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B M & T ••• January/February 2015 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 21 for the rich and famous, acclaimed restaurants, trend-setting art and fashion scenes, and internationally flavored neighborhoods. One of the most popular ways to experience L.A. is by enjoying free activities, such as taking in an ethnic festival or visiting top cultural attractions. You have a choice of touring LA's neighborhoods and districts on your own, or as part of an organized group. Visitors who want to experience rich African-American culture and heritage need only take a self-guided walking tour through Leimert Park, an enclave of museums, sidewalk cafes, performance venues and African bou- tiques along and around Degnan Boulevard in the Crenshaw District. Here's where you'll find beautiful dashikis, reggae inspired clothing, great art, and some of the tastiest menus in town in eater- ies like the Ackee Bamboo, Addassa's Island Café and Dulan's. The "Downtown Los Angeles Walking Tour: Culture on Foot" is a guided tour that begins at the corner of Temple and Hill Street near the Metro Red Line Civic Center Station and takes in the fortress-like Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles, the Music Center, Ahmanson Theater, Mark Taper Frum, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Walt Disney Concert hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Of course, no visit to Los Angels would be complete without taking a self-guided tour of the world-famous Hollywood Walk of Fame along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. Another popular area for walking tours is Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive where the rich and famous shop for Prada, Gucci, Valentino, Armani, Dior and Cartier. Another popular area for touring on foot is L.A. Live, an enter- tainment complex in the South Park District of Downtown Los Angeles adjacent to the Staples Center and Los Angeles Convention Center. In addition to a slew of hip restaurants, the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, and an open air plaza that's regularly used for conference events, the area is also home to the iconic Nokia Theater and the Grammy Museum . For more information contact the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board at (213) 624-7300. WASHINGTON, DC Perhaps no other city has more world-renowned monuments, museums and historic points of interest than the nation's capital. And fortunately, they are easily accessible on foot, including the lat- est two additions, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and the soon to open National Museum of African American History and Culture. Both of these attractions,, and many more, can be found on National Mall. Situated on the banks of the Potomac River, the National Mall is a two-mile swath of land bound by the U.S. Capitol to the east and the Washington Monument to the west. Visitors to "the Mall" will find a wide, pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined boulevard with mov- ing monuments and memorials, world-famous museums and impressive federal build ings along Constitution Avenue. The National Mall welcomes millions of visitors every year, but it has also played host to many history-making events. This is where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech to hundreds of thousands who marched on Washington. The Mall is home to the country's most famous monuments and memorials. In addition to the Martin Luther King, Jr. monument, the Lincoln, Jefferson, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorials all resi de here. You'll also find the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the National World War II Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The National Mall is also home to many of the country's most popular museums. Smithsonian museums along the National Mall include the National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian Castle. While The National Mall may be DC's most popular visi- tor attraction, it's not the only game in town. Beyond the notable landmarks of the city, Washington, DC has several Hollywood Walk of Fame Photo Martin Luther King Memorial Credit: Robert Landau/DRR.net