Los Angeles is a city dominated by automobiles and its rugged, moutainous geography, combined with many large and expensive homes, makes for some of the best drives in the USA.
Parking Structure At The Grove
One of the easiest "scenic views" to be had of LA is from the top floors of the parking structure at The Grove. Since the city is so flat, this location at one of LA's most popular malls affords great views to all points of the compass
Nestled high in the Hollywood hills, this is one of the finest views you'll get of Los Angeles, and it's very easy to get to. As an added bonus you can go into the Griffith Observatory itself, one of the finest museums of astrophysics in the world.
INTO THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS
Go to La Cienega Blvd. and Sunset Blvd, not far from the heart of Hollywood and at the start of the Sunset Strip. You will be at the foot of the Hollywood Hills. There is a little street across and to your left, Miller Drive, going up into the hills. TAKE IT. At every turn, take the direction that goes up. You will see great sights: houses built on stilts on the side of the mountain, great views of LA, big houses and maybe a few mansions (one in particular, no idea who owns it, but it's like a fortress overlooking the city). Just keep going up. Doing this at dusk can be spectacular. BE SURE TO TAKE SOME STREETS MARKED "DEAD END" OR "NO OUTLET" as these may have the most spectacular views. Keep in mind that you'll be looking at the backs of most of the houses you pass since they have been built facing the overlook, not the street!
When you get tired of this, or when you hit Mullholland Drive (which you probably won't get to), just reverse course and take every turn that goes down. You don't need to take the same streets and you will find yourself right back on Sunset Blvd, probably just a few blocks from where you started. This is a great drive and you CANNOT get lost.
If you want to see what this looks like on a map, go to www.google.com/maps and enter "la cienega blvd and sunset blvd los angeles" -- but don't be put off by the widing roads, you CANNOT get lost.
It's hard for photos to do justice, but here goes:
This is what Miller Dr. & Sunset Blvd looks like when you are going towards the hills (north) on La Cienega (it can be hard to notice Miller Drive the first time -- that white van is going up Miller Drive):
Here are some houses built into the hills -- note that they are on stilts!
And here's a shot of downtown LA on a misty (not smoggy) morning -- that "city" off in the distance is really downtown LA
As an added note, you can repeat this tour along different streets by taking any turn off of Sunset Blvd.
Rodeo Drive To Benedict Canyon Drive To Mullholland Drive
Rodeo Drive is famous as of one of the worlds most expensive shopping districts, but if you continue going north (towards the hills) it turns into a lovely residential neighborhood bordered by palm trees -- just like in the movies! Just driving around the side streets and looking at the beautiful houses is very interesting.
Continue north to Sunset Blvd, to the right you'll see one corner of the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. Continue across Sunset and then, just to the left, there will be a side street called Benedict Canyon Drive. To see a map of this, go to www.google.com/maps and type in "Benedict Canyon dr & sunset blvd" (be sure to click on satelite view and pull the map down to see how rugged the territory really is -- but don't worry, this is an easy drive).
Take the left onto Benedict Canyon Dr. This is a beautiful drive through a winding canyon that cuts through the Hollywood Hills and takes you to Mullholland Drive. If you do this during rush hour there will be a lot of traffic, by the way, since this is a major route to cut across the hills into the San Fernando Valley.. Many of the homes are magnificent -- be sure to take some side streets off the main road, too, as they may have some of the most interesting homes.
Eventually you'll reach the crest of the mountain -- Mullholland Drive. This road at the top of the Hollywood Hills and goes for miles in either direction. Turn left or right for great views of the San Fernando Valley to the north (ie, the other side of the mountain from where you came)
If you go left at Mullolland, which takes you northwest, you'll eventually cross over the 405 Freeway. Be sure to keep your eyes out for the huge and beautiful Bel Air Presbyterian Church (site of Ronald Reagan's funeral). If there's no service going on you should go into the parking lot and take in the fabulous view of the Valley.
Coast Canyon Roads
Leave the city behind as you head up PCH to Malibu. There are many choice of Canyon Road to cut across on depending on yor time and driving comfort. Las Flores to Piuma is a very windy long canyon, but amazing views and makes you feel like you are a million miles away from anywhere. To see this on a map go to www.google.com/maps and type in, "Las Flores and pacific coast highway malibu" -- be sure to click on Satelite View to see how undeveloped the area is! Take it through to Malibu Canyon and make a right. Head on up until you reach Muholland Drive and make a left. You can follow Muhooland all the way to the ocean. When you hit the coast turn left and enjoy the views of the ocean on your drive back to Santa Monica.
You can enjoy many version of this route by taking any of these canyons to Muholland: Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon, relatively easy and fast; Decker Rd - windy and curvy, nice houses along the way; Kanan Dune, again - not too windy, but still nice views;
Ventura County Drives
From Westlake Bvld (heading South from the 101 or continuing north from Decker Rd (you can also hit Westlake Blvd/Decker Rd from Muholland. Turn onto Portrero Rd. This will take you past Lake Sherwood and through Hidden Valley. It is a valley full of beautiful house ranches and makes you feel like you've stepped into a whole different world. Continue on until you hit Reino, make a right and the na quick left on Lynn/Potrero Rd. Follow Lynn/Potrero through the hills to Camarillo. It lets you out by Cal State Channel Islands (which used to be a mental institute and the inspiration and photograph on the Eagles album "Hotel California". Turn left on Hueneme Rd and drive through Strawberry fields (more trivia - Camarillo/Oxnard Strawberry Fields inspired the Beatles "Strawberry Fields" song). Turn left on Los Posas and turn left onto the 1 hgwy and follow the coast to Santa Monica.
Kern County Area: Frazier Mountan Park Road
Frazier Mountain Park Road that intersects the Golden State Freeway (5) between Gorman and Lebec. After Lake of the Woods there's the Lockwood Valley Road but you can take the road that traverses the ridge through Pine Mountain Club (don't blink) to terminate at the Guyama Highway (166) near Guyama where there's a cute place to eat. It's a beautifully engineered and paved road with views of the Carrizo Plain on one side and the Los Angeles Basin on the other. You'll probably encounter about one vehicle between the lake and the Maricopa Highway (33).
