Looking for cool, off the beaten path things to do in offbeat Los Angeles? You don’t have to be a local to be in the know, thanks to the Internet. Hit the escape button from LA traffic jams with a trip up the Angeles Crest Highway, which winds through a beautiful mountain range with a spectacular view. Bring your snow chains, coat and hat, as you’ll also encounter a winter wonderland of snow. Who says it doesn’t snow in Southern California?
Another great offbeat Los Angeles trip, though not necessarily legal, is to visit the Lost Sunken City near Long Beach, a section of a cliff-side neighborhood that literally slid into the ocean during a landslide. It’s fenced off and the whole area is covered in graffiti, but what better way to venture off the beaten path? It’s definitely one of the more creative ways to get your kicks in Los Angeles. The locals use it to party with bon fires and a few beers. It’s also one of the best places to catch the most gorgeous sunset of your life. Bring a coat, however, as it tends to get chilly at night.
If you’re looking for some offbeat Los Angeles education during your visit of LA, stop in to the Museum of Jurassic Technology, which displays some of the coolest inventions in the history of human advancement. Who said knowledge isn’t cool?
Pole dancing is as offbeat as Los Angeles gets when you’ve got all types of body shapes swinging on stage. Though it’s not an actual strip club (the women don’t actually get naked, but perform some amazing pole moves stripped down to their underwear), you get dancers of all shapes and sizes with plenty of piercings, tattoos and rock and roll attitude to keep it hip and classy. The audience is not just some dude fest either. Men, women and old timers make up a welcoming crowd that is just there to have some good natured fun and rock the roof off the house. Bring plenty of 1s, because even though they might be in their undies, these women are dancing for the money.
Just down the street from the famous clown room, there are even more fun things to do in Los Angeles. Specifically in this quiet neighborhood of Los Feliz, one our favorite places to find classic LA fun is at The Dresden, a.k.a. one of the best bars in the world. Since 1954, this place has served Italian dishes and stiff cocktails but the LA hidden gem found here lies in the lounge. Every Tuesday – Saturday after 9 p.m. you can witness Marty & Elayne perform live on the piano, the drums and the flute. Have you ever watched a film called Swingers? Yes, Hollywood glam never dies at The Dresden and there are usually enough people to fill the room but not a single person stands out in line for the show, which makes this a true offbeat Los Angeles hideout.
If you’re a craft brew lover, there definitely isn’t a shortage of beer in Los Angeles. The Arts District is filled with breweries from Angel City, Boomtown Brewery, Iron Triangle and more cool places all located in DTLA. Although these breweries may yield high foot traffic on most sunny afternoons, we recommend the cool LA location of Eagle Rock Brewery. Located within Los Angeles city limits, but a tad bit North East, the owners of ERB are the pioneers of the modern LA micro brewing scene. These guys have been perfecting their taste since 2009 but have kept their taproom small and personable (and definitely a family friendly thing to do in LA.) Trust us, just keep driving down Roswell Street and look for the orange door to your right. Cheers!