Northwest

A popular spot for film buffs, this former rock quarry consists of a short man-made tunnel through the hillside that was quickly embraced as a filming location once the quarry ceased operations in the 1920s. Since then, many television shows and low-budget sci-fi and Western films have been shot here, given its remote, craggy appearance and easy accessibility to Hollywood. Besides its portrayal as the entrance to the Batcave in the 1960s Batman series, you may have seen it in The A-Team, the original Star Trek series, Bonanza, The Lone Ranger television series, or perhaps one of the countless B-films from the 1950s and 60s that made use of it.

A combination art/history museum, with continuing and changing exhibitions of art from the American West, a major collection of Native American art, and historical artifacts of the West, including a permanent firearms gallery. A unique highlight of the museum is an exhibit on cowboys in popular culture, with many costumes and film props from popular Westerns and their Hollywood stars.

A classic zoo at the northern end of Griffith Park. Popular exhibits include a chimpanzee complex, a gorilla area, a large elephant complex, a newly built rainforest exhibit, a reptile house, and a children's zoo. There's also a few animal shows, including a bird show, elephant training, and a rhino feeding; check the website for times.

A shady oasis tucked alongside one of the main entrances into Griffith Park, this naturalistic area has numerous ferns and tropical plants alongside a small stream, with a nature trail and a picnic area that makes it a wonderful retreat on hot summer days.

A 1/3-scale miniature railroad that offers rides along a mile-long track and that's very popular with kids.

An antique carousel dating back to 1926 with a large band organ. A large children's playground sits nearby.

Before the current zoo was built in 1966, this spot a couple of miles to the south had served as Los Angeles' zoo since 1912, built at a time when small iron bar cages were common in zoos. Today, the rusting cages and stone grotto enclosures are still standing and are open for exploration alongside a picnic area, making this a popular spot for urban explorers. However, the cages are now closed off with iron bars.

A free exhibition of historic trains from Southern California, including locomotives, cabooses, passenger cars, and streetcars, as well as model trains and an exhibit hall with old automobiles. Train rides for children on a miniature railroad are also available.

Run by a local group of railroad enthusiasts, this museum is essentially a large scale model railroad, with miniature train rides for children and a few historic train cars. Most notable among the historic exhibits is the actual workshop owned by Walt Disney that he used to make his backyard model railroad (only open on the third Sunday of each month, when volunteers from a local historical society are available).

Who wouldn't want to grab a Dodger Dog and enjoy watching a game of baseball? Built by evicting and displacing an entire neighborhood of Chavez Ravine, this venerable stadium, in the hills north of Downtown near Echo Park, opened in 1962 and is home to Major League Baseball's 6 time world champion Los Angeles Dodgers. For $35 you can get all-you-can-eat hot dogs, sodas, and nachos at the Right Field Pavilion. Behind-the-scenes tours of the ballpark are available at 10AM, 11:30AM, and 1PM on days when there isn't an afternoon Dodgers game.

Built around turn of the century and, after several reincarnations, offers one of the only dinner theater options left in Los Angeles. The menu is heavily Spanish and the shows differ depending on the night and range from flamenco performances to tongue-in-cheek burlesque.

An outdoor amphitheater, opened in 1930 and so named because the stage is modeled after a Greek temple, set in Griffith Park and regularly used for concerts. Parking can be a problem as it is on a hill in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

LA has revived a sport that peaked in the 1970s, and tickets to roller derby matches can be purchased by those 21 and over. The sport is probably best summarized with a quote from the Derby Doll's own site: "Quad Skates. Short Skirts. Scars."

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 scenic lake encircled by a nice walking and jogging path. Just over 2 miles long, it offers a beautiful way to get outdoors.

An LA landmark large cinema with one screen, typically screening popular films.

Founded by occultist Manly P. Hall, PRS describes itself as "a repository of multicultural wisdom sources and a center of learning." The organization operates a bookstore, event space, and Hall's collection also formed the basis for the PRS library of approximately 30,000 volumes, which is accessible to the public. PRS hosts a variety of eclectic events, from lectures and film screenings, to game nights and tarot readings.