NIGHTLIFE > PERFECT DATE.

Byline: MELISSA HECKSCHER

>LA.COM 

You could spend hundreds of dollars to pull off the perfect date, but this weekend all you'll really need is a car to get out of town to watch the Perseids meteor shower take over the night sky. Considered one of the most active annual meteor displays, the shower takes place as the Earth passes through the trail of the Swift-Tuttle comet. It lasts all month, but this weekend falls during the most active period of the celestial hubbub. So cuddle up under a blanket with these star-gazing suggestions:

TOTAL DATE TIME: 8-24 hours, depending on whether you camp out. TOTAL COST: $29-$60 (not including gas).

DO SOME RESEARCH

First things first. Before you go out and start scanning the sky, educate yourself on exactly what's up there.

The Griffith Observatory has, for more than 70 years, been one of the most popular stargazing spots in the world. Why? The view from the top -- a sweeping panorama of L.A.'s hills and valleys -- is worth the trip alone.

For space newbies, the free exhibits map out what's what in the galaxy, while an assortment of diagrams and short films showcase man's continually evolving relationship with the cosmos. The observatory invites visitors to see the moon and stars through its 12-inch Zeiss refracting telescope. It also houses one of the largest public solar telescopes in the United States.

If you can get tickets (popularity has soared since the observatory's remodeling) the planetarium uses state-of-the-art digital technology to give viewers a glimpse of what lies beyond the Earth's atmosphere. Tickets must be purchased at the box office.

>Cost: $8 each for timed entry shuttle reservations (free entries are allowed for those willing to hike up to the observatory); $7 each for planetarium tickets.

>Information: [phone] or www.griffithobservatory.org.

PACK A PICNIC

If there's ever a time to eat dinner under the stars, it's now. To alleviate the messiness factor, choose prepackaged dinners you can eat with your hands while sitting on the roof of your car (or on a blanket in the woods). Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have a variety of wraps, sandwiches and sushi platters that fill the bill. If you're camping, you may want to stick to the basics. Hot dogs, for instance, are easy to cook on an open fire. For that, a trip to the supermarket is all you need. Just don't forget the marshmallows.

>Cost: $15-$30.

>Information: www.wholefoods.com, www.traderjoes.com.

LOOK TO THE STARS

The meteor shower should produce from 50 to 150 shooting stars per hour, visible if you're in the right place. Inland areas such as the mountains and deserts are your best bets for stargazing. Recommended Southern California spots include Joshua Tree, Idyllwild, Ojai, Big Bear and Julian. Coastal regions are a bad idea since there may be too much moisture in the air for optimum viewing. Oh, and there's no better time to camp out, so if you've got the tent and sleeping bags, lie back and enjoy the show. According to www.space.com, stargazers should look low to the northeast beginning at about 10 nightly. The best viewing begins after 2 a.m., with the shower directly overhead the hour or two before dawn.

>Cost: Free.

>Information: To find out more about the Perseid meteor shower, go to www.space.com. For a list of California campgrounds, go to www.totalescape.com.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) no caption (The Griffith Observatory)

(2 -- color) no caption (woman carrying picnic basket)

(3) no caption (shooting star)