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FIGUEROA STREET

There's a large rock that sits prominently above the Ventura Freeway. In the right light, usually in the afternoon, you can see the outline of an eagle in flight on its western flank. It is because of this geological feature that the rock got its name...Eagle Rock. The surrounding town also takes its name from this rock and it is from this outcropping that one of Los Angeles' longest streets springs from.

Best Day to drive this route: Saturday or Sunday

Worst Day to drive this route: Any weekday

Trip distance: approx. 30 miles

Driving time (minus stops): 2 hours

Start this trip at the northern end of the street where it begins at Eagle Rock and the 134 (Ventura) freeway. The Figueroa St. exit is about 1 miles west of downtown Pasadena.

Take a moment at the beginning of this trip to look at the rock. Try and pick out the eagle. Back when the first settlers were arriving on the scene, local Indians would perch upon the top of the rock to spy on the interlopers below.

Now, nearby residents spy on young visitors to make sure they don't deface this L.A. landmark. Head south down Figueroa where it will cross another of L.A.'s lengendary streets, Colorado Bl. The residents and businesses in this area hope to make it the next urban renewal zone such as Old Town Pasadena. For now, it's still a bit rundown but if you look closely, you can see some signs of things to come. Trader Joe's is here as is the highly popular Casa Bianca Italian kitchen.

The street now continues on into the Arroyo Seco and Highland Park. Take a left at Ave. 60 over to Arroyo Seco Park and marvel at the beautiful Santa Fe railroad trestle spanning the arroyo. Many a kid has screwed up the courage to cross this before the next train appeared.

Back over on Figueroa, one of L.A.'s best kept secrets...the Southwest Museum...perches on a hilltop. This Native American museum is the best place to learn about California's pre-European history. Take a right on Ave. 45 and then another right on Marmion Way.

Back over on Figueroa is the Lummis Home, the home of Charles Fletcher Lummis. Lummis was a reporter who walked across the country to L.A. and recorded his exploits. His home is now a museum.

Just ahead, Figueroa's grand entrance into downtown L.A. has been supplanted by the 110 (Pasadena) Freeway, the oldest freeway in the nation. Hop on the 110 to the Figueroa exit and continue on your way.

Ahead on the left is one of L.A.'s most known landmarks, the Bonaventure Hotel with its cylindrical towers. If you have some extra time and money, stop in and enjoy the huge atrium lobby or a drink in the revolving bar atop tower 5.

While you're here, walk 3 blocks east to Olive and ride L.A.'s oldest public transit system, Angel's Flight. This much loved L.A. landmark is an old funicular that will take you from the Grand Central Market (GREAT place to have lunch) up Bunker Hill to the fountains of the Water Court. All for a quarter.

Ahead will be the renovated Los Angeles Convention Center which should look familiar to you as it has had parts in many movies, notably the climactic scene of the recent "Rush Hour". All that construction you see here is the building of the new Staples Center Arena which will be home to the Lakers, Kings, and Clippers starting in 1999.

Soon you will cross under the Santa Monica Freeway to another very historic L.A. site, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Two Olympic games were headquarted here-1928 and 1984. The Rams played here, the Raiders played here, UCLA played here. Heck, the Dodgers even played here. USC is the only one who still plays here. Next door is the outdated and soon to be without a tenant Sports Arena. Next to that is the California Science Center and Museum of Natural History. Both are worth a stop.

Now you're getting into the area of L.A. know as South Central L.A. Soon you will come across Florence Ave. 5 blocks to the west is the intersection of Florence and Normadie which will live in memories forever as the flashpoint of the 1991 riots when the Simi Valley jury handed down a not guilty verdict in the case of the officers accused of beating Rodney King. This is the intersection where trucker Reginald Denny was pulled from his rig and beaten near death. It was only through the help of concerned residents watching the incident live on TV nearby that Denny was saved. These heroes really risked their lives to get Denny out of that angy mob and over to Martin Luther King Medical Center's emergency room.

Many people try to avoid this part of town by taking the 110 freeway through it although it is still a genuine slice of L.A. and should be experienced. If you stay on Figueroa, you will go through a couple of more miles of South Central until you reach the city of Carson, a not unpleasant middle class community.

We're getting close now. Ahead, we come into the working class port community of Wilmington and soon L.A.'s version of the Golden Gate Bridge...the green Vincent Thomas Bridge...looms in our sights. Soon Figueroa will end at John Gibson Bl. which will take you on into San Pedro, Ports o' Call, and the Cruise Ship Terminal.

Here, you can very pleasantly spend a few hours at the end of your trek nibbling fresh seafood, drinking a cold beer, enjoying the Maritime Museum or even hopping a boat to Catalina.

To go back where you came from, hop on the 110 freeway going north. After downtown L.A., transfer to the northbound 5 freeway to the 2 freeway. Take the 2 to the 134 and go east to Figueroa St.