Non-Touristy Things to Do in Los Angeles for the Unconventional - and Brave - Tourist

Looking for great non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles? Be impulsive, independent - and a bit brave - and discover these remarkable non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles.

1. Explore Farmers Market

Don't be fooled into thinking that Los Angeles' Farmers Market is just a place to show off California's produce and poultry. A top draw for L.A. locals and celebrities alike, the Farmer's Market is great for bargain shopping, eating out, and people watching. Grab a London Times at the Farmers Market newsstand, have a cup of coffee and some slabs of famous French toast at Charlie's Coffee Shop, ride the historical trolley, or attend one of the annual free events at Farmers Market. One of the best non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles.

2. Visit Watts Towers Arts Center

Sculptor Sam Rodia calls the Watts Towers, "a dream-like complex of openwork towers, encrusted with a sparkling mosaic, composed mainly of what had once been refuse". Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Watts Towers have been called "a unique monument to the human spirit and the persistence of a singular vision". The two Watts Towers are 3-D sculptures covered with over 70,000 seashells, colored glass, and broken pottery. Although a few tourists do come here, visiting the Watts Towers still definitely ranks among non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles. Tour guides conduct tours Thursday through Sunday every 30 minutes until 3 p.m. Don't go here at night.

3. Hike to a Waterfall

Avoid the more touristy Griffith Park and try one of Los Angeles' nature-oriented, non-touristy things to do by visiting a Southern California open area or mountain park. La Tuna Canyon Park has trails that climb through a shady canyon linked with oaks and sycamores. From the parking lot, take a picnic lunch and hike the easy half-mile up an incised canyon to "The Grotto" picnic area, where large trees overhang a waterfall and a small pool.

If you prefer an ocean view, two more nature-oriented, non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles are taking hikes in Topanga State Park or Malibu Bluffs Open Space.

4. Take a drive

Not into hiking? One of the most famous drives in Los Angeles, if not the entire country, is along the Mulholland Scenic Parkway and Corridor. Fifty-five miles of scenic, winding roads offers ocean, mountain, and city views at numerous overlooks. Start at Leo Carrillo State Beach off Hwy. 1 and meander through the Santa Monica Mountains through Malibu Creek State Park and on into Woodland Hills. At Santa Maria Road, Mulholland Drive becomes a dirt road (closed at times) and winds through Topanga State Park. Dirt road? That definitely puts this one into the category of non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles, if not in all of California.

You can skip the dirt road and take the 405 to Sepulveda Dr. and continue west along Mulholland Drive through Sherman Oaks. A lot of stars live or lived along this stretch of the road that winds through areas above Beverly Hills and on into Hollywood Hills. Get a map or addresses of stars on Mulholland Drive if you want to see those sites. Mulholland Drive ends west of the 101 Freeway in Hollywood. It's best to take this drive on a Sunday to avoid major traffic.

5. Stop at the Rock Store

As long as you're driving along Mulholland Drive, take a break at the Rock Store, a popular pit stop for motorcyclists and locals alike. In fact, you might see Jay Leno ride up on his latest motorcycle here. Located west of Malibu State Park, this very non-touristy thing to do in Los Angeles attracts locals like Peter Fonda and former local Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bikes in the parking lot range from choppers to the exotic to the sport variety. Grab a BBQ lunch and a cold drink and chat awhile with store owners Ed and Vern.

6. See the World's Largest Oil Painting

If cemeteries can be included among non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles, Forest Lawn tops the list. Purported to be the largest known oil painting on canvas in the world (nearly 200 ft. long by 50 ft. high), "The Crucifixion" is located at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale. Forest Lawn Glendale is also known for replicas of Michelangelo's David, Moses, and La Pietà, plus it houses a replica of Da Vinci's Last Supper.

7. Visit a Real Hollywood Prop Store

If visiting cemeteries puts you into the mood for things that go bump in the night, the Dapper Cadaver will put the icing on your scary cake. From skeletons to tombstones, the Dapper Cadaver also rents or sells bloody body parts, mad scientist lab equipment, and a variety of coffins and caskets. Not just for Halloween, this prop rental and sales store is one of the spookiest non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles. Be sure to ask for a tour of the shop, and you might see one of their projects in production.

If you prefer a lighter, prop-related non-touristy thing to do in Los Angeles, check out the Almost Christmas Prop Shoppe on Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. For 20 years, the owner has decorated famous Los Angeles landmarks, hotels, and country clubs for Christmas.

8. Read It Before It's Gone

The Bodhi Tree on Melrose Avenue is perhaps the most famous bookstore in Los Angeles, made famous by the likes of Shirley McClaine. The Bodhi Tree specializes in spiritual and metaphysical books, recordings, and gifts. Sadly, they plan to close in the fall of 2011. Stop by and have of cup of tea in their garden before this spiritual non-touristy thing to do in Los Angeles is gone.

9. Contemplate Eternity

As long as you are contemplating the loftier things in life, take some time out and meditate at the Lake Shrine Self-Realization Fellowship center in Malibu. Ten acres of gardens, various flora and fauna, and a natural spring-fed lake beckon you to contemplate the higher things in life. Open to all religions, the Lake Shrine has a court that honors the five primary religions of the world. Contemplate peace as you visit the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial, where part of Gandhi's ashes is enshrined. After visiting one of the most spiritual non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles, stop by the museum and gift store and pick up something to remember your visit by.

10. Eat a Los Angeles Institution

As far as tasty non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles goes, buying a hot dog at Pink's in Hollywood is one of the tastiest. Prepare to wait in line, but don't be discouraged. Orders at Pink's are filled fast.

Not into hot dogs? Try Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles. If you think eating chicken and waffles at the same time is a bit different, remember - in Los Angeles, the different becomes ordinary.

So the next time you are looking for some non-touristy things to do in Los Angeles, do not despair. Los Angeles activities may well be the epitome of non-touristy things to do anywhere.

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