Central Avenue

Los Angeles

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From the 1920s to the 1950s, Central Ave was the lifeblood of LA’s African-American community, not by choice but because segregation laws kept black people out of other neighborhoods. It was also a hotbed of jazz and R&B, a legacy commemorated every July with the Central Avenue Jazz Festival held outside the 1928 Dunbar Hotel.

Duke Ellington once maintained a suite at the Dunbar, which was LA’s only 1st-class hotel for African Americans. It’s now a low-income seniors center, but has been renovated and the facade faithfully restored. It's worth a peek.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Griffith in Blue

    Griffith Observatory

    8.21 MILES

    With eyes on both the galaxy above and palm-flanked boulevards below, the Griffith Observatory hovers above LA like a hulking spacecraft. This is one of…

  • People entering Knott's Scary Farm at Knott's Berry Farm, celebrating a Southern California Halloween tradition, on October 14, 2013.

    Knott’s Berry Farm

    18.5 MILES

    What started as a simple berry farm is now a sprawling 160-acre operation with rides, live shows and lovable Peanuts characters roaming the grounds. Knott…

  • VENICE BEACH, USA - SEPTEMBER 29, 2016: The crowded Venice Beach Boardwalk. Lots of people are strolling down the boardwalk. On the sides there are several shops and palm trees.

    Venice Boardwalk

    12.6 MILES

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  • Santa Monica Pier

    Santa Monica Pier

    13.96 MILES

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  • The Broad Museum of Los Angeles.

    Broad

    3.42 MILES

    From the instant it opened in September 2015, the Broad (rhymes with 'road') became a must-visit for contemporary-art fans. It houses the world-class…

  • Getty Center, exterior.

    Getty Center

    13.53 MILES

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    Universal Studios Hollywood

    10.73 MILES

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Nearby Los Angeles attractions

1. Dunbar Hotel

0.13 MILES

The Dunbar was a luxury hotel built in 1928 in this predominantly African-American neighborhood, at a time when segregation barred African-Americans from…

2. African American Firefighter Museum

1.69 MILES

Dedicated to the history of African-American firefighters, this humble museum has the usual assortment of vintage engines and uniforms, as well as an 1890…

3. California African American Museum

1.74 MILES

CAAM does an excellent job of showcasing African-American artists and the African-American experience, with a special focus on California and LA. Exhibits…

4. University of Southern California

1.8 MILES

George Lucas, John Wayne and Neil Armstrong are among the famous alumni of this well-respected private university, founded in 1880, just north of…

5. California Science Center

1.88 MILES

Top billing at the Science Center goes to the Space Shuttle Endeavour, one of only four space shuttles nationwide, but there's plenty else to see at this…

6. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

1.89 MILES

Built in 1923, this grand stadium hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympic Games, the 1959 baseball World Series and two Super Bowls, is the temporary home…

7. Rose Garden

1.91 MILES

This stately garden in front of the California Science Center opened to the public in 1928 and today displays 145 varieties of plants.

8. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

2.05 MILES

Dinos to diamonds, bears to beetles, hissing roaches to African elephants – this museum will take you around the world and back, through millions of years…