The second largest city in the USA, LA is famous for Hollywood, showbiz and glamour. Home to lots of screen icons Los Angeles is a rich and a poor city, with plenty of history and the great climate of the West coast on its side, and a range of amazingly beautiful beaches to boot.
Things to see and do
• Hollywood - home of the stars, legend of films, the place where you can visit any number of fashionable night clubs, health cafes or the homes of the famous.
• Bel Air and Beverly Hills - it's worth taking a drive around these wealthy neighbourhoods, just to gawp at the luxurious houses.
• West Hollywood - this is the Lesbian and Gay hub of downtown LA, filled with great clubs and bars.
• Malibu and Santa Monica beaches - again these are wealthy areas and the beaches, in the North of Los Angeles county are kept in great condition.
• Disneyland - not everyone's cup of tea but a once in a lifetime treat for the kids. Disneyland is in Orange County, on the South East coast.
• The Hollywood hills - host great views of the city and of course boast the world famous Hollywood sign.
Getting there
Los Angeles' main airport, known as LAX, is very busy - so you could try flying into one of the other airports to avoid crowds: John Wayne airport, Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena airport, Ontario International or Long Beach airports. LAX is about 20 miles from downtown LA and there are plenty of connecting buses.
Weather and location
75 miles from the Mexican border, Los Angeles is bordered on the west by beaches and on the east by mountain ranges. If you're planning to spend most of your time in the city then you might want to go when it's cooler in spring or summer, but the beaches are great fun in the peak of summer - just don't forget your sun block!
Top tip
If you're driving down to LA from the north then opt for the US101 instead of the I-5. It’s much more scenic, taking you round by the coast, and it’s often much less crowded. |
