Universities, public laboratories, and private aerospace industries in Southern California have all played important roles in space exploration. The Columbia Memorial Space Center, located on Columbia Way in Downey, is a city-owned attraction. Its mission is to preserve the city's rich heritage, particularly as it pertains to the shuttle programme.
Local theatres are sometimes ignored by harried tourists eager to see California's more famous sights, such as beaches, showbiz attractions, and state and national parks. The Downey Theater is located near downtown on Firestone Boulevard. Since its inception decades ago, it has been one of the city's best live entertainment venues.
For than 10 years, the Downey International Food Festival has been one of the city's most anticipated yearly events. There's lots of great beer and wine, tonnes of live entertainment, and family-friendly activities for those travelling with kids, in addition to gobs of gourmet food provided by local chefs, restaurants, and food trucks.
Southern California is home to a wide variety of cultures and races. LA and Downey are fantastic destinations to visit if you want to experience international cuisines in authentic restaurants while on vacation.Sushi's subtle yet bright flavours typically win over even the most finicky diners who decide to throw caution to the wind and give it a try, despite the fact that eating raw fish with rice may sound distasteful to some.
Drive-in theatres were popular in the middle of the twentieth century, but they've been disappearing at an alarming rate since the 1980s. Regrettably, they are now few and far between. The Paramount Drive-In in adjacent Paramount, thankfully, is still open for business. It's a popular evening entertainment option for local families and visitors looking to catch a glimpse of nostalgia before it vanishes forever.
Los Angeles County is a golfer's paradise for the majority of the year, attracting golfers from all over the country who would prefer not spend the entire winter encased in ice and snow. Rio Hondo Golf Club is a city-owned and run municipal golf course that is widely regarded as one of the best-kept golf secrets in the area.
Though Southern Florida is more known for its Cuban population, some transplants from the island nation have made their way to Southern California over the years as well. Tropicana Bakery and Cuban Café was initially opened in the ’90s by an American citizen of Cuban ancestry. The aim was to serve Cuban and Mexican food to working-class families in and around Downey.
The Day of the Dead, also known as Dia de los Muertos, is an annual celebration in Mexican culture in which the living memorialise their deceased friends and relatives with a variety of ceremonies and symbols that to the untrained may appear scary and morbid. The much-loved event, despite its name, is truly a celebration of life. It features a wide range of spectacular and colourful art, delicious cuisine, entertaining activities, and live entertainment.
Downey's 3rd Street Coffee has been attracting new and returning customers for more than two decades with their delicious food and wide assortment of hot and cold handcrafted beverages. 3rd Street is famed for its robust meals, including delectable chicken breast Panini sandwiches that frequently sell out before the lunch rush is through.
Despite the fact that it is technically in Anaheim, Disneyland California Adventure Park is only 25 minutes southeast of Downey, off Interstate 5. It's one of the most popular vacation spots in Southern California. It's where many families with little children spend the most of their time when travelling.