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The Superintendent’s Guide to Downtown Los Angeles

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Traveling to Los Angeles often gets a bad rap. The traffic and sprawl can make for a frustrating week, but NCE this year isn’t in L.A.—it’s in downtown L.A. You’ll be in the middle of one of the most beautiful, energetic cities in America, exposed to the best foods and entertainment, all within walking distance of the convention center. There are plenty of travel guides about L.A., but for some reason, we couldn’t find any that were designed specifically to meet the needs of school administrators, so we decided to make one ourselves.

I flew to downtown L.A. with Greg Clark, who has been a superintendent for more than twelve years, and Apptegy’s Casey Mikula to scout out the best places for school administrators to visit during the conference. In this guide, you’ll find some great places to connect with old friends, grab a bite to eat, and build new relationships. We hope you enjoy it.

David AllanHead of Marketing and Media, Apptegy

Discounts:While we were scouting out the best spots to visit, we talked a few places into giving NCE conference attendees a discount. Just tell them that Apptegy sent you, and show them your conference badge.

In this guide, we’ll include:

• The Basics (Page 2)

• Food and Drink (Page 7)

• Relaxing and Sightseeing (Page 13)

20%Cow Cafe

20%Wynn Nail Spa

15%Public School 213

10%First Draft

20%Aladdin’s Coffee

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The Basics

If you haven’t had a spare minute to figure out how you’re getting to the convention center, don’t fret. Here are the two best (and most common) ways to travel.

How should I get from LAX to the Los Angeles Convention Center?

FlyAway Bus ($9.75 each way)

The FlyAway bus is a cheap, regularly-scheduled shuttle that runs to and from the airport from different destinations around the city. You’ll want to take the bus going to Union Station. From there, you can either take the metro or use a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft.

Uber or Lyft ($35-55 each way)

If you’d prefer a quicker, more straightforward option, ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft are great choices. The trip from LAX is estimated to cost around $35-55 with tip, depending on the type of car you choose.

At LAX: Board buses on the Lower/Arrivals Level

in front of each terminal under the green “FlyAway

Buses and Long Distance Vans” sign. Each bus is

marked with its service location. You’re looking for

“Union Station.”

Metro Directions from Union Station: Take the Red

or Purple Line to 7th Street/Metro Center Station,

and transfer to the Blue Line. Take the Blue Line to

Pico Station, and you’ll be a block away from the Los

Angeles Convention Center and L.A. Live. The base

fare for the metro is $1.75 one-way, and a day pass is

$7.

Getting a FlyAway Ticket: You can purchase a

FlyAway bus ticket at the bus using a credit or debit

card, or on this website: LAXFlyAway.org. Be aware,

they often don’t accept cash.

Requesting a Ride from LAX: Once you have your

luggage and are ready to go, request a ride using the

app. We included details on using the ride-sharing

apps later on in the guide.

Once you’ve requested your ride:• Walk up the escalators from baggage claim to

the departures level.

• Outside you will find signs that say “Ride App

Pickup” with letters on them.

• Look in the app to see where you will meet

your driver. You might see, for example, “Ride

App Pickup G.”

• Wait by the sign for your ride.

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When you think of a city as large as Los Angeles,

you might think you need to rent a car to get

around. However, if you’re planning on spending

the majority of your time in downtown Los Angeles

(around the Los Angeles Convention Center), then

it’s usually cheaper and more convenient to walk or

Don’t I need to rent a car in L.A.?

The convention center is smack dab in the middle

of downtown Los Angeles. Right outside most of

the conference hotels is a massive entertainment

complex called L.A. Live, which has a bowling alley,

movie theatre, and the Grammy Museum. If you’re

a fan of Michael Jackson, the Grammy Museum

What’s around the convention center? features artifacts like Jackson’s sequined gloves

or costumes from the Thriller music video. The

museum costs $14 and is a must-stop for any music

lover. There are also plenty of restaurants inside the

complex, including a Starbucks.

use ride-sharing apps. That way, you won’t have to

navigate L.A.’s famous traffic or worry about finding

parking. We’ll show you the best ways to get around

downtown in the “How do I get around downtown L.A.?” section of the guide.

