Los Angeles Guide Sol Price School of Public Policy

Student Affairs Office: Phone: 213-740-3353 Fax: 213-740-7573 Lewis Hall, 108 Email: [email protected]

Los Angeles is an incredibly diverse city. There is always something going on some- where. Depending on what time of year you are here, there are often free outdoor concerts downtown or on the Santa Monica beach. Griffith Park is 17 square kilometers of nature, crisscrossed by hiking paths, world-class zoos, and the famous Griffith Observatory. Film and TV buffs will enjoy visiting Hollywood and seeing the Walk of Fame and Chinese Theater. local tip: it’s VERY busy on the weekends, so go during the week.)

As seen through movies, television, news, and radio, Los Angeles is a trend setting and progressive, global, urban metropolis with rich cultural roots and a dynamic history. It is a business, entertainment, and technological hub with renowned museums, attrac- tions, and 75 miles of sunny coastline. There are more than 200 languages spoken and the city is dotted with rich, vibrant neighborhoods from Chinatown to Little Armenia. Trojans have a front-row seat to enriching adventures. Exciting nightlife, dining, sports, and music events are all happening every day. The surrounding environment is full of mountain hikes, beautiful deserts, and dazzling beaches. There is always an abundance of things to learn, see, and do in Los Angeles!

While you are a student at USC, take advantage of the Ticket Office on campus. The Ticket Office can provide discounted tickets to places like Disneyland, Six Flags, Uni- versal Studios, movie theaters, and more: ticketoffice.usc.edu

Your Student ID card will also get you free or discounted entry at many Los Angeles locations, most notably museums and national parks, so get out there and experience all Los Angeles and Southern California has to offer!

2 eating in los angeles

Any kind of food you can think of, there is someone making it in Los Angeles. There is wide range of Korean BBQ, juicy kabobs, delicious ramen, artisan ice cream, amazing sushi, traditional Ethiopian injera, Irish food, Thai food, Italian food, American food, German food, Hawaiian food, Chinese food, French food, fusion, healthy, vegan, and much, much more! You will never have a lack of places to have a sit-down meal, order delivery, or just walk up to. Food trucks are also a big thing in Los Angeles. Just because it comes out of the back of a truck doesn’t mean it’s not gourmet! You don’t always have to eat fancy, though. Make sure you try a “double double animal style” cheeseburger from In-N-Out. And don’t ignore the street food! Taco stands and other street food are extremely common, cheap, and delicious - especially during a night out or if you’re waiting in line somewhere!

There are many options for food near campus. Aside from several food trucks that periodically change, there are over ten restaurants on campus/USC Village, with many more in the surrounding area. Your best bets for finding places to eat in Los Angeles are the Yelp app and word of mouth.

Here’s a short list to start you off:

Sugarfish Philippe The Original All Day Baby Joan’s on Third Canter’s Deli Rock & Brews CAVA Mainland Poke Pho 79 Golden Road Brewing Me + Crepe Guisados Hinano Cafe Angel City Brewery Joy Daikokuya In-N-Out Rice Guys Spoon & Pork Button Mash Porto’s Bakery Broken Mouth Eggslut Roscoe’s The Ramen Joint Marugame Monzo Sarita’s Pupuseria Wurstküche Sabor Sweet Chick Randy’s Donuts Bar Amá Bay Cities MAC’D JR’s BBQ Sqrl Tacos Leo The Morrison Ricky’s Fish Tacos Fred 62 Neptune’s Net Bottega Louie Cha Cha Chicken Pasta Sisters Salt & Straw El Cholo Homestate Greenleaf Mama Shelter Amar Desh Noshi Sushi Grand Central Market

3 fun in los angeles

Theme Parks: Shopping / Sightseeing:

Disneyland / California Adventure Park 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica They call it the happiest place on Earth. Just a few blocks from the beach/boardwalk, stroll along this pedestrian haven to see street Universal Studios performers and grab a drink or a bite to eat. The The world-famous movie studio and theme park Promenade also hosts a weekly Farmers’ offers tours, rides, restaurants, and attractions Market and other seasonal events. like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Old Town in Pasadena Six Flags Magic Mountain Old Town is a charming district with an eclectic A destination for thrill-seekers, Six Flags mix of specialty boutiques that make for a features numerous roller-coasters, rides, and fantastic window shopping experience. carnival games. The Grove in Central LA Knott’s Berry Farm A self-contained destination offering a great mix Not as adrenaline-pumping as Six Flags, Knott’s of retail, restaurants, and entertainment. Bring a is a funky and festive destination with charming blanket and enjoy live music on the grass on a food and some fun rides. weekend evening!

Some helpful Los Angeles apps:

Yelp (business/restaurant/public space locator) Eventbrite (local events) Google Maps / GoMetro / Citymapper (public transport) 5 Every Day (things to do in Los Angeles) Postmates / DoorDash / UberEats (food delivery) Hike Los Angeles / Modern Hiker Ticketmaster / Vivid Seats (event tickets) Waze (navigate around traffic) Groupon (discounted services/etc) Parkme (prevent parking tickets)

4 Many museums are free, and others can be visited for free or for a discount with your USC student ID card. Exposition Park Walk right across the street from USC to some of the best museums in the world, including the Natural History and African American museums, the Fisher Museum of Art, the Science Center with space shuttle Endeavor, along with a charming Rose Garden and an IMAX theater.

