Don’t let the myth of LA’s useless public transportation system stop you from actually seeing some of the best spots in the city while saving tons of time and money.  While it is easiest to access the subway from Hollywood, wherever you are in the city, if you can get on a rail line, the hidden gems of LA are yours for the taking.  Here are the top stops everyone should make on the LA Metro.

Long Beach Aquarium

I’m going to be honest, the Long Beach Aquarium is awesome.  With a shark tank, penguins, and plenty of touch pools, this is a must stop for families and anyone who enjoys sea life.  Also, if you want to splurge a bit, the dolphin encounter is a really great experience.  While here, also look into taking a whale watching tour from the nearby (right out the front door) docks.  Depending on the season, you may see Blue Whales or Gray Whales along their migration routes.

The Aquarium in Long Beach is just a short walk way from the Blue Line’s Transit Mall stop.

Hollywood and Highland

This stop is home to basically all of Hollywood’s world renown sights, the walk of fame, the handprints, Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the Kodak Theater, and even a pretty descent view of the Hollywood Sign.  The subway drops you off right in the heart of the action, and can quickly wisk you away to other parts of the city when you’re done.

Hollywood and Highland is directly above the Hollywood and Highland stop on the Red Line.

Watts Towers

Stretching nearly 100 feet in the air, this series of iron structures is a artistic bright spot in one of the lesser visited and poorer areas of Los Angeles.  While there isn’t much else to see in the area, these are the work of one man’s unique vision that eventually lead to him abandoning the city all together.  Not far from Union Station by subway, this is one of the most unique attractions in LA and a 15 minute must visit for anyone wanting to get a little deeper in to Angelino culture.

Watts Towers are easily accessible from the Blue Line’s 103rd Street/Watts Towers stop.

The Bradbury Building

Wood and Iron are the main characteristics of this early 20th Century architecture marvel that has been featured in countless movies, including Blade Runner and 500 Days of Summer.  A short walk from the metro will lead you to one of the coolest building in the city, and while you can only enter the ground floor, walking in immediately takes you to another world.  I can’t say enough about how cool this building looks, and also, stopping here opens up a few other must see downtown sights like Angel’s Flight and, for literature fans, The Last Bookstore.

The Bradbury Building and other attractions listed are just a few blocks from the Pershing Square stop on either the Red or Purple Lines.

Universal City

People visiting LA love Universal Theme Park.  I literally hear people raving about their visit to Universal just about everyday, but for many, the hardest part is getting there.  Guys and gals, it’s actually SUPER easy to get to Universal (just one stop on the subway out of Hollywood), and visiting here not only gets you to Universal Theme Park it also gets you to Universal City Walk which is home to the secret Pink’s Hotdog location.

Universal Theme Park and Universal City are across the street from the Universal City stop on the Red Line.

Philippe the Original

Possibly the worldwide home of the French Dip, definitely one of the best places in LA to grab a sandwich, Philippe’s is an age old dining spot that hasn’t changed in like 100 years.  Serving up classic deli style food, you must get a french dip sandwich and, when eating, sample their hot mustard.  This place is delicious and also cash only.  A block away, Olivera Street is LA’s little Mexico, and a neat place to walk around.

Philippe’s is located a few blocks from Union Station, accessible via the Red, Purple, and Gold Lines.

Griffith Observatory

This is my number one recommended attraction.  I love the Griffith Observatory, amazing city views (especially at night), telescopes, and an killer planetarium show, everyone should visit here while they are in LA.  It’s location high in the hills overlooking LA is not a problem with the LA metro’s Griffith Observatory Shuttle which takes you right from the subway stop all the way up to the observatory Saturdays and Sundays from 10am – 10pm (not including holidays).  Click this link to find out the exact time and location of the shuttle and make sure it’s operating while you are in town, Griffith Observatory Shuttle Info. Don’t miss this spot.

The shuttle stop is at the Vermont/Sunset Stop off of the Red Line.