How to Spend Super Bowl Sunday If You’re Not a Football Fan
Believe it or not, L.A. is a football town.
If you moved here after the mid-90s, you may not have much of a sense of that. The L.A. Raiders moved to Oakland in 1995.
And while the L.A. Chargers had moved to San Diego in 1961 after spending just one season in L.A., the L.A. Rams didn’t move to St. Louis until 1994.
Well, now both the Chargers and the Rams have returned home to L.A. But Angelenos spent over 20 years without an NFL team – and while some may have let college football (i.e. the Bruins and the Trojans) tide them over, others never really developed a taste for it.
Since neither of L.A.’s current NFL teams (nor any of its former teams) are battling it out on the 50-yard line at this year’s “Big Game” anyway, here are five great ways to spend Super Bowl Sunday that don’t include sitting on your couch or crowding into a sports bar.
Just think of how empty our roads and freeways will be while everyone else is parked in front of the tube!
1. Highland Park Bowl, Highland Park
While Sunday isn’t the busiest day of the week anyway for L.A.’s oldest bowling alley, you’re sure to get a lane this Sunday at the recently renovated spot without much of a wait. You won’t find competitive bowling leagues here, as it’s a much less intense athletic experience and more about the novelty of the steampunk-evoking, exposed mechanisms for the ball return and pin resetting. Even if you’re not going for strikes and spares (or even rolling gutterballs), it’s an incredibly engaging ambiance for swilling fancy cocktails and nibbling on Nutella pizza.
Bonus: Maybe there won’t be a line at Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, and you can finally get a cruffin before they sell out.
2. Runyon Canyon, Hollywood
If you time it just right, you might get a parking spot on Franklin (or Fuller!) without driving around for 20 minutes. Maybe you’ll be able to make it up “the hard way” without dodging personal trainers and their trainees running up and down the stairs. You might even get the chance to take a photo of the view at the overlook without being photobombed by a bunch of strangers. And maybe you’ll be able to make your way down the fire road without getting run over by strollers or caught up in rogue dog leashes. Runyon really is such a pretty place. But most times – and most Sundays – all you really see are the people, and not the canyon itself.
Bonus: Once you’ve got your parking spot secured and you’ve made the loop around Runyon, extend your visit by heading north on Curson Ave. by foot and exploring Wattles Garden Park and Wattles Mansion.
3. The Gentle Barn, Santa Clarita
While a bunch of men in tight pants are fighting it out on the gridiron, why not take the opportunity to drive up to Santa Clarita and hug a cow? This animal sanctuary is only open for tours (and cow-hugging) on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – and if the testosterone-fueled, head-to-head combat of American football isn’t your thing, perhaps you might welcome the opportunity to be gentle for a couple of hours. Most of the animals were rescued from backyard butchers, factory farms, and petting zoos where they were overfed, overworked, or generally neglected. But now, they’re learning to trust humans for the first time. Pet a pig, hold a chicken, snuggle a sheep, and watch a goat scratch itself on a tree. It’s all very healing for both the animals and the people who visit them. Your furry and feathery friends won’t be able to stop smiling.
Bonus: No traffic on the 5 North!
4. Villains Day 3 at Disneyland Resort, Anaheim
This third annual “Stalk Around the Park” isn’t officially sanctioned by Disneyland, but like Dapper Day and Bats Day, the park doesn’t necessarily discourage it, either. Let your favorite Disney villain influence your fashion for the day (no costumes allowed!) and pose for photo ops with your fellow Cruellas, Maleficents, Ursulas, and Captain Hooks. February is a typically slow time of year, but the usual rules still apply: Get there early, and use the Disneyland app to estimate wait times for rides. Keep an eye on the crowds, and use your stalking skills to your advantage when it comes to scouting out a good spot to watch the newly-returned Main Street Electrical Parade, which only runs until June 18, 2017.
Bonus: No traffic on the 5 South! And since there are no TVs inside Trader Sam’s, maybe you’ll actually get a seat at the bar (fingers crossed for one of the “magic” seats).
5. The Queen Mary, Long Beach
The Queen Mary is far from abandoned. In fact, not only is the permanently-moored cruise ship a tourist attraction, but it’s also a hotel with several dining and drinking options. That means the opportunity to stroll its decks with an unobstructed view of the Port of Long Beach is pretty rare. Whether you’re going for a romantic experience or a creepy one, this lady delivers. Take a self-guided tour for maximum solitude, or jump on one of their guided tour programs (which can be a bit paranormal, if that’s where your interests lie). Even without a special event happening there, you can spend pretty much all day wandering the halls and admiring the Art Deco embellishments. And since it’s a hotel, you can also spend the night for the full experience!
Bonus: Otter Bowl III at Aquarium of the Pacific. Kick-off is at 2:15 p.m. and the aquarium is open until 6 p.m. If you thought Puppy Bowl was good, you haven’t experienced OTTER BOWL.
