Known as the 'Entertainment Capital
of the World', Los Angeles is a city of glitz, glamour and
Hollywood dreams! This is a city that has everything to
offer, from galleries, museums, theatres and performing arts,
to lovely beaches, world-class shopping, dining and
famous entertainments and tourist attractions!
Whilst Los Angeles will always be
associated with the rich and famous, the Hollywood movie scene and
Disneyland, this City of Angels is also a vibrant and culturally
diverse city, with nearly half the population being born outside
the United Sates. Many nationalities have created their own
little neighbourhoods, such as the famous Chinatown,
Koreatown and several Hispanic areas, all offering their own
cultural feel and authentic culinary traditions.
Up until 1848, Los Angeles was part
of newly independant Mexico, and although was not big for gold
mining, it was incredibly important as a supply station to the
miners in the north, for beef and other fresh food. Oil
was discovered in 1892 and LA grew in size expedentially, and soon
became a major oil supplier to the rest of the country. It had
quite a turbulent time during the late 1800's and early 1900's,
with battles and riots, gangs and revolutions, and this helped to
create the city as it stands today.
The city has the largest
harbour and port and is the 2nd largest city in the US,
after New York. The far-reaching conurbation includes the
well-known areas of Downtown LA, Hollywood, Beverley Hills, Long
Beach, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, San
Fernando Valley, Venice Beach and Bel Air.
Deciding where to stay in LA
can be a dilemma in itself. We would suggest you
choose your Hotel in the area(s) you plan to visit. Beverley
Hills has some of the most famous and luxurious hotels, whilst
Hollywood or Downtown is probably the most popular option
for general sightseeing. If you want the sun and sand of the
beach, Venice Beach or Santa Monica are good choices, but if you're
only staying for a night or two, then the Westside, near the main
LAX Airport would be suitable.
There are many galleries and
museums to visit, such as the J. Paul Getty Centre and the LA
County Museum of Art, performing arts centres, such as The Walt
Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl, The Rose Bowl and the
Staples centre. Families will enjoy the LA Zoo, Griffiths
Observatory, Disneyland Resort and Universal Studios, as well as
the famous Mann's Chinese Theatre, the Stars' Walk of Fame and
the Venice Beach and Boardwalk. For sports fans,
there is baseball, hockey, American Football and
soccer to enjoy.
Shopping in LA is almost an
artform, and is certainly a popular pasttime, with many
purpose-built shopping malls, village-style shopping areas,
farmers' markets and, of course, the famous Rodeo Drive,
with big designer names and exclusive boutiques. Every
area of LA has numerous shopping havens, and you can find a full
list with lots of information on the LA Tourist website.
Dining choices in Los Angeles are
innumerable, with every possible style of cuisine and budget
catered for. From world-class haute cuisine restaurants full
of A-listers and LA's elite, to chic cafes to see and be seen in,
from world-wide cuisines and tastes to experience, to fun and
varied food courts for the budget-conscious diner.
There is probably no culinary fare that you can't find somewhere in
LA, and even in the wee small hours there are many restaurants and
diners still open to cater to the late night/ early morning crowd
in this 24 hour town!
We have only listed a few hotels
here, ones that we have found are the most popular for a stopover,
but we can book any hotel you wish, and for any length of time you
require. Just give us a call to discuss your exact
requirements, and we will be happy to help.
Average Los
Angeles temperatures:
Winter: December, January and
February average daily temperature is 58 degrees
Spring: March, April, and May average daily temperature is 65
degrees
Summer: June, July and August average daily temperature is 75
degrees
Autumn: September, October and November - average daily
temperature 68 degrees