#365 Hotel Del Coronado

The Hotel Del Coronado has been the place to be and be seen since opening in 1888. It was the first beach resort on the west coast and was the largest hotel in the world at the time. This National Register of Historic Places property preserves stunning Victorian & Queen Anne architecture and is the second largest wooden structure in the United States. 

Hollywood royalty have used this as their playground since the 1920's including Charlie Chaplin, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and Rudolph Valentino. The Del became even more famous from the 1959 film 'Some Like It Hot' starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Enjoy exploring this stunning landmark with some of the finest sand on Earth.

 

#361 Los Angeles Central Library

The Los Angeles Central Library was built in 1926 in the Art Deco architectural style with Mediterranean Revival and Egyptian influences. The crown jewel is the rotunda with its 4 massive murals, each 40 feet wide, created by artist Dean Cornwell. Each one depicts an important piece of California history: the Era of Discovery, the Building of the Missions, Founding of the Pueblo of Los Angeles and the Americanization of California. 

 

#355 Huntington Beach Pier

Huntington Beach Pier has been a California Icon since 1904 and is one of the largest along the West Coast at 1,850 feet. Huntington Beach or 'Surf City USA' has a consistent year-round surf. Hawaii's George Freeth surfed here in 1914 to help promote the sport along with Legendary Hawaiian Olympic gold medalist Duke Kahanamoku in the 1920's. Many famous surf shops followed in the 1950's to solidify the role of HB as the 'Surf Capital of the World' during the first United States surfing championship in 1959. Enjoy a sunset stroll along this historic pier and beautiful beach.

 

#353 Union Station

Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles is the largest railroad terminal in the West serving more than 100,000 passengers each day. Opening in 1939, this was the last great railway station built during the Golden Age of train travel. Art Deco, Mission Revival, and Streamline Moderne are its architectural styles making it timeless and iconic.

 

#339 Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle is the former estate of famous newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Julia Morgan designed it between 1919-47 and is known for designing more than 700 landmark California buildings. She was the first woman admitted to the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Mediterranean Revival is the main architectural style with influences of Spanish Colonial, Beaux-Arts, Italian Renaissance and Gothic.

Hearst called his ranch 'La Cuesta Encantada' (The Enchanted Hill) with its dramatic mountain to ocean vistas. He entertained Hollywood & Political elite including Charlie Chaplin, Bob Hope and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The castle has been open to the public for tours since 1958 where visitors can tour a small selection of the 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms and 127 acres of landscaped gardens and pools making it one of the busiest destinations in the state. 

 

#334 Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area is a 932 acre park outside of Santa Clarita in the Sierra Pelona Mountains. Located along the San Andreas Fault, these sandstone rocks were formed 25 million years ago. Tataviam Native Americans lived in grass hut villages here and considered the site sacred. The rocks were named for Tiburcio Vasquez, a notorious bandit who used the area as a hideout in 1874. Hollywood has filmed here since the 30's including The Flintstones, Star Trek and Planet of the Apes.

 

#326 Mission La Purisima Concepción

Mission La Purisima Concepción was the 11th of the California Missions established on December 8, 1787. At its peak, the Mission controlled 470 square miles with 24,000 cattle and sheep making it famous for hides and blankets. Today, state runs the site as a State Historic Park and is the most complete mission. The Civilian Conservation Corps and National Park Service meticulously restored the structures and dedicated it on December 7, 1941 allowing visitors to travel back to the 1820's in an authentic setting.

 

#324 Old Town San Diego

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park preserves 29 acres of the first European settlement on the West Coast. It was the main city center and witnessed three major eras: Spanish rule from 1769-1821, Mexican Independence from 1821-1850 and later admittance to the United States from 1850-1872. Life here remained slow-paced with a population never reaching over 700. Old Town is the most visited State Park in California with 5 original adobes, museums, shops, restaurants and gardens.

 

#315 Angels Flight

Angels Flight is an historic funicular railway in Downtown Los Angeles which has served the city since 1901. It is known as one of the shortest railroads in the world and was originally used to carry businessmen up Bunker Hill. Operating until 1969, it was then stored for 27 years until reopening in 1996 as a tourist landmark. Unfortunately, several accidents have caused the railway to close and a reopening is unknown at this point. The railway is still displayed Downtown.

 

#307 Queen Anne Cottage

The Queen Anne Cottage is the crown jewel of the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. The Cottage was built in 1885 using the Queen Anne Victorian Architectural Style by Elias Jackson 'Lucky' Baldwin. Lucky was a very fortunate California pioneer, investor and real estate tycoon. He moved to San Francisco in 1853 during the Gold Rush and decided the real money was not in gold itself but in food, supplies and lodging for gold diggers.

Lucky used his fortune to purchase a tract of land outside of Los Angeles he divided into lots in the 1880's for the towns of Arcadia and Monrovia. He was considered one of the first equal employers hiring African-American, Native American, Mexican and Chinese workers when most were jobless: though, he paid them considerably less. Lucky built this cottage for entertaining purposes only and can be enjoyed today with a visit to the Arboretum.