Things to do in Downtown Culver City
If you read my last post about where to eat in downtown Culver City, you may wonder how you can stay in the area to eat all the recommendations I mentioned. These next few hundred words include my recommendations for things to do in downtown Culver City–between all the eating. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have thought there were enough things to do here to be worthy of its own post. Now, this area is full of places to shop, venues to see live music and comedy, and it is home to the weirdest little museum in the city.
Table of Contents
Tours and museums
Maybe you just had breakfast and are looking to walk off that meal. The following recommendations hit art, culture, and the indescribable.
Sony Studios Tour
In the post introducing downtown Culver City, I mentioned this area is called the Heart of Screenland. This is where so many iconic films were made–Gone With The Wind and The Wizard of Oz, to name a few.
Now, I would call Culver City The Heart of Screenland 2.0 as it is now home to Amazon Studios, Warner, Apple TV, and Sony Studios. Much of what you were binging during the pandemic was made in this little west side city.
If you want to learn more about this movie industry town, I strongly recommend going on the Sony Studio tour. I talked extensively about my experience in this post when it was included in my Award Ceremony Itinerary. Read that post to learn more about the tour and what it is like. If you see Tony, tell him I said hi.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.sonypicturesstudiostours.com/
- Address: https://www.sonypicturesstudiostours.com/images/printdirections.pdf
- Cost: $50
The Museum of Jurassic Technology (MJT)
I couldn’t wait until my deep dive into Culver City to talk about my favorite delightfully weird place, the Museum of Jurassic Technology. In my post series Five Things I Am Looking Forward to After the Pandemic, I spent an entire post talking about the MJT. I suggest you read it now and come back for more things to do in Downtown Culver City.
For now, the Museum of Jurassic Technology is welcoming visitors by appointment. You can book tickets online by visiting their website (below.) Items from their gift shop are now permanent fixtures of my home.
I mention the Museum of Jurassic Technology as often as possible, and you will find it on many of my itineraries in my Etsy shop. I love talking about the MJT. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.mjt.org/
- Address: 9341 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
- Cost: $10
Shopping
I am very happy to see all the small businesses now calling Downtown Culver City home. There is a good mix of shopping opportunities. I think shopping at small businesses is the best way to get to know a neighborhood.
Plants
Were you like me and covered your apartment with plants over the pandemic? Maybe you became a regular at local nurseries and plant shops if you did. So many boutique plant shops opened over the twenty-four months. These two became my favorites for emotional support succulents and gifts for others experiencing pandemic fatigue.
Orchid Fever
This shop reminds me of a plant candy store. You can get completely lost here. The only problem you might have is decision paralysis.
When you enter Orchid Fever, you are welcomed into a humid space that reminds me of the orchid rooms in botanical gardens. This gives way to a room full of air plants, then succulents. It is a bit like a plant labyrinth. Don’t grab the first thing, but wander and make decisions wisely or you will need a cart to get everything into the car.
They have a large room full of beautiful pots. This is a great one-stop plant shop.
To be honest, this shop is a little off the downtown strip. I am still figuring out how I incorporate the area by the Culver Center in my guide. I would drive here from downtown only because carrying plants would necessitate this.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://orchidfeverla.net/
- Address: 10242 Culver Blvd.
Gifts
These are the places I go to most often to get gifts for others, but I somehow manage to take a bunch of things for myself. I feel bad about it for a second, but then I remember that these are great small businesses to support. I also think plants are a great gift; see above.
Milla Chocolates
The chocolates at Millla are beautiful, almost like looking in an exquisite jewelery case—perhaps too beautiful to eat.
They have a lot of boozy chocolates, which are my go-to’s for friends–I tend to grab an old-fashioned bonbon for myself. If you love black sesame, this is the place to go. Their black sesame caramel and black iced hot chocolate are guilty pleasures that keep me coming back.
They package everything beautifully for a great grab-and-go gift.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://millachocolates.com/
- Address: 9414 Venice Blvd
- Cost: $4.00 per bonbon, $25 for 6 bonbon gift set, small square chocolate bar $6, black sesame mocha $6.50
Lundeen’s
This women-owned and operated shop has been a Culver City staple for locals. I think more visitors should know about this place for one-of-a-kind Los Angeles gifts to bring home. This packed-to-the-brim store is a one-stop shop for all of your gift needs.
They have:
- Cookbooks and barware for housewarming gifts.
- Greeting cards made from local letterpresses for one-of-a-kind messages
- Baby books and adorable baby clothes for friends having families.
- Cute office supplies and business card holders for new grads
- Jewelry and gifts made by local designers
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/lundeensgifts
- Address: 9726 Washington Blvd
- Cost: You will pay more for unique gifts, but there is a wide variety of prices here.
Stanley’s Wet Goods
Although it opened only five years ago, I can’t imagine Culver City without Stanley’s Wet Goods. What started as a wine shop selling products from natural and local winemakers has now become a bar, cafe, and place for pop-up restaurants.
This is the second post in a row where I talk about Stanley’s. In the last post, Where to Eat in Downtown Culver City, I talked about it being a great place to grab a bite and drink wine with some friends. It is in my gift category because I think turning people on to new wines is a great gift.
