A suburb town in Los Angeles County, South Gate is mainly popular for offering the best of both worlds. It is located a mere 11km (7 miles) southeast of Downtown Los Angeles, so not only are visitors able to enjoy the laid-back calm of this Californian suburb city, but also the glitz and glam of the state with complete ease - that too without burning a hole in your pockets! The town has parks, eateries, charming walking streets, and a serenity that’ll fill your trip with utmost fun. Get busy exploring some of these top things to do in South Gate, California, and dive into a world of enjoyment!
1. Spend time outdoors at South Gate Park
South Gate Park is the ultimate outdoorsy’s delight. It boasts multiple facilities on-site, including an 18-hole golf course, a swimming arena, a sports center, a recreational center, a girls’ club house, hockey rink, tennis court, playground, and the list pretty much goes on. The park is touted to be the city’s largest and it is a hit among locals and tourists alike. Facilities aside, the park is also an abyss of natural beauty, with well-paved walkways, designated picnic areas, and manicured green spaces where you can spend quality time in the company of chirping birds, cool Californian breeze, and your loved ones!
Disclaimer: Certain activities at South Gate Park are temporarily suspended, owing to COVID-19 safety measures, at the time this article was published. Kindly check their official website for the latest information.
South Gate Park
Address: 4900 Southern Ave, South Gate, CA 90280, United States
Website: South Gate Park
Opening hours: 7am - 10pm (daily)
2. Shop at South Gate Farmers' Market
South Gate Farmers’ Market is the place to be if you want some retail therapy. A variety of items, such as fresh produce (vegetables and meat), homemade dips, pickles, and jams, artisanal breads and oils, local honey, natural juices, and what not, are sold here and at absolutely reasonable prices. The vendors are quite friendly and happily engage in chats, should you be interested in knowing about the area’s local business scene and/or items they’re selling. So, go with large shopping bags and lively spirits, and have yourselves a ball.
South Gate Farmers' Market
Address: 4855 Tweedy Blvd South Gate CA 90280
Website: South Gate Farmers’ Market
Opening hours: Mon: 8:30am - 1:30pm (closed from Tue - Sun)
Nearby things to do
3. Catch a performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall
A masterpiece of award-winning architect Frank Gehry, Walt Disney Concert Hall is an architectural delight. The renowned Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale regularly hold their performances here. The main auditorium, where these performances are held, has been designed with utmost attention to detail to ensure a stellar musical experience for all. You can check their official website for the line-up and definitely try attending a performance – it’s every bit the penny and every bit the experience too!
Disclaimer: Walt Disney Concert Hall was temporarily shut owing to COVID-19 safety measures at the time this article was published. Kindly check their official website for the latest information.
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Address: 111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States
Website: Walt Disney Concert Hall
4. Get the Hollywood movie experience (from USD 27.0)
How can you be in Los Angeles and not explore its most prized possession - Hollywood - where the cinematic marvels are some of the most intriguing experiences. Several guided and fully-narrated tours are offered, where you’re able to visit movie sets as well as some landmarks such as Grand Central Market, Walt Disney Concert Hall, CalEdison and Bradbury Buildings, and Los Angeles Central Library. So, lace on your most comfortable pair of shoes and move along for a day of fun.
Los Angeles: 1.5-Hour Hollywood Movie Experience
Duration: 1.5 hour
5. Explore the El Dorado Nature Center
El Dorado Nature Center boasts an excellent location, nestled between Freeway 605 and San Gabriel River, and it allows a fabulous exploratory experience to visitors. It is spread across a sprawling 42.5ha (105 acres) of area, which includes walking trails (paved and non-paved), several forested areas, and a myriad of flora and fauna that’ll surely take your breath away. There’s also a visitor center where you’ll be able to enjoy educational displays, an art gallery, and even a souvenir shop for some keepsakes. Do note that the timings mentioned below are those of the entire facility, individual attractions (trails, educational center, etc.) follow separate timings. Check the website for specifics.
El Dorado Nature Center
Address: 7550 E Spring St, Long Beach, CA 90815, United States
Website: El Dorado Nature Center
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 8am - 5pm (closed on Mon)
Price: Free for pedestrians and bicyclists | vehicle entry fee: 5 - 8 USD
6. Engage in fun activities at OUE Skyspace LA (from USD 21.0)
OUE Skyspace is California’s very own observation deck and it is the tallest in the state. While the place is popular for several activities such as the interactive gallery on the 54th floor, its highlight is the observation deck on the 70th floor. From here, not only will you be able to admire some gorgeous views, but you’ll also engage in some thrilling activities. OUE Skyspace’s Skyslide is an approximately 14m (45ft) glass-encased slide, on which visitors are able to slide down from the building’s 70th floor to the 69th floor in about 5 seconds, all the while seeing downtown LA, about 300m (1000ft) below.
Skip-The-Line OUE Skyspace LA Admission Ticket with Upgrade
Duration: 30 to 90 minutes
7. Visit the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is a crypt mausoleum that contains, in its basement, the relics of the third-century Roman martyr, Saint Vibiana. The cathedral has been designed in a unique postmodernist style, featuring minimalistic displays, modest lighting, and simple art, as compared to some of the other ostentatious cathedrals. The building’s stained glass windows and bronze doors are truly impressive, and the basement boasts 6,000 crypts where a number of prior bishops and archbishops have been buried.
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
Address: 555 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States
Website: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 6:30am - 6pm; Sat: 9am - 6pm; Sun: 7am - 6pm
8. Sign up for the Malibu wine hike (from USD 49.0)
The hike is about 4km (2.5 miles) long, through the hills above Thousand Oaks, and it leads up to the Saddlerock Ranch. Through the course of the hike, you will be able to admire the family-run ranch’s lush greenery, Cave of the Four Horsemen (an archaeological site of the Chumash Indian pictographs), on-site Semler Estate Vineyard, and several farm animals (zebras, horses, camels, water buffalos, etc.), of which the most famous is Stanley – a retired movie giraffe who you may have seen in Hangover 3. You can feed him, pet him, and click lots of pictures with him too! While the hike is a fantastic experience in its entirety, what makes it even better is that you get to taste five different Semler and Saddlerock wines at the end for free.
Small-Group Malibu Wine Hike
Duration: 2 to 3 hours
9. Take tons of fun photos at the Museum of Selfies
The Museum of Selfies is a top-class interactive exhibit, with several fun installations, selfie sets and booths, as well as selfie props where you can not only click awesome selfies, but also some cracking (non-selfie) portraits. Among the most popular here are the Game of Thrones’ selfie throne and the optical illusion sets! Don’t forget your selfie stick and return with millions of Insta-worthy snaps!
Museum of Selfies
Address: 6757 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Website: Museum of Selfies
Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 10am - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 10am - 12am
Price: 20 - 25 USD
A pleasing destination
South City is a pleasing destination for solo travelers, family vacationers, and travel junkies alike. If you’re heading there for a quick getaway or an extended trip, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy. Plan your itinerary using our list of the top things to do in South Gate, California, and you should be pretty much sorted.
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