Los Angeles is California's largest city and one of the largest metropolitan areas within the U.S. Take a look through the tabs below to get a better idea of the different districts within the city and what is offered where.
Overview
Los Angeles is California's largest city - and as such, it's a city that encompasses many cities. The character of certain districts may vary even within that district - find a series of parks alongside a popular shopping strip, or find a museum next to an amusement park. Set out and explore.
City Districts
No visit to Los Angeles is complete without a drive through Beverly Hills tree-lined streets. Beverly Hill Hotel is rightfully historic, as is the Church of the Good Shepard. West Hollywood has a different kind of flair. This is where the Sunset Strip resides. Westside's Brentwood is home to the prestigious Getty Center and Westwood is home to UCLA. Century City hosts 20th Century Fox studios, as well as the Shubert Theatre.
Hollywood's iconic Walk of Fame and Grauman's Chinese Theater remain must-visits. Other interesting sites for the film-history buff include the Roosevelt Hotel and Hollywood Boulevard, and the Academy Awards play out in the Kodak Theater. Also drop by Museum Row and its twelve museums, of which the La Brea Tar Pits is most famous. And beautiful Griffith Park dwarfs Central Park and serves as the backdrop to both the LA Zoo and the Griffith Observatory.
Downtown Los Angeles is home to Walt Disney Concert Hall the massive Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the third largest cathedral in the world. The Silver Lake community is live with music and art, Exposition Park is a major LA sports center as well as home to a number of museums.
The "Valley" has been immortalized as the home base of "Valley Girls," but it's also home to many famous studios - Universal Studios Hollywood, NBC, and Warner Brothers, for example, reside in Burbank. CityWalk is a fun stop for the shopper and Glendale's Forest Lawn Cemetery is the post-mortem residence of many movie stars.
Pasadena is most famous for the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rosebowl. Old Town is an excellent pedestrian mall and CalTech is home to the famous Jet Propulsion Laboratory that birthed the space program. City Hall is worth a look for its architecture.
Other Things to Know
Although Los Angeles has a well-developed metro rail and bus system, getting around by car is the best option for this sprawling city. Keep in mind that whether you're taking a bus or maneuvering the roads yourself that familiarizing yourself with the complex freeway system beforehand is a good idea.
