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Best Activities You Wouldn't Think To Do In Los Angeles

trapeze 610
(credit: TSNY - LA)

Consider Los Angeles and you might think of beaches, museums and your typical tourist traps. But if you're tired of the usual and want to try your hand at something different for a change, here's a list of some off-the-beaten path activities you can check out to shake things up.

trapeze
(TSNY)

Trapeze School
Santa Monica Pier
370 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 394-5800
losangeles.trapezeschool.com

If you've ever seen the famous Sex And The City episode where Carrie confronts her fears and takes flying trapeze lessons, then you'll know where it takes place and exactly the type of activity this entails. Although that scene was shot at TSNY's Manhattan location, Los Angeles' Santa Monica Pier offers an equally stunning activity by the same company at an equally stunning venue. TSNY encourages you to "forget about fear," and "worry about the addiction" with their flying trapeze classes which are available seven days a week. Beginner to advanced classes in flying trapeze is offered as well as and other aerial arts. In addition to individual and package classes, take advantage of unique trapeze parties, events and team-building exercises as well.

The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Detective Show
(credit: thedinnerdetective.com)

Themed Dinner
The Dinner Detective
13755 Fiji Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(866) 496-0535
www.thedinnerdetective.com

Touted as "America's Largest Murder Mystery," The Dinner Detective offers an interactive murder mystery dinner show for those interested in being Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple for an evening. Offering a four-course dinner, you will find yourself trying to guess who did it and it may be rather difficult to tell who is part of the show and who is just a regular diner like yourself as none of the cast are in costumes. Founded to create a show "with intriguing scenarios, challenging mysteries and true-to-life dialogue," the show is captivating and well worth it!

Amazing Los Angeles Race
(credit: Kim T./Yelp)

Scavenger Hunt
Amazing Los Angeles Race
Multiple Locations In LA
www.amazinglarace.com

Described as a "unique hybrid of a sightseeing tour and interactive mystery novel," the Amazing Los Angeles Race is unlike most scavenger hunts and an experience you won't soon forget. Featuring 5 running races, it might be hard to choose just one to take, but the "Los Angeles Race 1 and 2" is one of the most popular ones. Part scavenger hunt, part tour, and part race, you'll explore LA in a new way while you work with others to solve puzzles around the city and have a blast with laughs as you visit some of the best tourist destinations around the city. The races are perfect whether you're a local, a tourist, a group, party or family.

LuchaLibre
(photo credit: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

Lucha Libre
Lucha VaVOOM
The Mayan Theatre
1038 S Hill St
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 746-4674
www.luchavavoom.com

Do you remember that comedic movie "Nacho Libre" starring Jack Black as he played a guy with big dreams of being a Mexican wrestler? Lucha VaVOOM will remind you of that movie in more than just one way. A "non-stop, action-packed scream-a-thon where Mexican Masked wrestlers flip and fly" and perform acrobatic movies is how this show is described. Essentially, you'll watch as this exhibition style wrestling match puts good against evil for your enjoyment. You can see folks like Lil' Chicken, Chocolate Caliente, Shamu Jr. and more in action, and maybe you can even catch a little comedy and a striptease — all at Lucha VaVaoom. Get commentary throughout the show as well from top comedians and guest commentators too.

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Former gang member Alfred Lomas speaks to customers on a tour through south central Los Angeles during one of the LA Gang Tours. (photo credit: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images)

Gang Tours
The Dream Center
2301 Bellevue Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 265-4950
www.lagangtours.com

If you've ever wanted to know more about Los Angeles and it's gangs, then the Los Angeles Gang Tours is right up your alley. It is not about glamorizing the violent culture of gangs though. Instead, you'll learn about LA, it's gangs and how they're trying to make a difference today. Founded by a former gang member, the tour/group seeks to foster awareness and improve the community. Making stops at the LA County Jail, the birthplace of the Black Panther Party, the Hall of Justice Jail and nearly a dozen other historic places around Los Angeles, tours are conducted via a coach bus from about 10am to 1pm and are an interesting ride.

LA Drive In Movie Theater Electric Dusk Drive-In
(credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

Drive-In Theater
Electric Dusk Drive-In
City Market of LA
1000 San Julian Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
www.electricduskdrivein.com

If you're looking to get back to the roots of the old days, Electric Dusk Drive In is an old school drive in theater playing classic flicks with a stunning view of the Downtown LA skyline in the backdrop. While most theaters these days are indoors, getting out of those cooped up theaters surrounded by strangers is a refreshing activity. Just off the 10, 5, 101, and 110 freeways in Downtown lies this drive-in which plays classic hits including Coming To America, Dirty Dancing, and Pulp Fiction for less than a price of a regular ticket at an indoor movie theater.

Related: Best Drive In Movie Theaters in LA

Cinespia
(credit: Kelly Lee Barrett)

Cinespia Cemetery Screenings
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 469-1181
www.cinespia.org

Offering Los Angeles residents entertainment in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Cinespia features outdoor movies in an unlikely setting: a cemetery. With that being said, it's about as far from a depressing setting as you can get and it makes the movie going experience fun again. Instead of the usual movie in a theater which you've done so many times before, grab your significant other or friends, a blanket, some great food, and a bottle of wine to picnic among some famous tombstones while watching classic films outdoors under the stars. Make sure to get there early though so you can enjoy pre-show DJs and to avoid the long lines. The movies are only in the summer though, so put this idea on your list once the weather warms up a bit!

museum of death
(credit: Kasio M./Yelp)

Museum Of Death
6031 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 466-8011
www.museumofdeath.net

Opened in 1995 when 2 founders realized that there weren't many museums dedicated to teaching the world about death, The Museum of Death in Hollywood aims to "make people happy to be alive." The collection at the museum includes a wide variety of art and artifacts about death including baby coffins, letters from serial killers, embalming films, pictures of killers with their victims and much more. They even have a recreation of the Heavens Gate mass suicide.

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(credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Toyota Drag Strip
Thursday Nights T-N-T Under the Lights
500 Speedway Drive
Irwindale, CA 91706
(626) 358-1100
www.irwindalespeedway.com

You probably do it anyway on abandon roads during the wee hours of the morning, so why not satisfy your need for speed legally in front of a much larger crowd? Toyota's dragstrip at Irwindale is open to all types of vehicles for "Thursday Nights T-N-T Under the Lights." Here, you can take part in everything from grudge match racing, burnout contests, test and tune racing and much more. All you need is a valid driver's license (of course), a signed waiver and a release form.

DJ Disc Jockey
(credit: Shutterstock)

DJ School
Scratch DJ Academy
2324 Cotner Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(888) 725-5557
www.scratch.com

Want to learn how to play some killer beats for a party or your friends? At Scratch DJ Academy, you can do just that. Located in Downtown Los Angeles, students get to use state of the art equipment and will be taught and guided by some of the best professionals with some serious credentials.

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