15 Things to Do in East Los Angeles

One of the city’s oldest communities, East Los Angeles, is only a few kilometres east of downtown Los Angeles. Though it can be a tad on the gritty side for some mainstream travellers, it’s full of artistic, cultural, and historical attractions that tend to highlight its Hispanic roots. There isn’t a finer spot in the city to eat true Mexican food, listen to authentic music, and see bright street art. Additionally, there are numerous parks and live entertainment venues in East Los Angeles that host acts all year long that are very popular. The following list of 15 things to do in and near East Los Angeles should not be missed.

The Chicano Resource Center (CRC)

East Los Angeles is primarily populated by Mexican-Americans, which is visible in almost every element of the neighbourhood. In order to preserve and advance the rich cultural heritage of the region, the Chicano Resource Centre was founded in 1976. The CRC is a combination of a library, a museum, and a historical site. It serves as an important communal asset for people of Mexican origin. The centre includes printed and audio-visual materials, personal advocates, and outreach programmes targeted at addressing many of the significant concerns facing Chicanos, in addition to bright local art and historical artefacts. You may find it on East 3rd Street in East Los Angeles, where you may find it.

El Tepeyac Café

On lists like this, restaurants don’t generally merit the top slot, but when it comes to Mexican food in East Los Angeles, one place stands out. El Tepeyac Café has been a staple of the city’s culinary scene since the mid-1950s, which is remarkable given the fierce competition in the region. Traditional Mexican food, such as burritos, enchiladas, tacos, and Menudo prepared from scratch, is El Tepeyac’s claim to fame. You’ll probably need to bring some home because the portions are so large. It is situated on North Evergreen Avenue in the Boyle Heights neighbourhood of East Los Angeles, in a very modest position.

Whittier Boulevard

Whittier Boulevard in East LA is a popular destination for classic automobile lovers and their customised vehicles, especially on the weekends and in the evenings. As typical of East Los Angeles as you’re likely to find, the entire region takes on a carnival-like ambience. The vehicles are typically older-model low-riders that have been restored to almost their original state, but with spectacular custom paint jobs, powerful stereos, luxurious interiors, and those cool suspensions that rise and fall in response to the driver. There will be a lot of loud music, a lot of people, and loads of delicious, reasonably priced street food.

El Mercado

East LA is filled with vibrant indoor-outdoor mercados that serve as social hubs in addition to being commercial locations. El Mercado frequently hosts live mariachi bands as well as other entertainment, including singers and street performers, unlike its big-box American supermarket competitors. It provides a very distinctive cultural experience that is worthwhile for people who have never been there. The sellers at El Mercado sell everything from typical prepared meal items and clothing to candies, toys, and household goods, in addition to fresh meat and veggies. For delicious street cuisine, consider visiting around lunch or dinner. You may find it on East 1st Street in East Los Angeles, where you may find it.

TCL Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Walk of Fame

The distance between East Los Angeles and Hollywood is only approximately 20 kilometres, despite the fact that the two cities couldn’t be more dissimilar if they were on other planets. Two of the city’s entertainment symbols are the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the TCL Chinese Theatre. They’re essential stops for tourists who want to learn about the region’s history in show business. The theatre currently provides a range of year-round events and performances, in addition, to regularly scheduled guided tours, more than 90 years after it first opened. It is possible to visit the Walk of Fame at any time. Just a 20-minute drive northwest of East Los Angeles separates them both.

The Getty Centre

One of the most well-known man-made structures in the state is the Getty Centre, which is situated in the heart of Los Angeles just north of Santa Monica. It also happens to have a top-notch collection of rare artwork, making it a desirable destination for art enthusiasts and West Coast culture enthusiasts. The centre’s collection includes a wide range of historical and modern works of art produced by artists around the world. On clear Southern California days, it’s possible to see the nearby mountains in Santa Monica and LA’s singular skyline. Depending on traffic, it will take about 40 minutes to drive from East Los Angeles; alternatively, you can take public transport from Union Station.

