Los Angeles, California, offers some terrific date ideas for the adventurous. Slip into your best sneakers and hike, bike or fall in love beside the beach or up on a mountain. The museums and educational institutions in Los Angeles offer some of the city's most romantic views. Grocery shopping can be an ecological and gastronomic event. And nothing beats a slightly haunted cinema for memorable movie-going.
Hike into Art History
The Getty Center Los Angeles is all about the views--over L.A. and the Pacific, of the fabulous Richard Meier architecture, and inside, where you'll find an extensive collection of American and European art and vistas framed by walls of windows, arches, courtyards and terraces.
The 24-acre complex sits on a mountaintop and offers an unparalleled sunset display. The sunken gardens and courtyard fountains wind throughout fossilized travertine buildings.
The Getty is a paradise for walking and hiking with a purpose--there are frequently scheduled tours of the architecture, the gardens and the major exhibits, as well as self-guided explorations of the buildings and grounds.
There is a picnic area, restaurant and garden cafe. Restaurants feature seasonal and local ingredients and offer vegetarian choices. Admission is always free.
Star-crossed Lovers' Stroll
Griffith Park Observatory sits at the top of some of L.A.'s best hiking trails and has some of the all-time great views of this planet and beyond. See the entire city at your feet, take a photo from the Observatory with the Hollywood Hills sign in the background, enjoy an IMAX movie or an educational exhibit--and most of it is free. Park downhill and hike up to the planetarium or just explore the area's beautiful trails.
Fun Excursion for Foodies
The Farmers Market grew out of a local farmers' tailgate stand at the corner of Third and Fairfax in 1934 and is now a popular attraction for tourists and Angelinos alike.
Food is paramount, but you can find a lot more than groceries. The market has live music, holiday celebrations and a constantly varying schedule of events. In the summer there's a Taste of the Farmers Market evening and a Fourth of July extravaganza.
Shop anytime for seasonal fruits and veggies. Pick up some free-trade coffee for a buzz and aromatherapy oil for serenity. Then treat yourself and your date to a just-cooked bagel or an old-fashioned ice-cream cone. The Farmers Market is a scene to experience and a source of fresh and organic local food for a romantic picnic or a candlelit dinner from your own kitchen.
Bike Trails Built for Two
Grab your bike or rent some wheels and hit the bike trails for great scenery and a terrific workout. The South Bay beach trail from Palos Verdes North to the Marina is flat and curving along the dunes, paved like a boardwalk along Manhattan Beach, and never too far from restrooms and restaurants. Follow directions to walk your bikes through posted areas and avoid a pricey traffic ticket.
Spooky Outdoor Screenings
Watch old Hollywood al fresco in the middle of very old Hollywood. The Cinespia Cemetery Screenings are a happening--in a graveyard park with the ghosts of Hollywood greats interred all around you and some of their best work up on the screen.
This is a typical quirky outdoor urban event that benefits from an experienced camper's strategic approach. Pack a raw food picnic and some vegan wine, take lots of blankets and a fleece hoodie--it gets chilly after dark--bring low camp chairs for comfort, and get there early to snag a spot where you can see the film. Required "donation" was $10 per person as of June 2010.
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