A Guide to Our Own Backyard

ITINERARY ONE: Kid’s-Eye View

1. Start with breakfast at the Original Pantry Bakery & Sandwich Shop or the Original Pantry Cafe (875 and 877 Figueroa; 213-627-6879 and 213-972-9279). You might bump into L.A.’s Mayor Richard Riordan (he owns both places).

2. Take 9th to Flower, turn right and go about 2 miles to where Flower dead-ends at Figueroa and Exposition Park, which includes the California Museum of Science and Industry (700 State Dr.; 213-744-7400). Kids can watch chicks hatch, make rocket fuel or go on a molecular treasure hunt.

3. At the other end of Exposition Park, kids can make fossil rubbings and play educational games at the Natural History Museum’s Discovery Center (900 Exposition Blvd.; 213-744-4715).

4. Follow the signs to the Harbor (110) Freeway north. Just past Downtown, exit onto the Golden State (5) Freeway north, exit at Los Feliz going west. Turn right at Crystal Springs/Riverside into Griffith Park. More than 4,000 acres of fun. The park ranger headquarters (4730 Crystal Springs Dr.; 213-665-5188) has information and maps. The park hosts dozens of film, TV, music video and commercial shoots. It’s been a favorite locale for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Beverly Hills 90210. Claim a picnic table or eat at the Pony and Train Rides (4730 Crystal Springs Dr.; 213-664-3266).

5. Continue on Crystal Springs north to the Los Angeles Zoo (5333 Zoo Drive; 213-666-4650), which has 1,200 animals from around the world.

6. Across the parking lot is the Autry Museum of Western Heritage (4700 Western Heritage Way; 213-667-2000). Founded by Gene Autry, the signing cowboy of radio, TV and movies, as a tribute to the West, both real and Hollywood- created. In the discovery gallery, kids dress up in authentic Western garb.

7. Farther north, kids can see century-old locomotives, trolley cars and fire trucks and ride a miniature train at the Travel Town Museum (5200 Zoo Drive; 213-662-9678).

8. Ready for dinner? Drive back to Los Feliz and turn right. The children’s menu at Louise’s Trattoria (4500 Los Feliz Blvd.; 213-667-0777) offers barbecued chicken mini-pizzas and spaghetti with meat-balls.

ITINERARY TWO: Day at the Beach

Marina del Rey, Venice and Santa Monica are like three sisters with distinct personalities. The Marina is the one who married well and lives the good life. Venice is the wild Bohemian. And Santa Monica has wide-ranging interests -- books, the arts, the outdoors.

1. Start in Marina del Rey, home of the world’s largest man-made, small-boat harbor, with breakfast at the Terrace Restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel (4375 Admiralty Way; 310-823-1700).

2. Turn left on Admiralty Way, right on Via Marina, left on Washington, right on Dell. Park and walk to the Canals of Venice. In 1905, businessman Abbot Kinney’s oddball dream was to recreate Italy’s Venice in the marshlands south of Santa Monica. Once, Venice boasted 16 miles of canals. The few that remain are hidden but well worth the visit. Superb views from four bridges on Dell. Plants spill over the banks, ducks paddle about and rowboats float in front of homes.

3. Continue north on Dell, left on Venice Blvd.. and right on Pacific Ave. to Windward. Here are the fading Doge’s Palace and other Venetian-style buildings. A number of top L.A. artists work around here.

4. Park on Windward and head west to the carnival of Venice Beach. Wackiness reigns: Roller-bladers in bikinis mix with chainsaw jugglers. Make your way north, past the Tarot tables and Muscle Beach exhibitionists. “White Men Can’t Jump” was filmed at the basketball court. Grab a patio table at the Sidewalk Cafe (1401 Ocean Front Walk; 310-399-5547) and watch the full boardwalk parade.

5. Go east on Windward around the traffic circle and right on Santa Monica’s Main Street. Great for strolling, browsing and lunching. Arnold Schwarzengger’s Schatzi (3110 Main; 310-399-4800), the Ocean Park Omelette Parlor (No. 2732; 310-399-7892), celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois (No. 2709; 310-392-9025). The Edgemar complex, a redesigned egg-processing plant, houses the contemporary Santa Monica Museum of Art (No. 2437; 310-399-0433).

6. Continue north on Main, left on Colorado to the pier. Park here or in city garages on 2nd or 4th, between Broadway and Wilshire. Saner than the Venice Boardwalk, the Santa Monica Pier is still plenty funky. There are arcade games, a new amusement park and a historic merry-go-round featured in the “The Sting.”

7. Return to Colorado, go left on 2nd or 4th streets, and park in one of the city parking structures between Broadway and Wilshire. Early evening is perfect for the 3rd Street Promenade, an outdoor pedestrian mall. It starts at Santa Monica Place mall, where scenes from “Terminator II” were filmed, and includes restaurant-swimming pool Gotham Hall (1431 3rd; 310-394-8865), a swank pool hall, behemoth bookstores and smaller book-sellers like Midnight Special (No. 1318; 310-393-2923), which specializes in politics and poetry. The scene’s got everything from string quartets to magicians to a man in top hat and tails doing the soft shoe on roller skates. Among the many restaurants: Benita’s Frites (No. 1439; 310-458-2889), is part of an international food court, with Thai, Indian and Egyptian restaurants; the very peppy Yankee Doodle’s (No. 1410; 310-394-4632); Italian Locanda del Lago (231 Arizona; 310-451-3525).

