Glitterati Tours and concierges throughout the city hear this phrase rarely, but it’s, “we need things to do when it rains in Los Angeles.” It’s rare, because until just recently, we were going on our 6th year of drought conditions. Our beautiful Santa Monica and San Garbriel Mountain Ranges, were locked in a brownish color for years. We were far below our already low average of about 14 inches per year… 5 years running. Even cities like Beverly Hills cut the sprinklers, and their normal bright green medians along Sunset Boulevard turned to dead grass and dust. There was even a hunt for someone dubbed the Wet Prince of Bel Air, who used 11.8 million gallons of water in a single year. That’s 32,000 gallons a day, when the average Californian uses between 56 and 145 gallons a day.
If you’ve seen the news lately, many of our reservoirs are at 80% capacity, and our Sierra Nevada Mountain Range up north (where we get a lot of our water through the rest of the year) is packed with near record snow. We love it, and we need it. We apologize in advance for the visitor hoping to catch some rays during their visit.
So you’re here, and the weather isn’t cooperating? Here’s some things to do when it rains in Los Angeles: (Note: We’re wimps in Los Angeles when it comes to weather. What we call a major storm, is nothing more than a dew drop on the shoulder to a seasoned weather professional).
Take in One of Our Spectacular Museums
Visit The Getty in Brentwood. You MUST spend a little time outside to view the amazing Richard Meier architecture and the fantastic gardens. Just bring an umbrella. However, don’t bring an expensive umbrella, for they cannot be carried through the museums due to the priceless artwork feet away by artists like Manet, Cezanne and Van Gogh. They will require umbrellas to stay in a pail by the door. We’ve had our wonderful large $40 umbrellas grabbed up twice by exiting patrons, with only 99 cent throwaways left to get us from the museum to the tram.
Take a Hike
It’s usually our favorite time to hit the hills. It’s peaceful and quiet, and you’re not competing on paths with hundreds of others. Hiking trails are abundant throughout Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon.
See a Movie
Visit our show palaces to see a film like the countless number of stars have done during premieres since the birth of Hollywood. Popular, and legendary locations include The Egyptian Theatre, Grauman’s IMAX Theater and Disney’s El Capitan Theatre. We also like Arclight Cinemas at The Cinerama Dome Complex and the 21 and older Sundance Cinemas at 8000 Sunset. Here, you can even enjoy a glass of wine with an end-table next to your seat for the perfect movie-going experience.
Shop
Because it’s Southern California, many of our favorite shopping areas are outdoors, such as Robertson, Melrose Avenue, The Grove, The Farmer’s Market and Sunset Plaza. A local indoor shopping mall includes The Beverly Center.
Take a Tour
Glitterati Tours can actually get quite busy during the rain when folks are looking for covered activities. Most will bypass theme parks like Universal Studios and Disneyland and look for a covered attraction. We are an all SUV fleet, which means NO open-top buses or vans. Get out as much, or as little as you like, during your private tour of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.