While many people this year traveled all over the world for winter break, I decided to stay at home and instead search for something a little closer by: Los Angeles. A trip around my own home town was not only a cheap vacation but also an excellent way to explore the many diverse parts of LA. But what is a good way to make sure to see everything around the city that is fast and doesn’t involve a car? What would tourists here use? And hence began my family’s first trip on the Metro.

The Metro was created by the City of Los Angeles to create a safe environment where people could get quick and affordable transportation to work or anywhere else because of the excessive traffic in LA. The city believes in people’s safety and a greener city for all.

The Metro includes train lines for different parts of the city, including Blue, Red, Green, Gold, Purple, Expo, Orange and Silver. I began in Culver City, right where the Expo Line Metro starts. You start by paying money to a machine and receiving in return a “tap card” with money that you “tap” on a machine to enter. Every ride, no matter how long or short, costs $1.50. Because this was my first trip on the Metro, I was very nervous, having no idea what the experience might be like and whom I might meet.

My family traveled to Downtown where we walked around for a while and finally ate a delicious lunch of ribs at Roy’s. We then visited the California ScienCenter, where we got to see the ecosystems exhibit. It was a fun day full of hanging out in the city, laughing with my parents and going out of my comfort zone to see the streets of Los Angeles.

I also got to venture on the Metro while on the 7th Grade Downtown Trip. My advisory had to research Chinatown, so we mainly took the Red Line. For some girls it was a new experience; they had never gone on a subway before. I thought it was a great way to introduce the whole class to the Metro as it allowed students to be with their friends and teachers whom they trusted while trying something new. I remember my advisor explaining to us that LA is a very diverse city and that the Metro was a great introduction.

Using the Metro is a great experience: it could allow you to explore Los Angeles and find new places you love that you didn’t even know about. So the next time you have free time and you don’t know what to do, try the Metro so you can say you truly have seen Los Angeles.