Union Station

Despite being there for more than eight decades, downtown Los Angeles’ Union Station has recently come to represent the city’s emerging revival. The largest station of its kind on the whole West Coast, the historic station serves as the main hub for public transportation into and out of the city. Union Station is one of the city’s most beautiful monuments thanks to its spectacular mission-style architecture. The interior is characterised by vaulted ceilings and inlaid tile floors, more akin to a palace than a municipal transportation centre. A few blocks west of East Los Angeles, on North Alameda Street, is where you’ll find the station.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Since its opening in the middle of the 1960s, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has been one of Southern California’s most popular art destinations. It has a sizable collection of artwork from all over the world and is situated on the renowned Wilshire Boulevard just a few kilometres west of East LA. The museum holds a number of temporary exhibits in addition to its permanent ones throughout the year. It is situated on 20 picturesque acres of land close to other well-known local sights including the La Brea Tar Pits. Interactive exhibitions, outdoor seating areas, and a number of on-site restaurants are additional features.

Walt Disney Concert Hall

The Walt Disney Concert Hall has assisted in transforming a part of downtown that was formerly derided for its poor architecture and scant recreational choices. One of the most beautiful and distinctively designed structures in the neighbourhood. It’s a historical site that’s worthwhile to check out for fans of music and live performances. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra often performs in the hall throughout the year. A tour led by a docent might be the best option if you’d prefer not to sit through a lengthy performance. About five kilometres northwest of East Los Angeles, on South Grand Avenue, is where it can be found.

Citadel Outlets

Located in the City of Commerce just a few kilometres southeast of East Los Angeles off the Santa Ana Freeway, Citadel Outlets is one of the area’s premier destinations for travellers interested in partaking in a bit of retail therapy. Because of their spectacular construction, designed to resemble a Mediterranean castle, the outlets are difficult to miss. Ironically, the building was originally the home of a tyre manufacturing company in the ’20s; it wasn’t until the ’90s that it was transformed into an upscale retail space. The Citadel is nearly 160,000 square feet of shops, restaurants, and other amenities.

Eaton Canyon Nature Center

It doesn’t take long while travelling north from Los Angeles before the urban sprawl gives way to large, largely uninhabited stretches of high desert wilderness and breathtaking mountains. On North Altadena Drive in Pasadena, the Eaton Canyon Nature Building has over 200 acres of diverse ecosystems and a sizable interpretive centre. The nature centre is bordered by the San Gabriel Mountains, which provide a wealth of streams and canyons for exploration. Additionally, there are several multi-use routes that are well-liked by cyclists, hikers, and equestrian riders. If you’re not travelling during rush hour, the trip from East Los Angeles should only take about 30 minutes.

San Antonio Winery

East Los Angeles is home to one of the region’s oldest wineries, despite its climate not being as ideal for grape cultivation as that of its northern California competitors. The San Antonio Winery was established more than a century ago and is now managed by family members. The winery manages vineyards in Napa Valley and Monterey. Their distinctive wines range from effervescent, cooling whites to robust, flavorful dark reds. Traditional American and Italian cuisine are the focus of a well-known on-site restaurant in San Antonio. They hold a variety of special events all year round. They are situated in Los Angeles on Lamar Street, only ten minutes west of East LA.

Santa Monica

One of the most renowned beach communities in the nation is Santa Monica, which is located in Southern California. Santa Monica is located roughly 35 kilometres west of East Los Angeles. Its pier and beach draw tourists from all over the nation, many of whom come to take in the breathtaking beauty and diverse population that gather there. Movie stars frequently dine at neighbourhood eateries, but you may also see homeless panhandlers, ripped muscle men, and a variety of other people around the pier. Street performers and carnival-style games are prevalent, as are restaurants and bars that run the gamut from cheap and seedy to uber-exclusive and prohibitively expensive.

Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard is one of the few locations that perfectly captures the atmosphere of Los Angeles. It’s a must-see destination that should be taken advantage of if you just have a short amount of time, and it’s only a few kilometres west of East Los Angeles. Between Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood is Sunset Boulevard, which has been in a number of films throughout the years. It’s definitely best to visit during the day if you’re travelling with children because it’s a popular nightlife area with a somewhat unsavoury reputation. If you want to avoid the crowds, go to the boulevard early in the day when it’s less crowded, because it might get busy with tourists during the day.

Mariachi Plaza

The weather in Los Angeles is ideal for outdoor activities for a large portion of the year, despite the fact that the summer heat may be downright unbearable. Boyle Heights’ Mariachi Plaza is one of many mercados and plazas in the city that have both indoor and outdoor areas. It comes to life on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays with stalls, live entertainment, and a generally enjoyable ambience resembling a festival or state fair. Here, you may get anything from affordable children’s clothing to homemade ice cream to real Mexican street food. Within the boundaries of the city of East Los Angeles, Mariachi Plaza is situated between East 1st Street and Boyle Avenue.