LA RESIDENTS PLZ HELP

[BJO]

I need a romantic park or similar place for my fiance's birthday. Preferably near the ocean or a lake. Also if anyone has information on MacArthur Park in downtown - is it open at night, safe at night, etc. Are there boats? Please reply either on here or by e-mail, thank you.

Stay away from MacArthur Park! that's the best advice i can give you. They don't call that area drug alley because of all the doctors there. Daytime or nightime place? Quiet or crowded? And what city are you going to be in? LA is a pretty big place, could be a couple hours drive from where you might be.

[BJO]

Looking for a nighttime, quiet & romantic place. I live in Glendale(north of L.A.) so anyplace around there - Pasadena, Burbank, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Los Feliz, etc.. Thanks

[Mark Sedenquist]

It has been a while since LA was part of the known universe for me, but here a couple of ideas.

Night time does limit it a bit. If this rendevous could be in the afternoon I would suggest Descanso Gardens in La Canada or the southwest garden at the Huntington in San Marino. The Theodore Payne Foundation maintains a really nice nature trail in the hills above Glendale. I really like wandering in Eaton Canyon park after nightfall, but I think they close the parking lot so, you will need to park up closer to the Mt. Wilson toll road and walk down.

The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel and the gardens are very romantic at night. I also like the Raymond Restaurant -- also in Pasadena. It has been my experience, that anyplace can be romantic -- the place isn't what makes it appealing -- on that basis -- a walk around your own block or a short road trip might be the perfect fit.

In the daytime, Huntington gardens, Arboretuem (where they filmed Fantasy Island), or even the Getty center (might be a little far). At nighttime there are a few places that are quiet, but sometimes the quietest places aren't always the safest.

A few that I've been to that I would recommend are Ferndell in Griffith Park, Ritz Carlton is nice, and if the Griffith Observatory was open, I really liked going there at night. Even though it's closed for rennovations, right above the parking lot is a short trail to the Berlin Forest that is has some nice views. There's always the mountain roads up in the San Gabriels, although it's a little spotty right now after all the forest closures. And Mullholland always has some nice views. There's also the hollywood reservoir/mulholland dam, but I don't know if that's open at night, and I don't know how safe it is over there. I've only been there in the daytime, but it's right in the middle of a very nice neighborhood, so I can't imagine it's that bad.

There's also a great view from the restaurant atop the Magic Castle, you can park in the parking lot at the restaurant up on the very top and there's a small little garden right below the parking lot. Another good spot is the hollywood bowl on a night when there's no concert. Should be open at night and is pretty fun to walk around in, but go at your own risk. I personally don't think it's dangerous, but any dark secluded spot at night could be potentially risky. Also, I may be a little different, but I really like walking around downtown LA at night. Especially now that they opened the Walt Disney Concert Hall, but even before that it was interesting. But if you don't konw the area, you might not want to wander around there too much.

[BJO]

So with the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel, anyone can just go walking through the gardens at night? You don't have to be staying there?