8. Two blocks west of the Promenade, I Cugini (1501 Ocean Ave.; 310-451-4595) delivers the divine combination of California cuisine and a riveting view of the Pacific.

ITINERARY THREE: Shopping

Morning: Rodeo Drive. It’s where Pretty Woman Julia Roberts shopped. Rodeo is not for the faint-of-wallet. A “sale” item can still set you back a couple grand. But for front-row viewing of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, it can’t be beat.

1. Start at 2 N. Rodeo. Here’s your first bargain: free parking for the first two hours (by valet of course). Along this cobblestone walkway you’ll see names such as Cartier (220 N. Rodeo; 310-275-5155) and the largest Tiffany & Co. outside New York (No. 210; 310-273-8880) as well as the latest designs in the Istante Versus collection (248 Via Rodeo; 310-205-3921).

2. Across Rodeo Drive, you’ll find Fred Hayman Beverly Hills (No. 273; 310-271-3000), helps dress late-night host Jay Leno.

3. There’s the old guard, like Valentino (No. 250; 310-247-0103) and Christian Dior (No. 230; 310-859-4700). There’s Louis Vuitton (No. 307; 310-859-0457) for luggage; there’s even blue jeans of the Georges Marciano (No. 323; 310-271-1818) variety.

4. Stop by Galerie Michael (No. 430; 310-273-3377), where original works from artists like Picasso and Chagall can be viewed for free or purchased for a wee bit more.

5. For Giorgio Armani, you have two choices: the main store (No. 436; 310-271-5555) is the largest in the chain, and Emporio Armani (9533 Brighton Way; 310-271-7790), a block east from Rodeo, shows what prices might look like if Armani had a sale. Women’s jackets go for only $565, not a bad deal if you can’t afford the Rodeo store’s $1,500 price tag.

6. For eating, try pasta place Il Pastaio (400 N. Canon Drive; 310-205-5444).

Afternoon: Melrose Avenue. Most people think of Melrose as merely hip. Actually, it has a split personality. The east leg is avant-garde, and it gets funkier as you go east. The west leg draws shoppers hunting upscale home furnishings and decorator items.

1. Head northwest on Rodeo, turn right on Santa Monica Blvd., drive east and turn right on Melrose, turn left on San Vicente, then park. The most commanding presence in this area is the Pacific Design Center (at San Vicente and Melrose; 310-657-0800). The “Blue Whale” is home to more than 200 designer showrooms.

2. The design center has also drawn a host of antique, furniture and carpet dealers offering similar merchandise, often at lower prices. Try W Antiques (No. 8925; 310-275-5099).

3. New to the neighborhood is La Boutique Musee (No. 8606, Suite A; 310-659-1230), the only outlet out side of Paris for official Louvre reproductions.

4. Nearby is L.A.’s center for all things metaphysical, the Bodhi Tree Bookstore (No. 8585; 310-659-1733).

5. The Name That Toon museum and animation art gallery (No. 8483; 213-653-5633) has what is believed to be the world’s first Gumby museum exhibit.

6. Head east on Melrose to Fairfax Avenue. Some think of this as the dividing line between Old World and New Age Melrose. While there are off-beat finds aplenty to the west, heading east the feeling is definitely high energy, the noses are pierced, the arms tattooed, and the people-watching is never ending. The stretch between Fairfax and La Brea boasts more than 200 shops and restaurants.

7. Aardvark (7579 Melrose; 213-655-6769) sells vintage-style fashions, like flowing chiffon granny dresses.

8. Last time we visited The Soap Plant (No. 7400; 213-651-5587), there were books (among them Timothy Leary’s “The Politics of Ecstasy”), off-beat shower curtains, Elvis memorabilia, boxer shorts and, of course, soap.

9. Check out the windup Betty Boops or a coin-operated toilet bank at Wound & Wound Toy Co. (No. 7374; 213-653-6703).

10. Want to do the right thing? Stop by Spike’s Joint West (No. 7263; 213-932-7064), for effects from filmmaker Spike Lee.

11. For dinner, try the seafood risotto or “snow white” pizza at Tavola Calda (7371, 213-658-6340).

ITINERARY FOUR: Seeing Stars

First, check with NBC (818-840-3537) about Tonight Show tapings, Warner Bros. (818-954-1744) about tour reservations and Audiences Unlimited (818-506-0043) about sitcom tapings. Audiences Unlimited covers most sitcoms except for those produced by Paramount (213-956-5575). Tonight Show tickets are usually easy to secure at NBC (3000 West Alameda, Burbank) beginning at 8 a.m., or during the day at the NBC kiosk at Universal CityWalk. To get to NBC, going west on the Ventura (134) Freeway, take the Hollywood Way exit, turn right on Alameda, then right on Bob Hope Dr. To get to Universal CityWalk, northbound on the Hollywood (101) Freeway, exit at Universal Center Dr.

