The Perfect DTLA Date on a Budget
In our quest to find new and exciting things to do in LA, one of the things thats at the top of the list is cost. Things can get pricey here and we know it. Since we both work full time, our weekends are always the big debate as to where to go, what to do and how to make the most out of the two days we get to spend together… in the most cost effective way of course. Last weekend we planned out our day from start to finish and it was amazing! Here is how to have a perfect day in DTLA on a budget!
We wanted to hit a museum and The Broad is free to attend! Seeing as neither of us have been there it was the obvious choice. Although its free, you’ll still need a ticket to get in, that is if you don’t want to take your chances and wait in the line outside for hours. Reserve your tickets to get into The Broad online: https://ticketing.thebroad.
(Between Oct. 21, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018, in addition to the “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors,” you will be able to see four additional infinity rooms, plus another room installation, by the 88-year-old Japanese artist- you can check them out here! http://www.laweekly.com/
The Broad is presenting its first visiting special exhibition, Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors, which will provide visitors with the unique opportunity to experience six of Kusama’s infinity rooms—the artist’s most iconic kaleidoscopic environments—alongside large-scale installations and key paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the early 1950s to the present. This exhibition is the most significant North American tour of her work in nearly two decades, and The Broad will be the only California museum to host the show. Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors is organized by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.
Onsite standby tickets are available each day the museum is open (advance tickets to Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors is sold out), and are expected to be sold out early in the day.
Parking downtown can be a headache. Parking is available at The Broad in the garage underneath the museum, entrance on 2nd Street between Hope Street and Grand Avenue. Parking for museum visitors with validation from The Broad is $12 for three hours on weekdays (after three hours, an additional $4 each 15 minutes, maximum of $22) and $12 weeknights after 5 p.m. and all day weekends.
Since this blog is built on a budget you can park down the block to save a few bucks.
The garage at California Plaza (entrances on Olive Street and Lower Grand Avenue) sits barely a block away from the museum and offers $8 parking with validation from the Broad. Although its only $4—we gets that’s basically an In-n-Out burger. We paid the $12 because we could come and go as we pleased to the car, didn’t have to leave our keys with valet and knew it was 100% safe.
We made our reservations for 4pm but didn’t know that once your in the Broad you THEN have to put your name on a waiting list to see the Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors.– Which lets be honest…it’s why we came.
- The wait is usually around two hours. You can go, sign in with your name, phone number and the number of people in your party. You will receive a text with a 10 minute warning letting you know your almost up. Then you have to go get into a line to see the room. It’s totally worth every second!
TIP: If you sign up and then explore the museum start on the third floor and follow the audio guides down.
The Broad’s features location-aware audio guides that include everything from artists talking about other famous artists to a kids’ guide narrated by LeVar Burton. The guides work outside of the museum as well and are actually compelling enough to listen to on your own time. You can peruse every piece of art in the Broad’s collection and search an interactive map for specific works of art or the nearest bathroom. If you sign into your ticketing account, the app will pull in the QR for your museum admission; there’s even a handy link to schedule your next visit. Basically, download this app before you go and keep it on your phone.
On the same side of the street as the Broad is The Walt Disney Phil.. You can walk over and see the LA Phil next door or, at the very least, take a walk around the Walt Disney Concert Hall and its hidden gardens! https://www.laphil.com/
We got down there early, somewhere around 12:30pm on Saturday. We crossed the street, walked through the California Plaza and took a trip down to South Hill Street on Angel’s flight Railway! It just reopened after being closed for 4 years. The 116-year-old funicular takes passengers on a short ride between Hill Street and Grand Avenue on Bunker Hill. Originally opened in 1901, Angels Flight®
— the world’s shortest railway — has given more than 100 million rides along its hillside track!
The Railway’s Top Station is located at California Plaza, 350 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles 90071. The Lower Station is located at 351 South Hill Street, Los Angeles 90013, across from Grand Central Market.
~The one-way fare is $1.00. Holders of valid Metro passes may ride for fifty cents. For those who don’t wanna ride there is a set of stairs right next the the street car.
Once down on South Hill you just walk right across the street to Grand Central Market! There are sooo many good places to eat. It has gone through a huge transformation and you will be pleasantly surprised by the cultural shock and hustle and bustle thats goin on in there. We ate at Madcapra, a really delicious falafel place! But you can check out all the vendors here: http://www.
(We have heard eggslut is fire!)
After exploring the market we walked across the street to Blue Bottle coffee on Broadway (if you like coffee and haven’t tried this, do it, you’ll thank us later..)
If you have time you can walk over to The Last Bookstore down at 453 S Spring Street. Its about a 12 min walk from the Broad… It’s an a-MAZE-ing place and an LA staple. Go get lost!
We then rode Angels Flight Back up and walked back over to the Broad for our 4pm reservation. Where we explored the unbelievable art work until it was our time to see the Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors.
For Dinner; We’ve been dying to go to 71 above, a swanky upscale restaurant / lounge at the top of the US bank tower. Its not exactly what you would consider “in the budget” But seeing as we were literally right down the street we figured it would be at least gas efficient than having to come all the back downtown (or that what we told ourselves anyway…) We walked over for a drink and some bar bites. We got lucky and found a spot at the bar without reservations; but it was unusually dead down there due to Labor Day and the heat wave. We would suggest reservations if you plan on having a real meal there. There is a dress code and if you want a table by a window there is a table minimum. You can check out all the details here: https://www.71above.com/
We ended up spending a bit more that we wanted to here but the view was totally worth it!
We had the “Honeynut Squash” with Maple, Harissa, Brown Butter, Sage from the small plates and the “Beets” with Chocolate Wheat Berries, Blood Orange, Kumquat, Cocoa Nib from the sharable plate.
We both had the “Hollywood” cocktail from drink menu which is made up of Jalapeño, Grey Goose Vodka, Lillet Blanc,Sherry, Grapefruit, Lime! Their cocktail list is made up of drinks like the “Santa Monica” which has Brugal & Clement Agricole Blanc Rums,Dolin Dry, Clear Creek Apple Brandy,Celery, Ginger, Apple, Mint Lemon and the “Echo Park” La Niña Primario Mezcal,La Caravedo Pisco, Cinnamon,Tomatillo-Cilantro Dashi, Pineapple, Lime which is perfect for those who love to explore all of what Los Angeles has to offer. You can check out the food and drink menu’s here: https://www.71above.com/
Now, we know that this is a fancy restaurant and will cost an arm and a leg if you want to actually have a full on meal here. But there are plenty of other places DTLA that are right in that area that will not blow the budget. Depending on what you’re in the mood for! If 71 above is out of the price range or just too darn fancy in general check out our DTLA tab on the home page for plenty of places that serve up AH-mazing food with out breaking the bank.
At the end of the day we spent under $100 for a fun filled adventure in DTLA! Here’s how it breaks down:
- $12.00 for all day Parking at the Broad
- $4.00 for two round trip tickets on Angel’s Flight
- $14.50 for a Falafel sandwich (we split it:) and a beet soda at Madcapra at Grand central Station
- $3.50 on an ice coffee from Blue Bottle
- $55.00 at 71 Above on 2 drinks and 2 apps
Don’t forget to take photos and keep your eye out for all the amazing LA street art down there!
xo
Callie & Leo
Downtown LA is the best and it’s home for me! But parking is expensive and can be hard to find for sure haha love the tips
Beauty & Colour | Vegan Lifestyle Blog
DTLA is the best!!! Parking is the number one complaint we hear about going down there… But there are always tricks to making it enjoyable. Thanks for commenting!! We are going to check out your blog right now!!!!