Here's a list of resources for activities before and after the convention and for spouses and friends while you're folding away.
General Tips
Los Angeles, and especially seaside cities like Redondo, can get chilly at night in the fall and winter, so pack a sweater or a light jacket for evening excursions.
Factor in traffic time to all excursions, and be patient. Rush hour in Los Angeles is basically all day long. Plan around peak commuter time to get the best use of travel time.
Transportation
Redondo Beach is south of Los Angeles proper, not far from Los Angeles International Airport.
Los Angeles and its surrounding cities are very Uber and Lyft friendly. If you choose not to rent a car while in town, you should be able to navigate any sightseeing by ride-sharing.
Los Angeles has a Metro subway system, which isn’t terribly fast, but it can get you where you need if you don’t have a car (and you have time). Use a reasonable amount of caution when traveling on it at night, as there are less frequent trains, and not as many people and security around.
Whale Watching
Fall and winter is gray whale season! There are many companies that run whale watching trips near Redondo. Bring a warm jacket and tennis shoes for the excursion, and look for Groupon or GoldStar coupons. Any time is fantastic, but the sunset (late afternoon) cruises are spectacular, and you can see the sun set over the Pacific as you come into port.
Beaches
Zuma Beach is a favorite place. It's relatively quiet. There's a crazy place nearby called Neptune's Net that's an old local hangout. The food's nothing to brag about (it's a surf shack), but the people watching is killer.
Museums
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Japanese American Museum
- The Broad Museum
- The Huntington Museum and Botanical Gardens
- Grammy Museum
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is vibrant and bustling. If you plan a day trip there, do your research to see if there is a ball game (LA Kings hockey, Clippers/Lakers/Sparks basketball), concert or other event in the area that may cause transportation jams. Some of the sights:
- Disney Concert Hall
- The Last Bookstore
- The Grand Central Market
- LA Live
- Little Tokyo
More More More
Griffith Park Observatory. The observatory is located in Los Angeles proper. It’s free. It’s amazing. Parking can be challenging, so there’s a shuttle at the base of the park (near the Greek Theatre) that will get you to the observatory.