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The Staples Center is across the street from L.A. Live.

Lebron isn’t playing during the conference, but you

can catch the Clippers on the 13th and 14th at 7:30

p.m. The Kings are playing on the 16th, also at 7:30 p.m.

Most of the hotels are within a few blocks of L.A. Live,

the Staples Center, and the convention center—some

are even located inside L.A. Live. If you’re coming from

the hotels, you can walk behind the Staples Center to

quickly access the convention center. If you’re staying

inside L.A. Live, it’s about a three-minute walk.

The convention center itself is split into two main

buildings connected by a sky bridge. NCE will take

place in the West Hall, which is closest to the

Staples Center.

During the conference, you might need a quiet space

to take a phone call or answer a few emails. There’s

a full business center between the West and South

Halls, and the South Hall has several additional quiet

nooks where you can get some work done.

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There’s a Ralphs (aka Kroger or King Soopers) two

blocks from L.A. Live where you can grab a granola

bar or some extra shampoo. There’s a pharmacy in

there too. If you need any specialty foods, there’s a

Whole Foods across from the Ralphs.

What if I left something at home?

A little tip:There’s a surprisingly nice bar inside the Whole

Foods. It would be great place to stop for coffee or a

drink with a friend.

It’s projected to be between the 50s and 70s

during the conference, which feels amazing in

the California sun. We wore a light jacket in the

morning, then ditched it in the afternoon.

Do I need to pack a jacket?Forecast:

Downtown L.A. itself is extremely walkable. Not

only is everything jammed into a relatively small

area, but the weather is absolutely phenomenal.

You can usually see the mountains peeking out

How do I get around downtown L.A.?

Uber & Lyft

Rideshare Services

Lime

Electric Scooter Rentals

Metro

Public Transportation

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from behind the city skyline. For areas that are a

little further away, we grabbed an Uber or Lyft, or

took a Lime rental scooter.

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Uber and Lyft Lime Electric Scooter Rentals

We loved using Uber and Lyft for destinations more

than a mile or two away. They’re simple to use and

more cost-efficient than taxis.

You may have heard about Lime scooters, or even

seen some around your city or hometown. Bright

green scooters, available for rental, are propped all

over downtown L.A. These are fun to use to travel

just a few miles or to speed up your commute. Their

maximum range is 37 miles, but we’d recommend

them for just a couple of miles at a time.

To use:Search “Lime” in either the App or Google Play

stores, or visit their website li.me. The app will show

you available scooters in your area. Once you find

a scooter, tap “ride” on the bottom of your phone

screen. From there, either scan the QR code or

manually enter the scooter’s six-digit code. The

scooters cost $1 to unlock, then $0.15 for every

minute you ride.

Metro

Some people swear by the metro; others avoid it.

It just depends on your comfort level. We would

suggest taking another form of transportation unless

you regularly use a metro or subway system.

If you plan to travel by metro, you can use this

website to plan your trip: metro.net. The base fare is

$1.75, and a day pass is $7.

While it’s important to take caution in any city, we

felt comfortable walking around downtown L.A.

at night—especially around L.A. Live and the

Staples Center, which have active security crews.

Because of the development of several downtown

Will I feel safe around downtown L.A.?

To Use:If you’ve never used Uber or Lyft, you’ll need

to download the app, then enter some basic

information. Just type “Uber” or “Lyft” into the App

or Play Store, or use these links to get registered:

Once you’re set up and ready to find a ride, type

in your desired destination. The app will show

you drivers closest to your current location, along

with the estimated cost of the ride. You’ll be able

to choose between different types and sizes of

vehicle, which may affect pricing.

After you’ve chosen your ride, you’ll communicate

with the driver through the app to find each

other. The app will give you the car’s license plate

number. Your driver will have a sticker on the front

and back of their car with “Uber” or “Lyft” branding.

