Jake PopistGoing to L.A is something that many people have on their bucket list. They don’t want to miss out on the culture, the sights, the weather and the great mix of people there.
Whether you call it the City of Angels, the City of Dreams, or the City of Stars (thanks to La La Land for popularizing that one), the beauty and significance of Los Angeles remains the same. It is in large part due to its many unique locations that keep the city the center of life-changing miracles and one-of-a-kind sites that anyone could visit and enjoy in appreciation of art and life.
The best part is that these sites and their magic is not just limited to the world of the big screen, but cross over into the universal language of music. From Cher to Guns N’ Roses, and from Metallica to Maroon 5, some of the greatest classic legends and modern artists have LA as their home base. For those who see music as a way of life, a trip to LA is never complete without paying homage to some of its greatest musical sites and the artists associated with them.
Since the greatest musicians travel with entourages, maybe you should do the same. Make your trip a group affair by inviting classmates, teammates, or extended family. You can even charter a private tour bus or minibus rental to shuttle you from site to site, letting you kick back and enjoy the sites along the way. Leave it to a professional driver to worry about fighting LA traffic and getting everyone there safely and at the same time.
These are probably some of the top places you should visit when in Los Angeles.
The Sunset Strip
No discussion about the musical sites of LA could ever be complete without the mention of the magnificent Sunset Strip, which gets referred to that way simply due to the raw yet sheer talent that have roamed on its streets in the past few decades.
Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, and Frank Zappa are just a few of the many names that played across the many establishments that are spread across the strip. Having been featured heavily in pop-culture, the Sunset Strip currently stands as a location full of well-known restaurants and nightclubs such as the Troubadour.
Make sure to place this on your trip.
Amoeba Music
About to hit the big 30 in terms of its age, Amoeba Music is an institution within the modern LA history. Even in the era of digital streaming where conventional music vehicles are striving to keep afloat, Amoeba Music holds its own as the world’s largest independent record store.
Whether you are looking for rare vinyls or just want some old world nostalgia in terms of finding a mixtape of your own, you can rest assured in the fact that Amoeba Music would have what you need. It is a great place to get some music souvenirs and for some group shopping, which only adds to the experience of a large tour party.
The RockWalk
As the music industry’s version of the popular Walk of Fame, the RockWalk honors some of the most popular names that have carved their niche in the world of music. Queen and Stevie Wonder are just two of the inductees whose names, and handprints, have been immortalized on this iconic pathway.
As a bonus, the RockWalk is actually located right at the entrance of the legendary Guitar Center, a popular LA store of musical instruments where you can find your next guitar or set of drums to take home from the tour.
Grammy Museum
Visiting LA and not going to the Grammy Museum is similar to being on Earth and never breathing oxygen (yes, it’s that important).
Affiliated with the institution that has honored some of the most revered names in the music industry and whose approval is sought after by most of the musicians of the current day and age, the Grammy Museum ensures to live up to its stature and provides an immersive and unforgettable experience with its many exhibits.
The museum has housed exhibits in the past that commemorated artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Frank Sinatra. Its exhibits keep changing, so ensure that you know what you are in for by checking its official website prior to your tour.
Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl is known as one of those locations of LA that have seen hundreds of acts from some of the most iconic names in music in the past few decades. As a popular amphitheater, it has seen the likes of The Beatles to Lady Gaga perform live for audiences. Now, what else could you want from a location that is associated with music?
But since these artists do not perform at the location around the whole year, the Hollywood Ball Museum could be of service to you. At this location, you can see memorabilia from past performances in terms of its permanent and rotating exhibits, with the former honoring the many decades of music to the latter keeping with the concept of change in order to offer tributes to different artists from varying eras.
Putting Aside a Day to Cover All These Spots Would Be Prudent
Since the locations are scattered throughout the city, you will need to make sure that you set aside ample time to cover them all during your trip. You will also need to have a means of transportation that is more reliable than individual cabs or buses, you do not want to get stuck in the hellish LA traffic.
By making sure that you have a travel schedule that makes sense and a dependable bus service that will take you to all your chosen places in time, you can relax in the assurance that you and your travel companions will a great time on your tour while paying respects to some of the greatest names in music.
I know that L.A will be a great trip, immerse yourself in the culture and live a little.
Jake Popist
