Spectator Sports

Baseball -- The Los Angeles Dodgers (tel. 323/224-1448; www.dodgers.com), winner of eight National League championships and five World Series titles, play at Dodger Stadium, located at 1000 Elysian Park near Sunset Boulevard. Watching a game at this old-school ballpark is a great way to spend the day, chomping on Dodger Dogs and basking in the sunshine. Tickets are reasonably priced, too. And even if you can't score tickets, you can still take a 90-minute "Championship Tour" of Dodger Stadium, including access to the field, the Dodger Dugout, the Dugout Club, the press box, and the Tommy Lasorda Training Center. Tours are offered Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 and 11:30am through October. The cost is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors (55 and up), and $8 for children 14 and under. You can reserve and purchase tour tickets online at www.dodgers.com (click on "Dodger Stadium," then scroll down to "Stadium Tours").

The 2002 World Series champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (tel. 888/796-HALO; http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com) play American League ball at Anaheim Stadium, at 2000 S. State College Blvd. (near Katella Ave.), in Anaheim, about 30 minutes from Downtown L.A. The regular Major League baseball season runs from April to October. Log on to either team's website for ticket information.

Basketball -- Los Angeles has two NBA franchises: the L.A. Lakers (www.lakers.com), who have won 14 NBA titles, and the L.A. Clippers (www.clippers.com), who haven't. Both teams play in the STAPLES Center in Downtown L.A., 1111 S. Figueroa St. Celebrity fans like Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Heather Locklear, and Dyan Cannon have the best tickets, but this 20,000-seater should have room for you -- that is, if you have the big bucks for a Lakers ticket or the interest in watching a Clippers game. The season runs from October to April, with 2 months of playoffs following. For tickets to see either team, call tel. 213/742-7340 or log on to www.staplescenter.com.

Football -- Los Angeles suffers from an absence of major-league football, but it gets by just fine with two popular college teams and an Arena League team. The college season runs September through November; if you're interested in checking out a game, contact UCLA Bruins Football (tel. 310/825-2101; www.uclabruins.com) or USC Trojan Football (tel. 213/740-2311; www.usctrojans.com). Described as "fun, fast, and furious," Arena League football tends to be action-packed and exciting, and it sure costs a lot less than its NFL counterpart. The local team is the L.A. Avengers (tel. 310/788-7744; www.laavengers.com); games run April through July and are played Downtown at the STAPLES Center.

Horse Racing -- One of the most beautiful tracks in the country, Santa Anita Racetrack, 285 W. Huntington Dr., Arcadia (tel. 626/574-7223; www.santaanita.com), offers racing from late December through late April every Wednesday through Sunday (a separate racing event called the Oak Tree Meeting runs early Oct through early Nov). Set against the majestic San Gabriel Mountains, the track was featured in the Marx Brothers' film A Day at the Races and in the 1954 version of A Star Is Born. On weekdays during the season, the public is invited to watch morning workouts from 7:30 to 9:30am at Clockers' Corner. Admission is $5; be sure to call or check the website for exact post times. Tip: The infield is ideal for picnics, as well as getting an up-close look at the horses and jockeys in action -- it even has a children's playground.

Located just down the road from LAX, the scenic Hollywood Park Racetrack, 1050 S. Prairie Ave., in Inglewood (tel. 310/419-1500; www.hollywoodpark.com), with its lakes and flowers, features thoroughbred racing from mid-April to July, as well as from mid-November through mid-December. Opened in 1938, it had shareholders that included movie mogul Harry Warner, Walt Disney, and Bing Crosby. Well-placed monitors project views of the backstretch as well as stop-action replays of photo finishes. Races are usually held Wednesday through Sunday. Post times are 1pm in summer (7pm on Fri) and 12:30pm on weekends and holidays. General admission is $7; admission to the clubhouse is $10.

Ice Hockey -- The L.A. Kings (tel. 888/546-4752; www.lakings.com) hold court at the STAPLES Center home ; and down the road in Orange County, the Mighty Ducks (tel. 714/940-2900; www.mightyducks.com) play at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. The hockey season typically runs from October through mid-April, with playoffs following. Tickets are available at either arena or through Ticketmaster.

Soccer -- Since its inaugural season in 1996, the Los Angeles Galaxy (tel. 877-3GALAXY; www.lagalaxy.com) has already won the Major League Soccer Cup and earned a reputation as a major force in MLS. But the big news this year is all about soccer superstar David Beckham joining the roster. He and his pop star wife, Victoria Beckham, have made international headlines by making Los Angeles their new home. In fact, within the first hour following the announcement, the LA Galaxy sold more than 500 home game tickets. Visitors can catch a game at the Home Depot Center stadium at 18400 Avalon Blvd. in Carson. Tickets for individual games are available through the Galaxy box office and Ticketmaster.

Polo, Anyone? -- Way back in 1930 cowboy humorist Will Rogers got a hankerin' to play some polo, so he cleared the field in front of his Pacific Palisades home for a friendly match with his ponies and celebrity pals. Shortly after, he started his famed Will Rogers Polo Club, and of the 25 polo organizations that existed at the time, his polo field is the only one that remains. Matches are still held on weekends from mid-April through early October, and the bucolic setting of wide green fields, whitewashed fences, and majestic oaks is ideal for a leisurely picnic lunch and a bit of respite from the city. The polo field is located at 1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd. in Pacific Palisades, off West Sunset Boulevard. For more information, call the club at tel. 310/573-5000 or log on to its website at www.willrogerspolo.org (there's a great feature on "How to Watch a Polo Game").

Another Kind of Spectator Sport -- Attention, sports fans: If you want to see your favorite NBA or NHL players up close in their civvies, find out when they're playing the L.A. Lakers, Clippers, or Kings, and then dress up nice and drive over to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey. This is where all the pro teams stay whenever they're playing in L.A. You don't have to rent a room -- just order a drink in the lounge and keep an eye on the lobby (you can't miss the huge basketball players). On game nights, they typically check out around 3pm.