The Getty / Getty Villa Both the Getty and the lesser-visited Getty Villa are home to beautiful art, architecture, and amazing seasonal gardens. Note: both locations are free, but the Villa requires a reservation.

LACMA A truly large art / art history museum, LACMA is one of the most famous art museums in the world with over 100,000 works spanning from ancient times to the present.

La Brea Tar Pits See a different side to the Los Angeles area where Ice Age behemoths have been perfectly preserved by the natural oddity that is the La Brea Tar Pits. Discoveries happen every day at this dynamic research museum!

Museum of Jurassic Technology Museums everywhere are full of humanity’s best accomplishments. But who celebrates the beautiful fail- ures? What arcane knowledge is hidden in this delightfully bizarre museum? You will not understand the Museum of Jurassic Technology right away. That’s okay. Go get a cup of delicious mint tea and ponder what you ’ve witnessed in their beautiful aviary. Both admission and tea are free, though they do ask for donations.

Griffith Observatory One of the most famous landmarks in Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory has been in over a hundred films/shows. It is also dearly loved by those who enjoy space, science, and natural beauty. There are so many little secrets here that you’ll find something new every time you visit!

5 Southern California is an incredibly diverse landscape. You can go from surfing in the tropics to exploring the desert to snowboarding down a mountain all in the same day (depending on traffic!). Take advantage of your off time and get out of Los Angeles for a weekend or two!

Camping: Whether you want to hike the mountains east of Pasadena or enjoy the strange desert beauty of Joshua Tree, southern California is full of campsites, most of which are cheap and do not require reservations. To find campsites, either use the Yelp app and search “campsites” or try parks.ca.gov.

Big Bear: A winter favorite, Big Bear caters to all your snow- based desires! Skiing and snowboarding are very popular in Los Angeles. Maybe rent a cabin with a hot tub to relax after a long day on the slopes?

Catalina Island: Take a boat trip to romantic Catalina Island. Watch an outdoor concert, go snorkeling in Lovers’ Cove, walk through the gorgeous botanical garden, go parasailing, or if you’re a fitness freak, try to finish the 62km Trans Catalina Hiking Trail!

Highway One: This iconic highway travels the entire West Coast of the US. While you can’t do the whole trip in one weekend, travelling only a few hours north is completely worth it. There’s a train that can take you, or you can drive with a friend. Things to see on going north on Hwy 1: Malibu, Big Sur, Santa Barbara, Highway 1 Brewing Company, Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country, Hearst Castle, San Francisco.

And don’t forget about our world famous beaches!

6 Housing

On-Campus Off-Campus

The university offers a variety of housing Although USC offers graduate housing, options, on and off campus. While much of most students tend to live off-campus. the on-campus housing is reserved for Most landlords will require a security freshman, there are places available for deposit and some require long-term undergraduates and graduates depending leases. One option is to sublet from a on availability. student who is graduating.

Amenities include laundry facilities, USC has partnered with Off-Campus cable, internet and phone, and entry Housing (OCH) to help students find safe monitoring system. All housing is within and convenient housing near the USC walking distance of the main campus. In campus. Students can create a free addition, the USC Transportation tram account to search for rental units: and Campus Cruiser programs provide usc.offcampuslisting.com roundtrip service to campus.

In order to live in on-campus housing, Other popular rental websites include: you should submit your request ASAP. zillow.com / apartments.com / Housing is processed on a first-come, hotpads.com / zumper.com / rent.com first-serve basis, and rooms fill quickly. Begin by searching the zip code for the Please be aware that the university does USC campus: 90089 not guarantee on-campus housing. Early move-in may also be available.

Please refer to the USC Housing housing.usc.edu guide for more information.

7 How to Get Around

USC Transportation provides free shuttles throughout the year. Multiple routes service the main campus and nearby neighborhoods, as well as select locations in Los Angeles. For more information, visit: transportation.usc.edu Get the app: Campus Cruiser

A bicycle is an excellent way to get around Los Angeles, especially to/from/around campus! Local tip: bikes can often be purchased relatively cheaply from other students, craigslist, ebay, or local sources, and can be sold again before you leave.

There are many public transportation options in Los Angeles, with a train stop and several city bus stops servicing the USC campus. Graduate students may want to check out U-Pass, a program that gives a discounted rate for using the Metro services.

Metro services are paid for by purchasing and reloading a TAP card. Most train stations can both issue and reload TAP cards using a vending machine that accepts both cash and card payments. The same card will be used whether travelling by train or by bus.

The most reliable ways to get metro directions and schedules while you are living here are Google Maps and the official Go Metro app.

Uber and Lyft have almost completely taken over the taxi industry. While you can still catch a cab in LA, there is no reason to since Uber and Lyft are cheaper, faster, and more convenient. Download both Uber and Lyft to make sure you are always getting the best fare. Be sure to practice good rideshare safety guidelines: check that the car description and license plate are accurate, check the driver’s name and photo, and make sure the driver knows your destination address before entering the car.

USC offers discounted rate for Lyft. For more information, visit the website.

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