California

Read more: Best Dates in America - Dates in Every State - Redbook 

2. L.A. Derby Dolls

Leave Staples Center to the celebrities and paparazzi. To really cheer on some hometown heroes, consider an outing to the Doll Factory, the L.A. Derby Dolls' banked track headquarters in downtown. 

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Kathie Lee and Hoda ended their Fourth Hour Friday with a roller derby lesson, finishing their week in Los Angeles with the quintessential California sport.

The ladies got personal instructions from members of the L.A. Derby Dolls, whom KLG called “hard-core.”

“We’re scared of our knees breaking,” admitted Hoda, who along with KLG donned a helmet and elbow pads and kneepads.

Hoda wanted to know if the rough-and-tumble image of roller derby skaters smashing into each other and knocking rivals to ground is accurate. She was told by L.A. Derby Doll “Demolicious” that strict rules now govern the activity.

“It has changed full time. It’s an actual sport now, so there’s no fighting,” Demolicious said.

Officially dubbed “Smashie Lee” and “Throwda” by the Derby Dolls, KLG and Hoda expressed fears about injuries and asked whether the team members ever worry about getting hurt.

“Absolutely, but they’re trained. It takes years of practice.” Demolicious said.

“Then why are we standing here?” said KLG, before gathering her wrap dress and taking a stroll.

"She's a natural!" one of the L.A. Derby Dolls declared. 

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Thanks to our friends at Discover Los Angeles for all their help making our California shows such a blast.

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There is something different about this season. That something could lead to bigger and better things for the Derby Dolls. They’ve changed something about themselves.

“So what we did is we separated the season. The first half of the season will feature the L.A. Ri-Ettes, which represents the Los Angeles league, in inter-city games. They include San Francisco, Phoenix, Portland, Baltimore – all these are inter-city games,” said Rebecca Ninburg, who co-founded L.A. Derby Dolls in 2003 along with Wendy Templeton. 

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If your new year's resolution is like so many others, to get in shape, and you're tired of the same old workout. I feel like I'm about to do an infomercial. It's time to exercise your need for speed on roller skates.

It's roller derby-inspired workouts. Cameron mathison got on skates to show us how to help you lose weight and gain confidence. Really?

Oh, my goodness. Confidence? Whoo!

Reporter: It's the original all-girls full-contact sport, high-speed and hard core. Skaters like janice chop lynn, gori spelling and skeev jobs whipping around a track at lightning speed. You don't need name like suzy snake eyes to join the party.

For people bore at the gym, this might be the ultimate full-body workout. Derby-inspired classes popping up all over the country. Cardio, squats, core straining of real roller derby without the body slamming.

And the women say, it's addictive. It's the only exercise I have ever been excited about. Reporter: At derby light, women of all ages suit up and they're seeing results.

I lost 80 pounds. Reporter: Not as brutal as the original sport, it still looks dangerous to me. Some new girls come in and say, am I going to get hurt?

I say, 100%. Reporter: But they keep coming back? You don't feel the pain.

Here at the l. A. Derby kols, she offers a fitness program for girns like me.

You're moving fast, it's exciting. Your endor for instaphins are going. It's like fitness is a byproduct.

Reporter: It's intim dagt. If I can do this, seriously. What they're doing looks hard.

My teacher, lace and arsenic, shows me this. I don't have name yet. You have is to stay low.

Reporter: What if I really stuck with the knee slide. It's on to the banked track. No, no, no.

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Source: Are Roller Derby Workouts the New 2013 Trend? (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/years-eve-2012-2013-health-trends-roller-derby-18100414)

The game is going down at The Doll Factory in DTLA (see below for map) this Saturday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. Competing against each other will be the Sirens and the Varsity Brawlers, two of L.A.'s four Derby Doll teams (the others are Fight Crew and Tough Cookies). Tickets are between $20 and $45, and can be bought online here or at the door.

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