What to Do in Los Angeles

Poker

Poker by Viri G.

A family of card games centered around probability and betting, poker takes many forms. Poker is becoming increasingly more popular around the world, and Los Angeles is no exception boasting fabulous poker cardrooms.

Texas Hold 'Em is the poker game that's currently taking the world - and Los Angeles - by storm, and believe it or not, online poker is partly responsible. Whether you don't want to leave your home, or you're intimidated by live games, online poker is a great alternative. Allowing people who don't have access to poker otherwise to play, in the comfort of their pajamas no less, has revolutionized the industry.

The Los Angeles poker community has done a fabulous job keeping up with the industry. Los Angeles plays host to circuit games of the World Series of Poker.

This world renowned event is a series of poker tournaments held annually. Dating back to the 1970s, the seven best-known poker players in Vegas were invited to the Horseshoe Casino for an inagural event called the Texas Gambling Reunion. Won by Crandall Addington the set of tournaments now called the World Series of Poker evolved as the brain child of Las Vegas casino owner Benny Binion.

For regular poker events, head on over to The Bicycle Casino and Partypoker.

Surfing

You'll have to head on over to the beach for some surfing, but happily the coast is only 15 miles away.

For a beginner, Venice Beach in Venice, California or Topanga Beach in Malibu, California might be your best bet. The waves at both these beaches are pretty mellow, and take well to a long board.

Venice Beach
2700-3100 Ocean Front Walk
Venice, CA
310.305.9503

Topanga Beach
18700 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA
310.305.9503

For an experienced surfer, Manhattan Beach in Manhattan Beach, California, is the place to be. The swells are big and attract a lot of seasoned board riders.

Manhattan Beach
400-500 The Strand
Manhattan Beach, CA
310.305.9503

Celebrity Watching

You can hardly leave the house without running into a celebrity in Los Angeles, but if you want to go out of your way, there are a few celebrity hangouts where you might be able to happen upon a celeb encounter.

Robertson Boulevard is home to Kitson and The Ivy. Kitson is a boutique frequented by the likes of the Kardashians and Jennifer Lopez. The Ivy is situated in a cozy cottage and this restaurant is a popular haunt for celebrities. George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Kim Kardashian and Luke Wilson have been known to frequent The Ivy.

Marina del Rey

Taking up over 800 acres (half of which are underwater), Marina del Rey is a a boating community with over 5,246 boat slips, 600 condos, 5,445 apartments, and 6 hotels. Constructed in the late 1950s, Marina del Rey is nestled in between Lincoln Boulevard, Washington Boulevard, Via Dolce, Ballona Creek, and the Pacific Ocean.

Among the attractions are canals influenced by canals in Venice, birdwatching, a multitude of beaches, biking, fishing, golfing, and hang gliding.

Swimming

The City of Los Angeles has a great aquatics program that operates 38 seasonal swimming pools, 16 year-round swimming pools, in addition to 11 open-water facilities. At the open-water facilities you can take place in paddle boating and other small craft activities. More information about their aquatic program can be found on their website.