Los Angeles, City of Angels and more!
In Los Angeles, California’s largest city you’ll find an exciting mix of arts & culture, nightlife and beautiful scenery. Surrounded by mountains, valleys, forests, desert, with the Pacific Ocean at its edge, the metropolitan area is home to nearly 18 million people of many diverse cultures. Los Angeles, city of angels… and movies, stars, culture, music, art, good food and more!
Famous Areas of Los Angeles:
With palm trees and mountains as a backdrop, Sunset Boulevard will take you from downtown all the way to the Pacific Ocean. It’s a great way to see the city and you never know what you’ll find as you navigate along the curvy 22 mile (35.4 km) road. Along its length it passes through places such as Echo Park, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Mandeville Canyon. A fun place to stop and look around is the “Sunset Strip” between Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Doheny Drive. This hip area has many clubs, cafes, and eateries and is a likely place to spot celebrities.
Hollywood is considered to be the center of the entertainment industry in North America. One of the most visited attractions in Hollywood is the Hollywood & Highland Center. It’s a 387,000-square-foot (36,000 m2) entertainment and shopping complex located at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Inside you can shop, dine, see a movie at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre, bowl, or go dancing at one of the upscale nightclubs. Next to the complex, walk along the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame with its gold stars embedded in the ground, honoring over 2000 stars of the entertainment industry. Be sure to find the time to get a view of the iconic Hollywood sign when it’s lit up at night.
Art and Music in Los Angeles:
Los Angeles has several museums worth a visit, the best of which is the Getty Center, which is regarded as one of the best in America. The museum is located at the top of the Santa Monica Mountains, so it’s also a great way to catch a view of the Pacific Ocean and the Los Angelaes Basin while you view the vast art collection. The Museum of Contemporary Art known as MOCA, has three locations, two downtown and one at the Pacific Design Center on Melrose Avenue which feature different exhibitions throughout the year. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art does something a little different by highlighting artwork which focuses on history, geography, and cultural diversity. It has collections of American, Latin American, Asian, and European art. It also helps bring attention to local artists through collaborations and special projects.
Los Angeles is a music hotspot with many live venues and hundreds of music stores. Hip hop is especially popular, but whatever genre you are into, you there is a venue to suit your taste. Hollywood is known for its jazz clubs, while Sunset Boulevard has some great rock shows. Vinyl fans will want to check out Amoeba Music in Hollywood which has the best collection of new and used vinyl records in the city.
Get a Bite to Eat in Los Angeles:
With so many people and cultures, there are many options available to satisfy your hunger in. Organic cafes are popular, as well as vegetarian cuisine in various forms including raw and macrobiotic. Foods from almost any culture can be found in LA, including Ethiopian, Mexican, Thai, Indian, Bavarian, and more. As well there are many fusion restaurants.
On Olvera Street, one of the oldest streets in Los Angeles, there is a 19th century style marketplace which is a great spot to find good inexpensive Mexican food.
Get a bite to eat from one of the popular gourmet food trucks that drive through the main streets. Each one features high-quality food served up in creatively portable ways such as "Kogis" which are Korean-inspired tacos and burritos. There are gourmet burgers, cupcake trucks, and coffee trucks, along with those with cuisine from all over the world such as Hawaii, the Philippines, and Tunisia.
Enjoy your trip to Los Angeles!
Photo: Michele & Tom Grimm / Discover Los Angeles