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Monterey Park is a city of about 60,000 people in the western San Gabriel Valley, just east of downtown Los Angeles. Incorporated in 1916, it changed dramatically from the 1970s onward as Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants settled here, and it became known as the first suburban Chinatown in the United States. Today most residents are of Asian heritage, and the city is a magnet for food lovers.
Atlantic Boulevard and Garfield Avenue are lined with dim sum halls, noodle shops, bakeries and regional Chinese restaurants, and the Atlantic Times Square complex adds more dining and shopping. The Lunar New Year festival brings parades and performances each winter. On the campus of East Los Angeles College, the Vincent Price Art Museum shows an impressive collection and changing exhibitions.
Garvey Ranch Park has a small public observatory run by astronomy volunteers, and Barnes Park and Cascades Park offer green space. Downtown Los Angeles, Alhambra, San Gabriel and Pasadena are all within a short drive, making Monterey Park a handy food stop on any San Gabriel Valley trip.
An art museum at East Los Angeles College, founded with a gift of artworks from the actor Vincent Price, with a collection spanning ancient objects to modern art and a strong program of Chicano and Latin American art. Admission is free. Check the website for opening hours, which follow the college calendar.
A small public observatory in Garvey Ranch Park run by volunteers from the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, who open it for free telescope viewing on certain evenings. The park also has a small local history museum and picnic areas. Check the society's schedule, and go on a clear night near a quarter moon.
A mixed-use complex on Atlantic Boulevard with restaurants, bakeries, dessert shops, a movie theater and apartments around a central plaza. It is a convenient place to sample several cuisines in one stop. Parking is in the underground garage; validate where possible and expect crowds on weekend evenings.
One of Monterey Park's main dining corridors, along with nearby Atlantic Boulevard, lined with Chinese bakeries, dim sum halls, Taiwanese breakfast spots, noodle shops and supermarkets. It is among the best places in Southern California for regional Chinese food. Go early on weekends to avoid long waits.
A street festival held around Lunar New Year, with lion and dragon dances, firecrackers, live performances, food stalls and craft vendors. It draws large crowds from across the San Gabriel Valley. Check the city website for dates and street closures, and use public transit or arrive early to find parking.
One of Monterey Park's main parks, with lawns, sports fields, a playground, picnic areas and an amphitheater used for concerts and community events. It is a pleasant place to relax between meals. Weekends are lively with families and sports leagues, so weekday mornings are quieter.
A small hillside park near the western entrance to Monterey Park, known for its decorative cascading fountain built in the late 1920s as a grand entrance to a new hillside neighborhood. Paths lead past the water stairs and plantings. It is a brief stop, best combined with nearby restaurants, and is most attractive when the water is running.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
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