The staff is super knowledgeable about what wines pair with what for what price. They always steer me in the right direction and are never judgemental. I strongly recommend talking to them. (If you want to know my favorite wine with birria, email me at laguide@thisuglybeautifulcity.com)
As well as wines, they have a case full of local craft beers, a selection of cheese and charcuterie in case you have to bring something to the party, and a great selection of Spanish treats. I fell in love with a candy company in Barcelona, and little did I know I could get their chocolate bars a few blocks from home.
I love that this place has an amazing selection of $20–or less–wines.
You might find me here sipping wine and writing my blog on the patio.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.stanleys.la/
- Address: 9620 Venice Boulevard
Books
So happy that there are two bookstores that call downtown Culver City home.
The Ripped Bodice
As the name suggests, this store is focused on romance books. At least in the beginning. Now they carry a wide range of books focused on women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ topics where they are the main characters, leaders, and inspirations.
They also host events like book clubs and writers’ workshops. They have several opportunities for authors to workshop their writing–which is great if you want feedback on your current project.
I love their storefront windows, they are always so creative.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.therippedbodicela.com/
- Address: 3801 Main Street
- Other: Check out their website for book club listings. The street in front of the shop is closed on Tuesdays for the Culver City Farmer’s Market.
Village Well
This store is something the downtown area really needed. It is a bookstore and a space for the community. They have a packed events calendar full of book talks, readings, murder mystery dinners, and kid’s storytime. There is something happening every weekend.
The bookstore packs a lot of genres in one space–from fiction to travel writing and a large children’s book area. I beeline for their section of Los Angeles books as soon as I walk in the door. My own Los Angeles collection has become fuller due to this bookstore.
Village Well is also a great place to work from elsewhere. You may find me here, huddled over my computer drinking coffee and taking a break to peek at some of the art books.
Your book sale also helps Village Well give back to the Los Angeles community.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://villagewell.com/
- Address: 9900 Culver Blvd
Entertainment
Culver City is still a movie capital but also a theater town filled with venues for live music and comedy. You can’t list the things to do in Downtown Culver City without mentioning all of the entertainment options here.
The Culver Steps
The Culver Steps has become the town square of downtown Culver City. The Steps is a meeting space, a place to picnic, and eat. The offerings lean a little chainy–Sephora and Mendocino Farms and a new Erewhon. The reason I am adding it to the entertainment list is because of the concerts, dance nights, and free yoga classes they offer in the summer.
Website: Culver Steps Happenings
Music
Now that Culver City has moved a lot of its dining outdoors, it made me realize how much live music there is in these few square blocks.
Local Restaurants
MEET in Paris started having Django Reinhardt-Esque jazz, Janga does a karaoke brunch or steel drum musicians, and The Culver Steps started a Thursday concert series. Auld Fella has a great happy hour and has live music on its patio every weekend.
The Culver Hotel
Recently reopened to the public–the Culver Hotel has live music every Thursday–Saturday from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Bands range in genre. Sometimes you will get a three-piece jazz group or an 80s tribute band. Sit and have a classic craft cocktail while you listen.
The Culver Hotel is the oldest hotel in Culver City. It housed the cast of the Wizard of Oz while it was in production at the Culver Studios a block away. Most recently, it housed the cast of Making the Cut, a fashion reality show with Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn.
I am excited to go back to this place with its new restaurant and revamped interior. It used to be my favorite place to work from elsewhere.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.culverhotel.com/downtown-culver-city-restaurants
- Address:
- Other information: The best way to ensure you get a space to listen to the music is by making a reservation.
If you are looking for my suggestions for Where to Eat in Downtown Culver City, click here.
Comedy
I have talked a lot about community spaces in Downtown Culver City in this post. These places had an original intention and expanded to incorporate community events. Another addition to this list is Citizen’s Public Market. Yes, they do have a lot of food and drink to choose from, but did you also know that they host Comedy and trivia nights too? Well, now you do.
Sundays and Wednesdays are for Set Up Comedy
Twice a week, join 5-6 comedians on the back patio of Citizen’s Public Market. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and get ready to laugh your @$$ off, which is what we all need right now.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://setupcomedy.com/los-angeles
- Address: 9355 Culver Blvd
- Hours: Sunday at 5:30 and Wednesday at 8:00
- Cost: $15
- Other: 18+
Tuesdays are for trivia
I love bar trivia. I miss playing bar trivia. Researching this post made me realize that there is a lot of bar trivia in this area. Tuesday nights is King Trivia, sponsored by the WeHo Sausage Company. Grab some friends, or if you are feeling confident, school the crowd with your trivia prowess. Free to play, and it starts at 7:00. Grab the Norma and a craft beer from WeHo; you will be glad you did.
Theater
I have a confession; I do not like live theater. If you want to write this section of this post, please reach out to me at laguide@thisuglybeautifulcity.com
When I moved here, I was surprised at how many theaters there are in downtown Culver City. There is the iconic Kirk Douglas Theater with its blinking Culver neon, The Actor’s Gang started by Tim Robbins and the mysterious Blue Door.
As you can see, this area isn’t just about eating. Now, there are tons of things to do in Downtown Culver City. Want to incorporate Culver City in your Los Angeles explorations? I have a neighborhood guide for you.
Culver City/Palms/Mar Vista Guide
This pocket of the west side is full of hidden gems and small businesses you should know. It holds one of the best farmers’ markets in the city, the heart of Screenland, and allows you to travel the world by plate.
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