Los Angeles Downtown Explorer

••• Hot eats • cool bars • hip shops • arts galore •••

Downtown L.A.--it's the most dynamic, exciting, vibrant neighborhood in all of Los Angeles. DTLA Explorer guides you to all the culture, nightlife, history and culinary excellence the city center has to offer, with hundreds of listings and tips from two veteran L.A. journalists and downtown experts who actually live, work, shop and eat here. We can tell you where to buy a discount pinata, how you can meditate in a Japanese Zen temple, which bar sells drinks to-go, and the fastest, cheapest way to get to the airport.

In the last five years, DTLA has experienced an extraordinary commercial, residential and artistic renaissance, transforming from a moribund 9-to-5 business and government center to a thriving community pulsing with life. High-rise hotels and sleek lofts, top restaurants and great city parks have sprung to life, to find their places amid the wholesale markets, office towers, mom-and-pop stalls and historic buildings, some of which date from the early 1800s. This is exciting stuff for a region that was long down, out and neglected.

DTLA, as it is often called these days, is roughly bounded by Chinatown and Dodger Stadium on the north, the University of Southern California and Exposition Park on the south, the 110 freeway on the west, and the Los Angeles River on the east. The neighborhoods that make up its eight square miles are as unique as the sprawling city itself and encompass all the themes that make a city great--business, arts, fashion, entertainment, architecture, sports, history, culture, diversity, and industry.

In this app, we have broken them into 12 distinct regions--the Arts District, Civic Center, Old Bank+Spring Street, the 7th Street area, Broadway+Jewelry, the Bunker Hill area, Little Tokyo, Skid Row+Central City, the Fashion+Flower districts, South Park, Chinatown, and Very Near to DTLA (which includes Exposition Park and Lincoln Heights). A Basics section gives the lowdown on transportation, safety, kid-friendly activities, and more.


••• About the Authors •••

We are two veteran journalists who share an unabashed admiration for the City of Angels and its unique downtown neighborhoods. We created this app because we felt there was a real need for an insider's guide to the new and improved downtown.

We not only profile all the recognizable places like the Music Center and L.A. Live, but also offer details and tips on the lesser-known destinations--how to navigate the Piñata and Fashion districts, where to find the best Wifi tables and coolest art exhibits, what to order at the King Eddy Saloon. Between the two of us, we have enjoyed drinks in basement vaults and on rotating rooftops, meditated in a Japanese temple, built snowmen in Pershing Square, and biked and walked just about every downtown street. We have personally visited every destination listed in this guide.

Makinen is film editor of the Los Angeles Times and a five-year resident of downtown. Randall is the author of three travel books on Southern California and has served as a contributing editor to Fodor’s Gold Guides and Zagat’s Insider’s Guide to Disneyland.


••• About Sutro Media •••

This guide is published in partnership with Sutro Media. By enabling local writers to share their expertise on mobile phones, Sutro Media is making it easier and more fun to explore the world!

If you have any problems, comments, or suggestions for improvement, we'd love to hear from you - letusknow@sutromedia.com