Tourist Information

Major tourist attractions in Downey include Allen's Air Conditioning Amusement & Theme Park and the Downey Museum of Art. Churches in Downey include Downey United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church of Downey, First Christian Church of Downey, First Church of Christ Scientist, First Presbyterian Church of Downey, First Southern Baptist Church of Downey, Grace Baptist Church, Messiah Lutheran Church and Saint Raymond's Catholic Church.

The city can be reached by any of four freeways. Interstate 105 with its Metro rail line passes through the southern part of the city, Interstate 5 and Interstate 605 pass along the eastern side, and Interstate 710 passes just west of the city. The airports can be used are Los Angeles International LAX Ontario Airport, Burbank Airport, John Wayne Airport and Long Beach Airport. Other available public transports are MTA, Metro link Commuter Rail, Downey LINK and Dial-A-Ride Services. Available hotels include Embassy Suites and Comfort Inn.

General Information

Downey is located in the heart of Southern California between the business hubs of Los Angeles and Orange County. The McDonald's restaurant located at 10207 Lakewood Blvd. at Florence Ave., was the third McDonald's built, and is the oldest surviving McDonald's. It was included in 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 1994 list. The restaurant still has the original "Golden arches" and a 60-foot animated neon "Speedee" sign. Customers can visit the original restaurant and an adjoining gift shop and museum. The first Taco Bell restaurant was opened on 21st March 1962, at Downey, by Glen Bell.

Demographic Information

Downey is a city located in south-east Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located 21 km (13 miles) south-east of downtown Los Angeles. Downey is located at 33°56′17″N, 118°7′51″W (33.938164, -118.130801), at about 119 feet above the sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.6 km² (12.6 mi²). As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 107,323. The cities Santa Fe Springs and Norwalk are adjacent to the east, South Gate and Bell Gardens to the west and northwest, Pico Rivera lies to the northeast and Paramount and Bellflower are to the south.