Downtown LA Artwalk: This is NOT your Dad's Downtown

[Lovehound]

I'm really glad this topic came up. I recently did the Santa Fe NM art walk, and it will be interesting to do LA's art walk to see how LA compares to SF. I've heard that NY, LA and SF are the nation's largest art markets.

And oddly, I just heard that LA had an art walk at all, in the last 1-2 days, mentioned on one of the LA local TV stations.

I've recently decided to try and visit downtown more often (than my average once a year for decades, more often a long time ago). I'm thinking maybe it would be kind of cool to take Metrolink, turning an hour on the freeway into a 10 minute drive and a train ride. And some walking I guess.

Can anybody tell me if the LA art walk is convenient to Metrolink? From my memory (and a bit of research on Google maps) you get off Metrolink at Union Station just north of the 101 freeway at Alameda, walk a couple blocks NW to Main St. or Spring St., then a few or several blocks SW to 4th St. to 7th St.? Perhaps a mile (each way) plus whatever you put on walking between galleries? Maybe dinner in Little Tokyo on the way back?


I found this interesting map linked in the article quoted in the OP:



To save re-reading the OP, second Thursday every month, 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

You know, like yesterday? Guess maybe I'll have to wait for November or December.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

Can anybody tell me if the LA art walk is convenient to Metrolink? From my memory (and a bit of research on Google maps) you get off Metrolink at Union Station just north of the 101 freeway at Alameda, walk a couple blocks NW to Main St. or Spring St., then a few or several blocks SW to 4th St. to 7th St.? Perhaps a mile (each way) plus whatever you put on walking between galleries? Maybe dinner in Little Tokyo on the way back?

Lovehound: Here is my suggestion. At Union Station you could do one of the following:

1. Transfer from Metrolink to the Red Line. Take the Red line two or three stops to the Pershing Square station (5th and Hill). From there it is an EASY walk to the Artwalk on Spring and Main.

2. Transfer from Metrolink to the Gold Line. Take Gold Line to Little Tokyo and exit at 1st and Alameda. You could walk from here but it is longer than option no. 1.

[Lovehound]

Thanks Sal. Red Line and Gold Line are buses, right? And do I presume right that you transfer at Union Station? I was thinking it would be more of a PITA to transfer to a bus than to simply walk the distance, still guessing a mile. However the bus may be a good idea because while I'm in good enough shape to walk a few miles (maybe even better for me after dinner) but some of my friends who may be interested in going might not be as good for the extra walking.

I'm just trying to get into the mass transit thing a little bit. I'm retired so I have no need or interest in commuting by mass transit, but using it for an excursion might be fun as a novelty. If it turns out not that fun I can just drive my car next time like I always did before.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

Thanks Sal. Red Line and Gold Line are buses, right? And do I presume right that you transfer at Union Station? I was thinking it would be more of a PITA to transfer to a bus than to simply walk the distance, still guessing a mile. However the bus may be a good idea because while I'm in good enough shape to walk a few miles (maybe even better for me after dinner) but some of my friends who may be interested in going might not be as good for the extra walking.

I'm just trying to get into the mass transit thing a little bit. I'm retired so I have no need or interest in commuting by mass transit, but using it for an excursion might be fun as a novelty. If it turns out not that fun I can just drive my car next time like I always did before.

Redline is a subway. Its no issue to transfer to it...you just walk into the Redline tunnel, take it two exits to Pershing Square using the 5th/Hill exit, walk 2 very short blocks east to Spring and you are smack in the middle of artwalk.

[Lovehound]

Wow! Color me embarrassed. It shows how little I know about public transit. That's probably not unusual. Most of us decide to go somewhere and just jump in our car and drive there. Thank you all for your suggestions.

It will be an interesting experience. I hope I can find somebody to go with who knows this stuff.

[SalParadise]

Yes, like JohnG72 noted, Red Line is the subway & Gold Line is light rail. Both have connections within Union Station. Clean, safe, and easy from Union Station to Pershing Square...and you'll be just a few short blocks away from artwalk.