Day 22 (7/20). (Jo) Today we got off to another slow start, as we wanted to, in order to allow the traffic to clear up a bit heading into Los Angeles. We packed a lot into our day and I got to show the rest of the family a number of places I’ve been on my solo trips to LA. Our first stop was Griffith Park, where we hiked a mile trail (one way) up a steep dirt path to the observatory. It was a little longer and a lot hotter than some of us were bargaining for! But the observatory itself is a beautiful building, and it was nice and cool on the inside on a hot day. It was especially neat to be visiting on the anniversary of when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon on July 20, 1969.
After learning some spacey facts and grabbing a bite to eat, we headed back down the trail and were off to Hollywood Boulevard to see the stars. A few favorite stars (in the sidewalk) included Julie Andrews, Harrison Ford, Daniel Radcliffe, and Matt Damon. Our least favorite was Donald Trump’s star, and unfortunately the little wall that someone had built around it was no longer there. We still have our fingers crossed that someday one of these stars will have Kristina’s name on it!
Afterward, we headed toward the Getty with a few detours along the way, including Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive to see the swanky shops and the hotel that was featured in the movie Pretty Woman. We also took a quick drive through the UCLA campus, which was very nice.
At the Getty, the kids enjoyed the tram ride, and then we soaked in the amazing architecture, the views of the city and the Pacific, the gardens, and the artwork. The Impressionists are always a family favorite.
From the Getty, we headed to Santa Monica and enjoyed time on the sand and swimming in the Pacific. It was the fourth significant body of water we’ve been in on this trip (Lake Michigan, Great Salt Lake, Lake Tahoe, and the Pacific). After sunset, we headed up onto the pier for dinner and a couple of rides for the kids. The last time we were on the Santa Monica Pier as a family was in 2006, when Eden was four and Elliot was two. The pier is still the same (except for all the people now clogging the walkways by playing Pokemon Go), but our family has grown and changed a lot since then.
We realized today that the kids have been in the three largest cities in the US in the past month: NYC (before the trip), Chicago, and now Los Angeles.
We’ve also been trying to spot all 50 state license plates on vehicles as we’ve been traveling, but we are still missing that elusive Hawaii plate…
Fisher Family Travels 