Los Angeles Travel Guide
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Los Angeles is a world-class city that beckons tourists and rising stars alike. Also known as the “City of Angels,” or simply L.A., it’s the largest city in the state of California and the second largest metropolis in all of the United States. Los Angeles is at the epicenter of the world’s entertainment industry, whose whirlwind of creative forces churn out a nonstop stream of movies, music, commerce, and trends. But don’t let the glitz and glamour fool you, as there’s much more to witness on a Los Angeles vacation. There you’ll find a multilayered city filled with top notch museums, music, food, architecture, and gardens. The sprawling metro’s prime Southern California location along a broad basin gives the geography a unique feel, surrounded by vast mountain ranges, deep valleys, forests, desert and miles of Pacific coastline.
The peak tourist season in Los Angeles is July and August, when the weather is sunny and hot, and reservations are needed as much as a bulging wallet is to cover the often soaring prices at this time of the year. For those interested in both smaller crowds and price tags, the shoulder seasons (March to May and September to November) are a solid bet, so long as you remember that June is often the time for heavy coastal fog. Rainfall increases throughout the winter, however, reduced smog and traffic congestion is a welcome concession for the occasional sprinkle. Around the major holidays – Thanksgiving especially – are also going to be isolated periods of increased activity and lower presence of discount airfare to Los Angeles.
It’s decidedly difficult to summarize the abundance of hotel options in Los Angeles. Ranging from some of the most costly hotels in the world, to budget hostels and apartment “crash pads,” there’s literally something for everyone. Where you ultimately stay will probably be relative to the areas(s) you plan on visiting, along with consideration of how you plan on getting there. Another important factor aside from location is the almighty dollar, and the number of them you plan on relinquishing for your accommodation. Budget lodging is scarce in places like Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, which are instead flush with some of the city’s best hotels, such as the Tower Beverly Hills or The Huntley in Santa Monica. Regardless, even during peak tourist season, to be unable to find an available room anywhere in the Greater Los Angeles area is next to unheard of.
Of all the obvious things to do during your Los Angeles vacation, sightseeing may be one of the most obvious. Here you’ll find so many celebrity tours and shows that you could spend weeks doing nothing else whatsoever. Should you take to exploring the city’s well-developed sophisticated side, there is culture abound, including dazzling museums and the spectacular Walt Disney Concert Hall. Los Angeles has an internationally-known reputation for diverse shopping traditions and destinations, although malls can easily overwhelm as they are practically inescapable in many locations. The Hollywood & Highland Mall is a good example of this and often serves as a meeting point for those strolling down the Walk of Fame and around Mann’s Chinese Theater. For upscale commercialism, jump over to Beverly Hills (yes, 90210), where the world-famous Rodeo Drive anxiously awaits your purchasing power. You might have heard someone say that in Los Angeles you can surf for breakfast and be skiing by dinnertime, which is absolutely true if you get an early start and have a good wetsuit. Beach visitors can also partake in a wide assortment of sandy fun, including coastal hikes, tide-pool gazing, swimming, surfing, diving, fishing and sunbathing.
Making your way around the City of Angels might end up being the greatest challenge of your Los Angeles vacation, as never-ending sprawl and dysfunctional public transportation can make getting around rather difficult, particularly during weekends when bus and train service is prone to being more erratic. The best way to get around is by renting a car, which means you’ll get a crash course (hopefully not literally!) in the city’s complex freeways and notorious traffic jams.