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LA’s only surviving winery is tucked away in the industrial area north of the Los Angeles River. It’s hard to imagine that this bleak area was once blanketed with vineyards. When the founder of San Antonio, Santo Cambianica, arrived in 1917, he faced stiff competition from over 100 wineries. Prohibition put most out of business, but Santo survived making sacramental wine. Even today, fermentation continues to take place here. Taste the wines; the restaurant is a popular lunch spot (see Maddalena Restaurant).

For a variety of entertainment, visit Santa Monica Pier. Where else can you hop on to a historic carousel, visit an aquarium, or ride a roller coaster? California’s oldest amusement pier (built in 1908) also marks the western terminus of Route 66. Its oldest attraction is the 1916 Hippodrome, a merry-go-round that has made many movie appearances. Its newest is Pacific Park, a compact amusement park, anchored by a solar-powered Ferris wheel. Tucked beneath the pier, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is a small, family-oriented facility where you can observe and pet local marine life.

This original Soviet submarine, moored right next to the Queen Mary, saw service from 1973 to 1994. A self-guided tour takes in the engine room, the kitchen, and other cramped quarters.

The twin neighborhoods of Silver Lake and Los Feliz constitute one of Los Angeles’s oldest movie colonies with bohemian-chic dining, shopping, and nightlife scenes. The hills are studded with Modernist masterpieces such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1924 Ennis-Brown House and the Lovell House built by Richard Neutra.

This silver service restaurant was named in honor of the famous British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. During World War II, he traveled to three conferences in the United States aboard the Queen Mary.

This state-of-the-art Jewish cultural center was named after its main benefactor, Jack Skirball (1896–1985), a rabbi and producer of Hitchcock films. Open since 1996, the complex hosts a lively events schedule and has a multimedia museum. Exhibits explore the parallels between the Jewish experience and the principles of American democracy. After a major expansion, expected to be completed in 2004, the Skirball will host a major exhibition on Albert Einstein.

This bronze African-American female nude overlooks the Bunker Hill Steps. Designed by Robert Graham in 1992, she represents the source of the water cascading down the stairs.

Surfing, swimming, tanning, beach volleyball, and other outdoor pursuits govern the laid-back lifestyle of the string of three picture-perfect beach towns in the southern Santa Monica Bay. Of these, Manhattan Beach is the most sophisticated, Hermosa (see Hermosa Beach) the liveliest, and Redondo the most historical. A paved trail paralleling the beach and connecting all the three communities is perfect for bicycling and inline skating.

This 1993 installation by Jud Fine is a visual allegory of a book – the well symbolizes the title page, the step risers the pages, and the pools the plot flow.