Five Fun Ways To Spend a Rainy Day in Los Angeles

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When a typical traveler describes their perfect trip to Los Angeles, it usually begins and ends with a lot of sun and fun. That’s perfectly natural. Southern California is blessed with abundant sunshine, warm temperatures, iconic beaches, and interesting local landmarks. However, no matter what the songs says, it does occasionally rain in southern California. And when it does rain, it really pours.

Not to worry. Even though Los Angeles is fantastic in the sunshine, it’s also a lot of fun when it rains. You just have to think outside the box a little. Our company is one of the few car rental companies that accept cash deposits in the Los Angeles area. That means we get a lot of customers who are traveling on short notice and on a tight budget. We’re often asked to suggest interesting excursions in the area. Of course the usual destinations like Disneyland and the beach are great if the weather is balmy. Standing in line at Space Mountain in the rain isn’t nearly as much fun, however.

For those few days a year when the sunshine is taking a day off, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular ways to spend a rainy day in Los Angeles. Even if you already have destinations in mind for your time in Los Angeles, it’s great to have a fallback itinerary if the weather turns sour on you. What’s more, these rainy day attractions are so much fun, you might count yourself lucky if the rain  lasts for several days so you can try them all!

See a Movie, the Hollywood Way

It’s a blast to visit Mann’s Chinese theater in Hollywood. You can wander around the open sidewalk/courtyard out front and see the handprints and footprints of your favorite movie stars embedded in the concrete slabs. It’s an especially great excursion for a family on a budget, because it’s free. It’s not nearly as enjoyable if the footprints are full of rainwater, however.

If showers spoil your trip to the Chinese, you can still walk across the street to the El Capitan Theatre and take in a movie in old Hollywood style. Seeing a movie at the El Capitan is nothing like going to a bland stripmall movie house. The El Capitan was purchased and restored by Disney, and it’s a magnificent example of the exotic architectural style that makes old Los Angeles so interesting.

The exterior of the El Capitan is Spanish Colonial, with an exotic, East Indian interior that really pops. The theater was originally built in 1926 to host live theater performances. During the 1940s, it was converted to a movie house. It was completely restored in 1989 by the Disney Company, and it shows only Disney films. That makes it a great destination for a rainy afternoon with kids of any age.

The entertainment doesn’t end with a great movie experience. There’s a great pre-movie show, which might include live vaudeville-style acts or singing and dancing. There’s also music performed on the giant Wurlitzer pipe organ before the movies start.

The El Capitan is popular rain or shine, but it’s especially hard to get a ticket on a rainy day. You can check online for shows, or call their box office for more info.

The El Capitan Theatre

Indoor Speed Karting

Rainy days in Los Angeles don’t have to be dreary. If you’re going to be stuck indoors, why not get stuck behind the wheel of a super-fast, zero-emission go cart? K1 Speed Indoor Karting in Torrance is handy to West Los Angeles, and it’s fun for adults as well as larger (over 4′-10″) children.

K1 is part of a national chain of cutting-edge kart racing tracks, so there’s no rundown amusement park vibe. The tracks are challenging, and the karts are very fast.

The hairpin turns and fast speeds aren’t really suited to meek drivers. There’s a real competitive vibe to the action that resembles real racing more than leisurely bumper car action. K1 Kart Racing is especially good for parties.

K1 Speed Indoor Karting

Watch a TV Show Being Taped

Want to see a celebrity while you’re in Hollywood? Good luck. It’s getting harder and harder to spot movie stars out and about in the city. It’s nearly impossible on a rainy day. However, if you want to get up close and personal with your favorite stars on a rainy day, why not visit them while they’re working?

Lots of TV sitcoms, talk shows, game shows, and other serialized programs are taped in Los Angeles. If you’re willing to be flexible, you can find one nearly every day of the week, every month of the year. It’s a great way to spend a drizzly afternoon, and best of all, it’s almost always free.

Just because it’s free doesn’t mean you won’t need tickets, however. Look around online for websites like TVTickets.com to find something that you’d find interesting that’s taping that day. Unlike watching your favorite shows on your television, who taping often includes personal interactions with the show’s performers before, during, or after the taping.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a half-hour show takes a half-hour to tape. Be prepared to spend four hours  or more at the venue.

Visit Madame Tussaud’s in Hollywood

Back in the day, Madame Tussauds had a cheesy but likeable vibe. The wax statues of sort-of-celebrities weren’t very lifelike, and the surroundings reminded most visitors of a cheap carnival, not a museum. The wax effigy business has come a long way in the last decades, and Madame Tussauds has reinvented itself as a much more interesting and lively destination.

Unlike most museums, Tussauds is geared more to popular taste than strictly intellectual displays. The incredibly lifelike wax figures are chosen from the ranks of celebrity for the most part. That means you’ll see replicas of people you’d like to meet. It’s great fun to take a selfie with an uncannily lifelike statue of your favorite singer, actor, or other personality. As interactive entertainment goes, it’s as close to hanging around in the Green Room of a TV talk show as you’re likely to get. It’s a great way to spend a rainy afternoon without spending a bundle, or driving all over town. Smart visitors book online to get discounts.

Madame Tussauds Hollywood

Roll On Over to the Petersen Automotive Museum

Car rental companies that accept cash deposits like we do are naturally partial to all things automotive. Los Angeles is famous for its car culture, and the Petersen Museum might just be the greatest car museum in the country. The spiffy new buildings looks like it’s moving at high speed itself, and has won several design awards. Inside, the museum features more than 100,000 square feet of fascinating displays. There’s something for every age and taste, with Disney/Pixar CARS sitting next to fascinating examples of concept and art cars.

Unlike most automotive museums, the Petersen is anything but sedate. There are many interactive exhibits, including driving simulators that put you behind the virtual wheel of the fastest cars on the planet.

The Petersen Automotive Museum

10 Fun Ways To Spend a Rainy Day in L.A. from rentavaluecar.com

Affordable Cash Deposit Car Rental in Los Angeles

Remember, car rental companies that accept cash deposits are hard to find. Get great rates on your next rental in the greater Los Angeles area by contacting Value Rental Car, with convenient locations in Los Angeles and Pasadena.

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