Griffith Swank : November 18th
 

Okay guys, this is something I've wanted to do for a long time, get a bunch of good friends together and go enjoy some of the delights Griffith Park has to offer, most of which I've not experienced before.

There are a couple options that could be changed in or out, but here is the tentative itinerary:

8:30am: Meet up at LA Equestrian Center

9:00am-10:00am: 1-hour horseback ride ($25/hr per person under 220 lbs, $45/hr pp 220+ lbs)

11am: Be some of the first people on the Griffith Park Carousel (yes, WALT’S carousel) as it opens up for the day ($2)

11:30pm: A delightful picnic lunch in the park

1:00pm: Travel Town (FREE), LA Live Steamers (FREE), and Walt Disney’s Train Barn (FREE but donations to the Carollwood Pacific Historical Society are accepted)

Now, if we have 10 or more people for horseback riding we can make reservations (otherwise it's just a matter of showing up). Alternatively, if nobody wants to do the horseback ride, we could either go on a hike to the Bat Cave or bike ride around the park.

LA Live Steamers and Walt's Train Barn close at 3. I'm guessing we'll have done all 3 by that time, but just in case, we'll leave Travel Town stuff till last because they stay open until 5.

Also nearby of course is the LA Zoo ($10 - $7 if we have 15 or more people) and the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage ($9)

(The reason for the particular date chosen is that the Carollwood Pacific Historical Society only opens up Walt's Train Barn once a month, on the third Sunday of the month.)

I'm up for pretty much anything other than the horses, but I can't commit to any dates at the moment.

I've always wanted to go there! I hope I can make it :)

Sounds like fun. Except for the horses. No thank you!

The only thing I have any interest in at Griffith Park is seeing the revamped Griffith Observatory ... and they've made that an unbelievable hassle to do.

But if anyone wants to hike up the hill with me first thing in the morning (and we can't stay to see things thru the telescope, cause cars are towed away at 6pm), I'd be up for that.


But Travel Town - beyond boring. Horseback Riding - uh, if I'm going to do that, I've got a prior committment to support a friend's new buziness.

ooo. Maybe she can get me on the horses. They are beautiful but scare the bejezzers out of me.

I love "vacationing" locally. There's so much to see that I haven't seen before and I think this sounds like a great idea. I'll have to check the date as we get closer - it's the start of busy season for my work.

Like I said, if folks aren't up for the horses, there are some great alternate activities, including just taking a leisurely bike ride through the park, or hiking up to the bat cave, or the zoo, or the Gene Autry museum, etc.

The horses thing was because it was something so very different to do. (And if ism has a friend's business to support, maybe that's a swanking for a different time!)

I'm terrified of horses, and not sure I still know how to ride a bike, but otherwise, thats not bad.

never been on a horse. donkey once, motorcycle a few times...but never a horse.

love to try though. its just like a really big dog, right?