Attractions
Sightseeing in LA presents certain challenges. For one, the city
is immense, stretching out in every direction, and its various
attractions are often miles apart. Also, since it's an
agglomeration of small and previously separate towns, LA lacks a
definite focal point, making it hard to get to grips with the
city's character.
The best way to go about your sightseeing is to use the various
tour buses that connect the attractions, or hail a taxicab. Unless
you are a thrill seeker, avoid driving and public transport,
especially at night. LA is a year-round destination, although it
can get pretty hot during the summer months of July to September.
Key sights are the tours of the great movie production houses of
Universal Studios and Warner Brothers, the glitz and glamour of
Hollywood, the original Disneyland, and the vibrant beach
communities of Venice Beach and Santa Monica.
If you're in town for a few days it might be worth purchasing
the Go Los Angeles Card which gives you free entry to over 35
attractions, as well as shopping and dining discounts, free tours
and a guidebook. From $45 per day. Tel: (1)800 887 9103 or purchase
online at
www.golosangelescard.com.
Hollywood
Los Angeles is the film and entertainment capital of the world
and the name 'Hollywood' is the embodiment of glamour, success and
money; the place where films are made, television shows are
recorded and stars take up residence. The famous Hollywood sign on
the...
see full detailsUniversal Studios Hollywood
One of the most popular attractions in Los Angeles is Universal
Studios Hollywood, reputedly the world's biggest film studio and
theme park. The main attraction is the Studio Tour, a narrated tram
ride that traverses the huge complex, passing stars' dressing rooms
and famous...
see full detailsDisneyland Resort
Claiming to be 'The Happiest Place on Earth', Disneyland is an
integral part of an American childhood and was the world's first
mega theme park designed for the family by Walt Disney in 1955. It
is one of America's most famous attractions and...
see full detailsWest LA
West LA is famous for its trend-setting style; the place where
the 'stars' live, shop and go out on the town. The area includes
some of the most prestigious neighbourhoods in Los Angeles,
particularly Beverley Hills and Bel Air. Home of the rich...
see full detailsBeach Communities
The miles of sandy beaches along the Pacific Ocean are a
celebration of the Californian lifestyle with distinct
neighbourhoods and oceanfront walks linking the communities. Malibu
is popular with the privacy seeking rich and famous and their
mansions line strips of privately owned shoreline;...
see full detailsLos Angeles Zoo
Located within the Griffith Park area, the Los Angeles Zoo is a
large facility boasting 1,100 animals from around the world. The
Zoo is currently adding naturalistic habitats for the animals,
making the facility more attractive to both visitors and occupants.
It is also...
see full detailsLa Brea Tar Pits
One of the world's most significant fossil sites, the tar pits
in central Los Angeles have revealed fossils of plant and animal
life preserved in the pits for ten of thousands of years. The
fossils themselves are on display in the Page Museum...
see full detailsGriffith Park and Observatory
The Griffith Park extends for 4,210 acres (17 km²) of
well-kept public grounds and is often referred to as the 'Central
Park' of Los Angeles. Rent a bicycle, take a hike or have a picnic
under the iconic Hollywood sign. Within the park...
see full detailsWalt Disney Concert Hall
It's worth heading into downtown Los Angeles to see this strange
Frank Gehry-designed concert hall. The silver-plated building can
be described as art deco meets surrealism, and while it derives
mixed admiration from visitors, its uniqueness is never argued. A
walking tour with an...
see full detailsAnaheim
Located approximately 25 miles (40km) southeast of Los Angeles
and founded in 1857 by grape farmers and wine makers, Anaheim
(meaning 'home by the Santa Anna River' in German) is known as the
home of California's Disneyland. This Orange Country town farms
walnuts, lemons,...
see full detailsKnott’s Berry Farm
When Walter Knott began selling berries, berry plants and pies
from a roadside stand beside State Route 39 in the 1920s he could
never have known what his stand would eventually become. As the
highway developed over time, so did his stand, becoming...
see full detailsSix Flags Magic Mountain
Even among the stiff competition among Southern California theme
parks, Six Flags Magic Mountain has a solid reputation for the
biggest, baddest rides in the area. This world-class theme park was
recently named Roller Coaster Capital of the World with 18
coasters, including Superman,...
see full detailsGetty Villa
Originally completed in 1974, and rebuilt in 1997, the Getty
Villa is a faithful replica of a Roman villa that was buried by the
eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Perched on a hill
overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Villa was built...
see full detailsGetty Center
It is said that the Getty Center in Brentwood, Los Angeles is
less a museum with artworks inside, than an artwork with a museum
inside. Certainly the building, designed by Richard Meier and
costing $1.2 billion to build in 1997, is celebrated for...
see full details
