Old Plaza, Los Angeles

Frequented by fiestas and open-air concerts, this is the heart of El Pueblo. Once the center of everyday life in Los Angeles, today some of the festivals held here include Dia de los Muertos in early November, Las Posadas leading up to Christmas, and of course Cinco de Mayo. In the center of the plaza itself is the Kiosko, a hexagonal bandstand made of wrought iron, which is surrounded by fig trees that provide welcome shade after exploring El Pueblo under the hot sun. It retains some of the old world charm right in the heart of the city.