Skip the Parking, Free Shuttle
If you drive, it will cost you $30 to park for the Rose Bowl game and $40 for the BCS game. (Metro's The Source). But at $1.25 for one way, one line (or $5 for a daypass), you can hop on the Metro Gold Line light rail. Four Gold Line stations (Del Mar, Memorial Park, Lake, and Allen) are within walking distance from the parade route. For those attending the Rose Bowl game or the BCS game, Metro is offering a free shuttle. Just get off at Memorial Park station and walk over to Parsons. Need more information on the shuttle and walking from stations for the parade? Visit Metro's Go Metro to 2010 New Year's Celebrations! page.
Sight Seeing on the Gold Line
Here are some notes and suggestions. Where possible we've linked to more information on ExperienceLA.com
Sierra Madre Villa Station:
Hang out at Victory Park or go shopping at Hastings Ranch Shopping Center.
Lake Station
Visit the Carnegie Institution Observatory, Ice House Comedy Club, or take advantage of the daypass by hopping on the Metro 485 and enjoying a play at the Pasadena Playhouse. Camelot starts at the Pasadena Playhouse on January 8th if you'll be in town for awhile. Get your shopping fix on at Lake Avenue Shopping District.
Memorial Park Station:
Visit Museums and Theatres including Armory Center for the Arts, Memorial Park, Levitt Pavilion, Norton Simon Museum, Pacific Asia Museum, and Pasadena Museum of California Art. Shopping? Old Pasadena and Paseo Colorado Shopping Center is off this stop too.
Del Mar Station
Visit Central Park or enjoy some ice skating at the Pasadena Ice Skating Rink. More shopping is available at the Old Pasadena Shopping District (see One Colorado).
Mission Station
Enjoy the Meridian Ironworks Museum or stop in to see the architecture of the South Pasadena Library. There's also shopping at the Mission West Shopping District.
Highland Park Station
This station offers the Highland Park Recreation Center and the LA Police Historical Museum.
Southwest Museum Station
Visit the Southwest Museum or check out the Audubon Center at Debs Park, the Lummis Home, or Sycamore Grove Park.
Heritage Square/Arroyo Station
Check out Greayer Oak Park and roam around in the history of Heritage Museum Square.
Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park Station
Spend some time at Cypress Park or enjoy the gardens at the LA River Center and Gardens.
Chinatown Station
Chinatown offers a wide-range of cultural foods, shopping, and destinations. It's the perfect place to go sightseeing. Check out Chinatown Art Galleries, the architecture of Old Chinatown, and Los Angeles State Historic Park. See Chinatown destinations on ExperienceLA.
Union Station
From Union Station itself to the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument and Olvera Street, there's plenty to see off of Union Station. You can even enjoy the classic French dip sandwiches at Phillipe's a few blocks away. Also check out the Chinese American Museum.
Little Tokyo/Arts District
In addition to the arts district, check out the Japanese American Cultural Community Center, the Japanese American National Museum (they're hosting a Oshogatsu Family Festival!), and the MOCA-Geffen Contemporary Museum.
Mariachi Plaza
Visit Hollenbeck Park or the Mariachi Plaza.
Metro offers a downloadable Gold Line guide. You can download it here (pdf).
Need More To Do? Enjoy Red...and Purple!
We don't mean the red and purple likely to adorn the floats at the 2010 parade, there's a Metro Red Line and Purple Line accessible at Union Station. Both Red and Purple Lines can take you from Union Station and into attractions in Downtown, Hollywood, Thai Town, and Korea Town.
Civic Center (Red and Purple)
Sight see or take in a show at the Music Center. The Music Center is home the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum, and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Close to the Music Center is the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).
Pershing Square (Red and Purple)
Check out Pershing Square and the beautiful Central Library. Nearby shopping includes the Fashion District, Jewelry District, and Santee Alley.
7th Street/Metro Center (Red and Purple, also transfer point to/from Blue Line)
This station is close to a LA Vistior Information Center, 7+Fig and Macy's Plaza shopping and food. Head south down Figueroa and you can also find yourself at the L.A. Live plaza to enjoy food options and the GRAMMY Museum.
Wilshire/Western (Purple Line)
Grab the Metro Rapid 720 from Wilshire/Western and explore Museum Row. Get off at Fairfax to experience the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Broad Contemporary Museum of Art, Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, and Craft & Folk Art Museum. You can also take the Metro Rapid 720 further to experience Beverly Hills/Rodeo Drive, Westwood/UCLA offerings like the Hammer and the Fowler Musuems, and 3rd Street Promenade.
Vermont/Sunset
This station is a convenient walk to Barnsdall Art Park and Hollyhock House. With the LADOT Griffith Observatory Shuttle you can head over to experience Griffith Park. A quick walk up Vermont and you can enjoy shopping and food in Los Feliz - including a 24-hour eclectic dining experience at Fred 62 (order the Bossa Nova).
Hollywood/Western
Make a stop at this station for Thai Food dining and shopping along Western Avenue.
Hollywood/Vine
Convenient to catch a show at the Pantages Theatre (it's across the street from the station) and a quick walk to explore the Hollywood Walk of Fame (just look down at the sidewalk), the Henry Fonda Theatre, Arclight Cinerama Dome, and shopping at the Amoeba Music.
Hollywood/Highland
In addition to the Hollywood Theatre District which includes the Egyptian, the El Capitan, Grauman's Chinese (where all the celebrity foot/handprints are), and Kodak Theatres, explore entertaining museums like the Hollywood Wax Museum, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, and the newly open Madame Tussauds. The station lets you off right at Hollywood & Highland Center for quick/accessible shopping. More of the Hollywood Walk of Fame can be seen in this area as well.
Universal City
Grab the shuttle and head into Universal Studios theme park or just enjoy Universal CityWalk for shopping and sightseeing.
North Hollywood
Experience the richness of art through the NoHo Arts District and the El Portal Center for the Arts.
Check out ExperienceLA.com's Interactive Map for more destinations and information. As always please check transit time tables and plan your trip (and all of its connections) accordingly!
-Charity Tran
(Photo by simonela from ExperienceLA Flickr Pool)
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