La Brea Avenue

La Brea Avenue is a prominent north/south thoroughfare in Los Angeles. Several museums are located along La Brea, and it is known for having many stores and eateries.

Description

La Brea Avenue begins as a continuation of Hawthorne Boulevard north of Century Boulevard in Inglewood. La Brea passes north through Windsor Hills, Baldwin Hills, and Ladera Heights. It passes directly through the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. Further north, La Brea passes the Fairfax District, the Mid-City District, Park La Brea, and Hancock Park; and ends just north of Franklin Ave. at the foot of the Hollywood Hills, in Hollywood. "La Brea" is Spanish for "the tar", a reference to the La Brea Tar Pits.

La Brea near Wilshire is home to Museum Row, including landmarks such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the La Brea Tar Pits, and the George C. Page Museum. La Brea north of Wilshire Boulevard and south of Melrose Avenue is filled with trendy designer boutiques, antique stores, and eateries. The famed La Brea Bakery is located between Wilshire and 6th, on La Brea. La Brea is also home to The Lyric Theatre and Pink's Hot Dogs. It also marks the eastern boundary between West Hollywood and Los Angeles.

The section of La Brea in Inglewood was known in its early history as Commercial Street. In its northern-most reaches, La Brea was Arroyo La Brea, coming from a (now capped) spring in the Santa Monica Mountains. That is what helped form the original reservoir in what is now Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.

Landmarks

• The Ray Charles Post Office at Washington Boulevard.

Transporation

Metro Local lines 40, 212, and 312 operate on La Brea Avenue, as well as Metro Rapid line 740; Lines 212 and 312 serve the majority of La Brea Avenue and lines 40 and 740 starts at Florence Avenue. Line 312 is proposed to be replaced by Metro Rapid line 712. The Metro Expo Line is proposed to serve a station at Exposition Boulevard.