hollyhock House is one of eight buildings by Wright to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
A nice lakeside park with views of the Downtown skyline. There's a major fountain at the center of the lake and paddle boats are available for a ride on the lake. The park is very popular and good for picnics, though often crowded. It has also been featured in various media: film buffs may recognize the lake from a scene in Chinatown, while OK Go fans might recognize the park as the setting for their time-lapse music video for the song End Love. The surrounding area is a hub for underground/indie culture and houses a number of venues.
Perched in the foothills of Los Feliz beneath Griffith Park on a winding residential street is this massive Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house, constructed using textile blocks reminiscent of an ancient Mayan temple. The building is notable for its use as a filming location, appearing in numerous films and television shows including the 1959 House on Haunted Hill, the mansion in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and most notably in Blade Runner, as well as numerous commercials, fashion shoots, and music videos. Unfortunately, the house is only open for tours a handful of days each year, but both sides of its impressive exterior can easily be viewed from the street.
(Metro: Westlake) This park has been famous for a long time, starting with Charlie Chaplin, who made several films at the lake here. Since the 1970s, it's also known for being a location where people ritualistically leave cakes out in the rain. In the 90s its reputation was tainted by violence and drug use, but the park has been cleaned up over the last few years, and is once again a decent place to visit. Take a paddle boat out on the small lake or watch one of the ever-present soccer matches.
A public staircase that was the setting of the 1932 Laurel and Hardy short film The Music Box, a slapstick flick where Laurel and Hardy try to move a piano up the steep steps to wacky results. Today it's a scenic walk through a pleasant neighborhood.