When you arrive at your destination, you’ll be

charged for the ride through the app. It’s polite to

leave a tip for 15-20% of the total cost of your ride.

attractions, especially around the Los Angeles

Convention Center, the area is much safer than it

was 20 years ago. The further away you get from

L.A. Live, however, the more we would recommend

traveling as a group.

uber.com lyft.com

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BirdiesGet: Birdies’ Breakfast SandwichWebsite: birdiesla.comTransportation: Walk (15 Minutes) Price: $$

Birdies is four blocks from the convention center, and one of the best

places I ate in L.A. They serve creative cake donuts every hour (like

candied maple bacon or triple dark chocolate), and their fried chicken

breakfast sandwiches are super indulgent, but just amazing. I recommend

a cup of coffee with the Cinnamon Toast Crunch donut.

Food and Drink

The Original PantryGet: PancakesWebsite: pantrycafe.comTransportation: Walk (10 Minutes) Price: $

A staple of Los Angeles, this old school eatery was built in 1923. Most of the

food is pretty typical for a diner, but the pancakes were some of the best

I’ve ever had: light, buttery, and fluffy. They don’t accept credit cards, so

make sure to take cash with you.

Cow CafeGet: Avocado Toast (a millennial favorite)Website: cowdtla.comTransportation: Walk (10 Minutes)Price: $

Cow Cafe is one of the closest breakfast options and serves fresh,

Mediterranean-inspired foods.

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Breakfast If you’re an early riser, these are great places to get a quick bite

before the conference—or even throughout the day.

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Coffee You can find coffee inside the convention center, but we’ve added

a few extra options in case you need a cup o’ Joe outside of the

conference hours.

Illy CafféTransportation: Walk (5 Minutes)Price: $

Illy is an Italian espresso shop in the lobby of the JW Marriott. Casey

found it to be a little overpriced, but it’s one of the closest options for a

great cup of coffee.

Blue Bottle CoffeeTransportation: Uber/Lyft (5-10 Minutes), Lime Scooters Price: $$

The famous Blue Bottle Coffee serves some of the best coffee in

the world. From aeropress to cold brew to pour over, Blue Bottle has

options for every coffee aficionado.

Aladdin’s Coffee ShopTransportation: Walk (5 Minutes) Price: $

Aladdin’s coffee shop is a hole-in-the-wall cafe just a five-minute walk

from the convention center. If you’re looking for a hearty breakfast, try

their breakfast burrito with coffee.

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Starbucks Transportation: Walk (5 - 10 Minutes) Price: $

If you’re wanting something familiar, there’s a Starbucks inside L.A. Live, then

another on the corner of West 11th and South Grand Avenue, then another

on Pico and South Grand Avenue.

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Inside L.A. LiveSmashburger is a burger chain that prepares its burgers by, you

guessed it, smashing the patty into the grill for a caramelized finish.

Rock’N Fish has all types of seafood: crab cakes, calamari, swordfish,

and poke.

Katsuya is a sushi destination with locations all over the world. While

you’re on the coast, why not get fresh sushi?

Lawry’s Carvery serves a range of meats; we recommend the roast

beef sandwich.

Live Basil Pizza offers fresh, artisanal pizzas and salads. Try one of

their combinations, like Buffalo or Margarita, or create your own.

Guerilla TacosGet: Baja Fried Cod Taco Transportation: Uber/Lyft (10-15 Minutes), Lime Scooters Price: $$

If you have some time to take a bit of a hike (or a quick Uber ride), don’t

miss the famous Guerilla Tacos. They claim their dishes are “inspired by

the tastes of the city” and they’re always on the news for their creative

flavor combinations. Check out their Baja Fried Cod Taco—tempura-

battered wild cod, chipotle crema, pico de gallo, chile Japones,

and cilantro.

JT Cafe Get: Veggie QuesadillaTransportation: Walk (10 Minutes) Price: $

JT Cafe is a cute, low-key cafe that serves a hodgepodge of foods:

quesadillas, BLTs, pasta, and tacos. The food is delicious,

and staff is friendly.

Lunch For lunch, you’ll want to stay pretty close to the convention center.

There’s a blend of restaurants in L.A. Live, as well as a few spots in the

neighborhood that are easy to access from the convention center.

