(FORTUNE Magazine) – An hour: Who says L.A. has no history? For 73 years the Delgado family, at Candelas Guitars (2724 Cesar Chavez Avenue, 323-261-2011), has been handcrafting guitars in rosewood and mahogany for the likes of Andres Segovia, Arlo Guthrie, and Charo. And neon signage traces its roots in the U.S. to 1923, atop an L.A. Packard dealership. Now the Museum of Neon Art (501 W. Olympic Boulevard, 213-489-9918) is the world's only venue devoted to the sparkling tubes. MONA's logo? A neon Mona Lisa, of course.

An afternoon: The contemporary art scene discovered the low rents of Chinatown last year, and now seven galleries there stage shows. Among the best: Goldman Tevis (932 Chung King Road; 213-617-8217) and Acuna-Hansen (427 Bernard Street; 323-441-1624). Hungry? Try Saigon Sandwiches (828 N. Broadway, 213-625-8721) or, if experiencing Asia overload, drive a mile or so for a happy hour of cuchifritos (bar snacks) with a mojito or white sangria, at Ciudad (445 S. Figueroa Street, 213-486-5171). It's the latest from Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (TV's "Too Hot Tamales").

A night: In trendy Los Feliz, ten minutes' drive from downtown, follow up your new-American dinner at Vermont (1714 N. Vermont Avenue, 323-661-6163) with drinks at retro Dresden (1760 N. Vermont Avenue, 323-665-4294), where Marty & Elayne of Swingers fame give new meaning to standards like "Stayin' Alive" and "Muskrat Love." A few blocks away, the tiny, funky Tiki Ti (4427 Sunset Boulevard, 323-669-9381) serves potent Polynesian potions--at least when it decides to open.

An entire day: No pesky parking reservation is required at the Getty Center if you arrive via L.A. Bike Tours' 30-mile excursion ($55, including gear and lunch; 323-658-5890). L.A. Bike Tours also runs nine-mile half-day trips through Hollywood and Beverly Hills (it's billed as the "90210 Urban Assault"). Some of L.A.'s most cutting-edge art, however, is hidden in private collections. The keeper of the keys: art historian Rina Scott (310-479-4374), who leads comprehensive tours of the Santa Fe Art Colony, the Weisman and Broad Foundations, the studios of Laddie John Dill and Marilyn Fortner, and dozens of other venues.

--ANDREW BENDER