Flights to LA: The Quirky Side of 'the City of Angels' by Michael Danielson

So you've been to Los Angeles before, and you've loved it. Not surprising, it's a great city. But this time, you just got off of your latest flight to LA and you've realized that you don't want to do the same stuff you've done before. Theme parks? (Yawn). Rodeo Drive? Boring. Hollywood? Nah. What can you do in LA that's really different?

Glad you asked. Like any big city, LA has a quirky side that is worth exploring. So let's get creative and really let your inner explorer take flight.

The Bridge to Nowhere
If your friends all jumped off of a bridge, would you do it too? ‘The Bridge to Nowhere’ is that bridge. Following a pleasant hike, that's easy if you're reasonably fit, you and your friends will find yourself at a bridge constructed almost 50 years ago. The thing is that it goes...nowhere. So obviously, it's the perfect place for bungee jumping! The price is $70 for a jump and it is an LA experience you will never forget. Find out more at BungeeAmerica.Com.

La Brea
Right smack dab in the middle of the LA’s urban jungle, is the La Brea tar pits. This natural wonder is a constant reminder that there was once a prehistoric wilderness here many millennia before the first asphalt was laid. It’s also an indicator of the ongoing geological activity beneath the city. La Brea today has a museum that chronicles the rise and fall of the prehistoric beasts that once wandered the LA basin, and then of course there are the still-bubbling tar pits themselves. Admission costs $11. La Brea is located at 5801 Wilshire Boulevard.

The Brewery Art Colony
Supposedly the largest art colony in the world, The Brewery Art Colony takes up all of what used to be a Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery. The Colony comprises of hundreds of artists constantly working on their craft. Twice a year, they put on an ‘open house’ where visitors can walk through and admire their creations. The Brewery is located at 600 Moulton Avenue. Check the Brewery website for the next open house.

The Echo Park Time Travel Mart
What do you get the time traveler who has everything? Stop by this novelty store and you will find disguise beards, ‘togas-in-a-jar’, a flux capacitor for a broken-down DeLorian, and ‘Viking Odorant’ for trips to ancient Norway! This store is a clever nonprofit retailer that helps local children. A visit is worth quite a few laughs on a slow afternoon. Find out more at 1714 W Sunset Blvd.

The Los Angeles Gun Club
If you've ever wanted to shoot something but you've been scared for whatever reason, try a visit the LA Gun Club. Their experts will show you every aspect of gun safety, provide you with everything from the goggles to the guns, and set you loose in your own private shooting booth. Paper targets can be moved as far away as you think you can aim, so take sight and let fly! The club is located at 1375 East 6th Street.

There are a lot of things that anyone can do when they disembark from their flight to LA. Keep your eyes -- and your mind -- open, and you'll never run out of new and thrilling things to do in Los Angeles.