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Fleming’sGet: Dark-Aged Ribeye (or any steak), Sweet Chili CalamariWebsite: flemingssteakhouse.comTransportation: Walk (6 Minutes) Price: $$$

If you’re looking for prime meats, seafood, and a full (and extensive)

wine bar, Fleming’s is the right pick. The steakhouse is nestled into L.A.

Live, making it easy to access from the convention center. Their Prime

Happy Hour is from 5 to 7 p.m.

El CholoGet: Carmen Rocha’s Original Nachos, Margaritas Website: elcholo.comTransportation: Walk (5 Minutes) Price: $$

El Cholo is a homestyle Mexican diner that’s been around since 1923.

They claim that one of their waitresses brought nachos to L.A. in 1959.

We tried Carmen Rocha’s Original Nachos with a margarita, and they

didn’t amaze, but they certainly didn’t disappoint. The restaurant is just

down the street from L.A. Live.

Dinner Los Angeles is one of the food capitals of the world, and the downtown

area offers some of the city’s best culinary experiences. We selected

a few of the top restaurants in the area that are convenient to access

from the convention center.

Public School 213

Get: Queso Fundido, Popcorn Shrimp, Reuben SandwichWebsite: psontap.comTransportation: Uber/Lyft (5 Minutes), Lime ScootersPrice: $$

We found a public school-themed restaurant in downtown L.A., and

we give it an A+. At Public School 213, menus are made of composition

books, napkins look like loose-leaf paper, and they even have games

like Connect Four and Monopoly to play at your table. During “recess”

from 3 to 7 p.m., most beer/wine is $5 a glass, and popular plates are

under $10.

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Drinks One of the most important parts of the conference is the opportunity to

connect with other superintendents—to see old friends, share ideas,

and find community. If you’re looking for a place close by to do some

networking, Tom’s Urban, Prank, and First Draft are within walking

distance. (We also really liked the bar inside Whole Foods). There’s

another fantastic group of bars on 6th and 7th Street, which is about a

20-minute walk or a five-minute Uber or Lyft ride.

Tom’s UrbanWebsite: tomsurban.com Transportation: Walk (3 Minutes) Price: $$

We checked out Tom’s Urban, a sports bar right outside the Staples Center

and inside the ESPN building. Greg and Casey were a little underwhelmed

by this place. However, if there’s a game going on in the Staples Center,

Tom’s Urban is an exciting place to be.

PrankWebsite: prankbar.com Transportation: Walk (7 Minutes) Price: $$

Prank is a walk-up bar with excellent cocktails within a few blocks of the

convention center. If it’s a nice day, take advantage of their lovely outdoor

area. Their “Happy Menu,” with tasty appetizers like Kobe Beef Sliders, is

served from 2:40pm - 7:02 p.m.

First Draft Taproom & KitchenWebsite: firstdraftdtla.comTransportation: Walk (10 Minutes) Price: $$

First Draft DTLA is a state-of-the-art, pour-your-own taproom and

kitchen just a few blocks from the convention center. Enjoy 70 taps of

craft beer, wine, and cider as well as delicious upscale bar bites in a

spacious venue with an outside patio and communal seating.

First Draft is great for groups and perfect for craft beer enthusiasts.

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Seven GrandWebsite: sevengrandbars.comTransportation: Uber/Lyft (5 Minutes), Lime Scooters, Walk (20 Minutes) Price: $$

If you’re a whiskey lover, head to Seven Grand. They offer one of the largest

selections of premium whiskey in the West. When we went, there was a live

jazz band, making for a really energetic atmosphere.

Library BarWebsite: librarybarla.comTransportation: Uber/Lyft (5 Minutes), Lime Scooters, Walk (20 Minutes) Price: $$

On 6th Street, you’ll find Library Bar, a cozy destination with books,

rugs, and couches. Their cocktails are named after famous novels, like

“Adventures of Blackberry Finn,” “Ready Player Rum,” or “Of Mice and

Mezcal.” We would suggest starting your night here; it gets crowded later

on in the evening.

Karl StraussWebsite: karlstrauss.comTransportation: Uber/Lyft (5 Minutes), Lime Scooters, Walk (20 Minutes) Price: $$

If you enjoy craft beer, stop by Karl Strauss on Grand Street. The company

is a pioneer in the independent brewing scene, and their downtown L.A.

location has more than a dozen types of beer on tap.

