Touring * Street * Historic * Slalom *

From U.S. 101 in Hollywood, take the Temple Street exit just after the Interstate 5/Highway 110/Highway 2 interchange. Go straight to cross Temple and follow Hope Street down Bunker hill and through the Financial District to Sixth Street. Keep your eyes open for curbside parking or turn left on Sixth Street and go two block to Pershing Square, an outdoor mall area with underground parking. Map: Downtown Los Angeles Map available from the Downtown Marketing Council and Community Redevelopment Agency; (213) 624-2146.

Intermediate and advanced street skaters in Southern California love downtown Los Angeles during the weekend when, in some districts, it is virtually deserted. These are skaters to whom "street" means challenging urban terrain, not busy downtown roads. You know what you're looking for, and you will find it here. For the rest of us, there are plenty of wide sidewalks for touring through this famous city. There are also some big, long hills, so this location is not appropriate for lower level skaters. After you warm up on the concrete plaza and steps of Pershing Square, it's pretty much skater's choice as far as touring the nearby urban terrain. For starters, the Financial District, located three blocks west of Pershing Square, is most likely to be quiet. Grand and Hope Streets offer exciting opportunities to skate among the biggest skyscrapers there. If you're into hills, make the big climb up Bunker Hill to visit the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Mark Taper Forum. From there, roll east on First Street and you'll pass the civic center. Main Street is on the far side of city hall. History buffs should go north on Main from here and pass under the Santa Ana Freeway to reach Olvera Street. On the right, a gazebo marks the site where the city of Los Angeles was founded. Skating south from the Olvera Street historic district on Main Street, you can also visit Little Tokyo, the toy district, the flower markets, and the garment district (in that order) as well as the Los Angeles Convention Center in the southwest corner of downtown. Make sure you bring along a map so you won't get lost. To explore the main shopping district, skate up Broadway, one block east of Pershing Square.