LOS ANGELES
Area: California
Country: United States of America
Location:
In the SW of the United States, in S California, on the Pacific seaboard. 400 mls S of San Francisco, 150 mls N of the Mexican border. Los Angeles International Airport is 17 mls SW of Downtown.
Telephone code from UK:
1 310
Website:
http://www.golongbeach.org or www.santamonica.com
Position:
In a basin, bordered by mountain ranges and the Pacific Ocean and bisected by the relatively low Santa Monica Mountains. The city covers 467 sq mls and incorporates the cities of Long Beach, Century City, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Santa Monica, Malibu, Hollywood and Universal City. Orange County abuts Los Angeles.
Description:
Christened El Pueblo de la Reyna de los Angeles (The Town of the Queen of the Angels) by 18th-century settlers from present-day Mexico, Los Angeles has grown to become the second most populous city and metropolitan area in the US, a sprawling collection of intermingling communities, each with a distinct character. Five regions _ covering an area measuring about 30 by 35 mls _ make up Greater LA: Downtown, Hollywood, Westside, the coastal communities and the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. Downtown, with its skyscrapers and administrative buildings, is devoted mainly to business; LA's ethnic communities, such as Chinatown, are also here. Birthplace of the US film industry, Hollywood has several major motion-picture studios, and its Walk of Fame commemorates yesterday's and today's stars of the entertainment industry. Exclusive Westside contains some of LA's most fashionable neighbourhoods, with shops, hotels and bars to match. LA's coastal communities are known for their "casual chic" lifestyle of surf, sun and sand. The San Fernando Valley contains suburban communities and much of the modern film industry, while San Gabriel combines gardens, art museums and grand mansions. Besides being the entertainment centre of the West, the city thrives on tourism, world trade, oil, electronics, finance and aerospace; there are good convention facilities throughout the area. LA is dominated by the automobile and infamous for its vast network of freeways; automobile exhaust combines with emissions from factories and oil refineries, resulting in an additional problem: smog. Parking space is at a premium, meaning that drivers have to pay virtually everywhere they choose to stop.
Suitability:
From the well-heeled to the budget-minded, beach lovers to shopping fanatics, culture enthusiasts to film buffs, all will find something to their liking in this lively, diverse city.
Accommodation:
Hotels and motels here fit every traveller's need and budget.
Shopping:
Downtown department stores; many shopping malls throughout the city. The area's wholesale outlets are open to everyone: there is a jewellery district, a garment district and the enormous California Mart. Beverly Hills has Farmer's Market and fashionable Rodeo Drive, so exclusive that some stores can be entered only by appointment. But everyone is catered for throughout the LA area. Souvenir hunters will not go home empty-handed.
Beach:
72 mls of coastline provide the W border to Greater Los Angeles, with beaches located in many communities. Most are sandy, wide and long, and many have oceanside paths and piers which are attractions in themselves; these include Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Redondo Beach, Marina del Rey and Long Beach. The obsession with keep-fit means that people of all ages will be seen jogging, roller-skating, cycling and "doing their thing" at the beachside.
Entertainments:
Daytime: Downtown has City Hall; the Music Center, home of the Los Angeles Opera; LA's main historic and ethnic areas, including Koreatown, Little Tokyo and Chinatown; Pershing Square (LA's "Central Park"); and museums such as the Museum of Contemporary Art. Hollywood has various studios, such as Universal Studios, plus Greater Los Angeles Zoo. Westside has the LA County Museum of Art (with paintings, textiles and decorative art from around the world, from ancient times to the present) and the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, an archaeological museum displaying remains of Ice Age animals. Malibu has the J Paul Getty Museum, with its extensive collection of Greek and Roman antiquities. Maritime and marine museums in San Pedro harbour; Worldport LA is one of the world's busiest harbours. Long Beach has the Queen Mary cruise liner. Griffith Park, in San Fernando Valley, is a 4,000-acre mountainside recreational area. The Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum. Warner Bros Studios and NBC Studios in Burbank. Nightlife: Greater LA has a variety of performing-arts venues, with opera, ballet, professional theatre, orchestras and comedy shows. A multitude of nightclubs and lounges offer music and dancing.
Eating:
There's a world of dining possibilities in LA, and most ethnic cuisines are readily available. Fast-food outlets are everywhere. Along the coast, restaurants specialise in seafood.
Public-transport:
Various shuttles operate between LA and local hotels. A comprehensive network of public buses serves Greater Los Angeles. Downtown is served by a minibus shuttle system called DASH (Downtown Area Short Hop). A light-rail system operates between downtown LA and Long Beach and other areas. Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses connect LA to the rest of the country.
Local-excursions:
Half day: Hollywood; Universal Studios; Olvera Street, with its cafes and shops offering authentic Mexican wares; downtown LA; museums; garment district; various harbour areas. Full day: Magic Mountain amusement park; Disneyland; Knott's Berry Farm; Long Beach and the Queen Mary.