<p>If Paramount still has tours (during the Bar/Bat Mitzvah seasons there were a lot of parties there and there were tours there for parties and charity events) Paramount is a non freeway drive from Culver City. Get to Melrose, go east and left into the gates.</p>
<p>Warner Bros. and Universal are in Burbank which is reachable without freeways…but a very long trip…with freeway about half an hour (sans traffic).</p>
<p>Agree Huntington Gardens is lovely, but if you head to Pasadena, you must go to the Gamble House, a gorgeous arts and crafts house designed from top to bottom like a piece of furniture. [url=<a href=“http://www.gamblehouse.org/]The”>http://www.gamblehouse.org/]The</a> Gamble House by Greene & Greene in Pasadena, California: official website<a href=“And%20since%20we’re%20on%20CC,%20if%20you%20are%20in%20Pasadena%20go%20look%20at%20Caltech%20-%20the%20original%20core%20campus%20designed%20by%20Bertram%20Goodhue%20is%20one%20of%20the%20prettiest%20college%20campuses%20in%20the%20country.”>/url</a></p>
<p>mathmom - We actually did visit CA for college tours with DS in 2009 (Caltech, Pomona, Harvey Mudd). I’m glad you mentioned about CalTech being pretty. I said the same thing to the family at Thanksgiving, and they didn’t recall being noteworthy pretty. I’d like to see Gamble House someday.</p>
<p>On that trip we did our vacationing in San Diego. We flew into LA but didn’t spend much time thre. Our afternoon at Griffith Observatory was enjoyable - [Official</a> Site: Griffith Observatory Los Angeles, CA](<a href=“Griffith Observatory - Southern California’s gateway to the cosmos!”>http://www.griffithobs.org/)</p>
<p>I like chowhound better than Yelp for good but cheap food recommendations. Better yet, you will not be steered wrong by Jonathan Gold. Why the man does not weigh 800 pounds is a mystery for the ages. [Jonathan</a> Gold’s 99 Essential L.A. Restaurants 2011 - Page 1 - Eat+Drink - Los Angeles - LA Weekly](<a href=“http://www.laweekly.com/2011-11-10/eat-drink/jonathan-gold-s-99-essential-l-a-restaurants-2011/]Jonathan”>http://www.laweekly.com/2011-11-10/eat-drink/jonathan-gold-s-99-essential-l-a-restaurants-2011/)</p>
<p>The San Diego Freeway widening project causes occasional closures of streets and freeways on the Westside of Los Angeles. Ask at your hotel front desk if there are going to be any closures that would affect your plans.</p>