Hi Peter,
Also place Griffith Observatory in LA in your tour list, I was up there today.
They have a mini star party on the weekend after the new moon. It is hosted by the LA Astronomical Society, they setup about a dozen private scopes on the lawn out the front and also have viewing through their 12"refractor.
http://www.griffithobservatory.org/pstarparties.html
Great views over LA. It closes at 10pm.