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Relaxing and Sightseeing

Hope Beauty CenterWebsite: hopebeautycenter.com Transportation: Walk (5 Minutes)Price: $$

Hope Beauty Center, about two blocks away

from the convention center, is a one-stop shop

for nail and skin care.

Relaxing The superintendency is, as you know, a stressful position. While

you’re in California, take the opportunity to treat yourself a little.

Each of these places is within walking distance, so taking time

for yourself won’t pull you away from the conference.

FootsageWebsite: footsage.comPrice: $$$

If you don’t want to leave your hotel room,

Footsage is a massage delivery service that sends

a five-star masseuse right to your hotel room,

starting at around $99 per hour. You even have the

option to choose your masseuse. You can schedule

a time here.

Wynn Nail SpaWebsite: wynnnailspa.com Transportation: Walk (5 Minutes)Price: $$

By far, we recommend Wynn Nail Spa. It’s right

across the street from the convention center,

and they offer everything from facials to pedicures

to hot lotion massages.

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If you find yourself with a few extra hours outside of the conference, here

are several spots that you don’t want to miss while you’re in Los Angeles.

Sightseeing

HollywoodTransportation: Uber/Lyft (30 Minutes), Metro (45 Minutes)

Hollywood is well, Hollywood. From the Walk

of Fame to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum,

there are a ton of cultural cornerstones in a pretty

confined area.

The tricky part is getting there. You’re looking

at around a half-hour drive from the convention

center, or an estimated $40-$65 Uber/Lyft ride

depending on the type of car you choose. A

cheaper option is to take the metro.

Metro Directions:

Get on at Pico Station, or the Blue Line, near the

convention center. Transfer to the Red Line at

7th Street/Metro Center, then take the Red Line

towards North Hollywood. Get off at

Hollywood/Highland Station.

Exposition ParkTransportation: Uber/Lyft (5-10 Minutes), Lime Scooters

Exposition Park holds some of the most impressive

attractions the city has to offer, like the Natural

History Museum, the California African American

Museum, even the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum,

which is slated to host the 2028 Summer Olympics.

If you are traveling with your family, don’t miss the

California Science Center. The center was chosen

to house the Endeavor Space Shuttle, and IMAX

movies play hourly. Bring a picnic to eat around the

City of Los Angeles Rose Garden, or take a walk

through the University of Southern California’s

campus across the street.

Must See:

• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

• California African American Museum

• Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

• California Science Center

• City of Los Angeles Rose Garden

• University of Southern California

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Grand Park

Grand Park is an oasis in the city two miles away

from the convention center. If you have a few hours

to spare in the middle of the day, come here. There’s

amazing architecture all around the park, like the

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels right across the

street. When I was there, I happened upon a choir

practicing. It was almost magical.

Walk down the street to the Walt Disney Concert

Hall, where you can watch world-renowned classical

musicians or just check out its famous architecture.

They have shows on Friday the 15th and Saturday

the 16th at 8 p.m., featuring the Fluxus art movement

of the ‘60s on Friday, and on Saturday, William Grant

Still & the Harlem Renaissance. The Broad and The

Museum of Contemporary Art are just down

the street.

Transportation: Uber/Lyft (5-10 Minutes), Lime Scooters

Two blocks down is one of my favorite places, the

Grand Central Market. It’s a traditional covered

market, but with vendors like Berlin CurryWurst,

Horse Thief BBQ, Lucky Bird—a sample of the best

foods from all over the world, like pupusas and falafel

and ramen and coffee and bento boxes and pizza

and oysters and ice cream. For all the foodies out

there, just look at their vendor list.

If you have kids with you, there’s a fun little railway

you can take down the hill to get to the market called

Angel’s Flight Railway. It’s not the most functional

mode of transportation, but it costs about a dollar,

and it’s a cute way to get down the hill.

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See school marketing done the right way.

We've printed a custom marketing booklet for every district attending AASA NCE. Come to booth 208 or request one atapptegy.com/booklet