For tourists in Los Angeles that like to stray off the beaten path, or residents that want to explore the city on a deeper level, there are several options to pull your visit out of the mundane. Los Angeles is a large metropolitan area that can be overwhelming to explore, but offers many memorable experiences.
Dearly Departed Tours is a tour company in Hollywood that shows the underbelly of the city through four different tours. The Tragical History tour takes guests through the dark side of celebrity culture--tourists will see where celebrities have been caught with prostitutes, where they took their last breaths and famous murder locations. The Helter Skelter tour focuses exclusively on the scene of the Manson Family murders and visits the sites of the Tate and LaBianca murders. The Hollywood Tour visits famous movie locations with less of a morbid focus. The Nasty Nellie tour is hosted by Little House on the Prairie star Alison Arngrim who gives her personal anecdotes and gossip about the stars. All tours must be booked ahead of time and should be purchased about two weeks in advance.
The Museum of Jurassic Technology is a museum of folk art with permanent and traveling exhibitions. Collections include the Garden of Eden on Wheels, which features items from Los Angeles trailer parks, and smaller items such as a Flemish landscape carved on an almond. One famous feature of the museum is the horn of Mary Davis, a supposed horn that grew in the back of a woman's head. The museum is open on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Friday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. As of 2010, there is no set price for admission, but the suggested donation to visit is $5 for adults. Complimentary tea and cookies are served at the museum's Tula Tea Room from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday through Sunday.
At LA Skydiving, all of the staff are licensed professionals who offer the highest skydive available in California, at 10,000 to 14,000 feet. For first-time jumpers, LA Skydiving offers both tandem and accelerated free fall jumps. Tandem requires just an hour of training and you are attached to the front of an instructor's harness. Accelerated free fall jumps require four to six hours of training and, via radio control, allow jumpers to maneuver their own descent. Experienced jumpers can also take a course at LA Skydiving to become a licensed sky diver. LA Skydiving is open 365 days a year from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations are encouraged but not required.
The Museum of Neon Art in West Hollywood is dedicated to the appreciation of neon's aesthetic appeal and artistic merit. The museum changes exhibits twice a year featuring both new and established neon artists. At night, guests can take the Mona Neon Cruise tour around LA that explains the aesthetic appeal of contemporary neon art still used in the city. Those that live in LA can take neon art classes to learn neon history and how to create a neon sculpture or sign. Admission is $7 for adults with discounts for children, seniors and the elderly. Museum hours are Thursday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. It is advisable to call ahead in case the space is being used for filming.
