My partner and I recently did the Old and New Downtown LA walking tour. We had a really enjoyable time.
Our guide on the day was Nikki. A native of Florida, and a writer, Nikki moved to LA with a friend who didn't want to make the move by herself.
Our group was small: two Aussies (that would be us); a cute student at UCLA and her dad from Michigan; and a couple from Singapore who divide their time between Singapore and Melbourne Australia.
The tour starting point was easy to find. We were immediately greeted by a warm and welcoming Nikki and we set out on the tour. Good walking tours take you to places you might not otherwise find on your own, and they give you a glimpse into time, place and culture.
The Old and New tour is themed around history and changes in the downtown area. It's a story of what has been lost (Broadway and a once-vibrant theatre district); preserved (the beautiful lobby of the Bradbury building); and new (people wanting to live in downtown).
The stops on the tour are all interesting. Nikki weaves together historical facts, popular culture and film references, images on an iPad, and her own personal experience of choosing to move to and live in LA.
I found this tour a really enjoyable way of gaining an insight into the downtown area. Nikki and the group were a great bunch of people to spend a couple of hours with.
This tour is well worth doing.