1. Start with Warner Bros.’ VIP tour (main gate at Hollywood Way and Olive; 818-954-1744) From the Ventura (134) Freeway west, take the Hollywood Way exit, turn left on Alameda, then left on Hollywood Way. Even the waiting room here is a treat, with movie props from “Casablanca” to the latest “Batman” epic. Guides take you from “jungle” exteriors to eight miles of costume racks, explaining movie making tricks. You’ll see sets for everything from period pieces to “Blade Runner.” Warner Bros. is home to TV series like ER, so you’ll visit actual production sets and may see stars.

2. For lunch, turn left on W. Olive, which becomes Barham Blvd., turn right on N. Cahuenga Blvd., which becomes Ventura Blvd., and stop at Jerry’s Famous Deli in Studio City (12655 Ventura, 818-980-4245). Roseanne, Jerry Seinfeld and Sandra Bernhard have all noshed here.

3. Head west on Ventura Blvd., right on Laurel Canyon. Take the Hollywood (101) Freeway south. Exit at Highland Ave. south, turn right on Hollywood Blvd. Film location shootings take place in L.A. neighborhoods both derelict and tony. The Los Angeles City Permit Office (6922 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 602; 213-957-1000, option 2) can provide a “shoot sheet” for any given day. Caution: They’re sometimes vague and misleading.

4. After a day searching for stars, you’re entitled to a sure thing: a Tonight Show taping at NBC studios in Burbank. The show is taped most weeknights at 5:30 p.m. Get your tickets in the morning and arrive at least an hour early.

5. For dinner, Morton’s (8764 Melrose; 213-276-5205) is one of the celebrity power-dining spotS in town. From the Hollywood (101) Freeway south, take the Highland exit south, turn right on Melrose. Write off Mondays, though, when even powerbrokers have trouble getting the table they want.

6. At night, if you attend a taping of a situation comedy. Be aware: It can take up to four hours to get one 22-minute episode wrapped up. Call Audiences Unlimited for directions.

7. An alternative to a TV taping is to serve as your own talent scout, seeking the Jerry Seinfelds and Tim Allens of tomorrow. Industry types scour L.A. comedy clubs for the next superstar. Comedy legends often show up for surprise visits. For The Improvisation (8162 Melrose; 213-651-2583), which hosts some of the most consistently funny lineups, take the Hollywood (101) Freeway south, to the Highland exit south, turn right on Melrose. For The Comedy Store (8433 Sunset; 213-656-6225), take Hollywood (101) Freeway south, to the Highlandexit south turn right on Sunset. This club has three rooms in which comics (including Richard Pryor and Roseanne) have plied their trade.

*

Excerpted from a series of new guides published for The Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau by the Los Angeles Times. Visitors Information Centers provide guidance in many languages; call 213-689-8822 for information. To order the guides call 1-800-CATCH-LA. Cost: $5.95 for postage and handling.

Fashion Police

A visit to one of several shops run by local law enforcement agencies can give anyone that scofflaw look. Cop shops include the Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club store and cafe (1880 N. Academy Drive; 213-221-3101), run by the Los Angeles Police Academy. At Skeletons in the Closet, run by the L.A. County Coroner’s Department (1104 N. Mission Road; 213-343-0760), crime-scene beach towels go for $20. There are also T-shirts, and even personalized toe tags.

Celluloid Castoffs

At It’s a Wrap Production Wardrobe (3315 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank; 818-567-7366), all of the clothing comes straight from studio wardrobe departments. One customer recently spotted at leather jacket from the TV soap “One Life to Live.” The original $1,000 tag from Bergdorf-Goodman was there, as was the new tag of $100.

Out of Africa Leimert Park Village is the center of African American visual, wearable and performance art. Browse such stores as Bak-Tu-Jua (4330 Degnan Blvd.; 213-295-2502) for handmade clothing, jewelry, and musical instruments. Kongo Square Gallery & Gift Shop (4334 Degnan; 213-291-6878) is filled with affordable African treasures. At Museum in Black (4331 Degnan; 213-292-9528), owner Brian Breye has assembled an impressive collection of African masks and sculpture.

Baywatch-ing

While the TV shows “Baywatch,” and its spawn, “Baywatch Nights,” shoot on many L.A. beaches, they most often tape episodes on the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu. Baywatch Nights has a permanent set at Paradise Cove. If you’re driving on PCH, keep an eye out for crowds surrounding a cluster of white trailers with Baywatch logos.

Plane Talk

Because it’s located in a Santa Monica Airport hangar, The Museum of Flying, (2772 Donald Douglas Loop N.; 310-392-8822) makes exhibits of vintage aircraft collections come to life.Admission: $7 adults, $3.50 children. The hangar door is usually open for a view of planes taking off a few hundred yards away. DC3 Restaurant (2800 Don ald Douglas Loop N.; 310-399-2323) has great runway views.