Led Zeppelin said that we have to climb a stairway to heaven. That sounds like too much work. For lazy people (like me) who want to take the fast track to heaven’s gates, look no further than the railway to heaven.
Called Angels Flight, it is a funicular located in the Bunker Hill district of Los Angeles. A funicular is an inclined railway in which a carriage is carried up and down an incline by a cable.
Only a handful of cable cars remain operational in the United States today. But this one is particularly special. Angels Flight is not only listed on the US National Register of Historic Places, but is famous for being “The World’s Shortest Railroad.”
At just 315 feet long, riders zoom up a 33-percent grade in about 30 seconds.
Angels Flight was originally built in 1901 half a block from where it stands today. And luckily for cash-strapped families, this Los Angeles landmark continues to offer 1901 prices. It only costs 25 cents per person to ride the cable car each way. Of course, you’ll need to go back down, so buy a 50-cent round-trip souvenir ticket.
Continue your religious experience at The City of Angels by enjoying heavenly food at Grand Central Market across the street.
Opened in 1917, it is the oldest and largest outdoor market in Los Angeles. Shop for cheap, fresh produce, or sample cheap and delicious ethnic foods at one of 40 vendors.
A sure sign of a good food stand is a long line. And the wait is worth it at Sarita’s Pupuseria (despite the unflattering name). Pupusas are like a Salvadoran quesadilla: handmade cornmeal as thick as a cracker is filled with cheese and optional toppings like meat, then cooked on a griddle until the dough is warm and smooth, and the cheese is sticky.
The pupusas are around $2 each and come with salsa and spicy coleslaw. Finish off your meal with a delicious empanada de plantain, crispy fried dough with a soft, sweet plantain filling, for just $1.50.
Another recommended food stall is Ana María’s Mexican food stall. Their $2.50 tacos are packed with so much meat, cilantro, onion, and salsa that you’ll need to use the extra corn tortilla they give you to make another taco.
Parking is free for the first hour if you spend $10 at the market. However, the bill can add up quickly after that – it’s $1.50 for every 15 minutes after the first hour.
Angels Flight, located at 351 S. Hill Street, is open 365 days a year from 6:45 am to 10 pm Grand Central Market, at 317 S. Broadway, is open all week from 9 am to 6 pm Entrance to the parking lot structure is at 308 S. Hill Street in Los Angeles, CA, 90013.
