Edward McSweeney Jr., MCM Candidate, Class of 2015
One of the most dynamic aspects of USC is its close proximity to such a huge variety of fun and renowned locations. Living in Los Angeles while attending USC has taught me that after proper attention to my MCM classwork, the amount of potential for exploring in and around the city is absolutely astounding. Let’s start with Downtown Los Angeles itself, which has a vast array of popular restaurants, bars, sports venues, nightlife locations, and entertainment options. Before entering the city, it is impossible to miss LA’s incredible skyline.
Head just a few miles away from USC down Figueroa Street, and you can socialize at LA Live, catch a LA Lakers game at Staples Center, or pay a visit to one of LA’s famous museums.
To the west of downtown you can find Santa Monica and Venice, both infamous beach cities in their own regard, each with breathtaking views and seemingly endless places to discover. Santa Monica’s main beach sports a carnival-like pier, which hosts concerts on the beach during summertime, and a boardwalk fit with any type of beach backdrop your Instagram could hope for.
A few streets up from the beach is Third Street Promenade, which is home to a myriad of fun shops, unique restaurants, and street performers.
Similarly, Venice’s infamous Venice Beach is home to incredible artists, street performers, surfers, skaters, and beach vendors. Their new claim to fame is Abbot Kinney’s First Fridays, which hosts ethnic food trucks, street artists, and local musicians.
Lastly it is important to note USC’s proximity to California’s arguably most famous destination: Hollywood. Hollywood is the birthplace of modern cinema and its incredibly popular celebrity culture, so it has its own unique collection of fun destinations. Some of these include the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grauman’s TCL Chinese Theater, Hollywood Boulevard, and various wax museums.
Aside from these well-known tourist attractions, there is an incredible nightlife scene consisting of famous nightclubs, concert venues that have hosted world-renowned bands for decades, and intimate restaurants that house our most beloved celebrities and superstar athletes. Needless to say, there isn’t a shortage of interesting places to experience in Los Angeles while participating in the MCM program at USC.