Our City Expert's Tips

Check out the kitchen where the original wooden bathtub stands on a dirt-pack floor. The kitchen and the bathroom were one and the same! Also, if you look carefully you'll see an item that originally belonged to the Avila family. Off in a corner of the dining room stands what looks like a small black desk. But it's actually the sewing basket of the second wife of Avila.

History Buff
LA's oldest building was saved from the wrecking ball by civic champion Christine Sterling, who lived here until her death in 1963. She also created Olvera Street, the colorful Mexican marketplace surrounding the adobe, which is a fun place to get a bite or pick up souvenirs. Don't miss the small exhibit at the Avila Adobe that tells Sterling's fascinating story. Fans of the movie "Chinatown," might also pop by the exhibit about the history of water in Los Angeles, also at the Avila Adobe.

Tips From Other Travelers