The City of Angels is equally packed with sinners, and cliches. Paris Hilton wannabes toting more bling than IQ points, star-struck 'civilians' who refuse to leave nightspots for fear that they will miss a celebrity encounter, and an abundance of hyper-enhanced bodies working out in full makeup. But that's the fun of this town! So put away your sense of decorum and enjoy some of the main drawcards.
Places to See
- Disneyland. The Happiest Place on Earth is a wallet-draining world of highly choreographed marketing tools – and the best three days you will ever have with your kids. There is so much to see and do at Disneyland that you could come to Los Angeles and never see anything but the mind-blowing rides and Mickey Mouse.
- Rodeo Drive. It's time to become one of the star-struck civilians and spend a day wandering the hugely overpriced stores and snapping photos of celebrities. Rodeo Drive is pure LA: a wealthy person's world, and a great way to have a day pretending you are one of the elite.
- Venice Beach. This part of LA is made of equal parts kitsch, tanning oil and silicon. Indulge in one of the most plastic places in the US.
- Universal Studios. Take a tour of the place where dreams are made, and crushed. The sets used on the movies you love are all here, and the guides are pretty good – funny, personable and deeply knowledgeable.
Off the Beaten Path
There is plenty to do in LA that is off the beaten track. This is a sprawling city and the less well-advertised parts are worth exploring. Larchmont Boulevard is a world away from Rodeo Drive, but the shopping is great anyway. Browse the independent bookstore and wander the Sunday farmer's market for laid-back conversations with locals. Porto's Cuban bakery is in Burbank and once you get in it's easy to see why the line of locals can stretch out the door and onto the pavement. Order a fruit empanada and ogle the multi-tiered cakes that are more like Baked Art than sweet treats. Topanga State Park is the lesser-known cousin to Runyon Canyon (the hiking spot of choice for local celebs), but it is a much better choice. Quiet meandering trails and spectacular scenery will keep you happily occupied for an entire day.
Hotels
Thanks to plenty of competition, hotel prices in Los Angeles tend to stay relatively low. That, and the fact the the weather never changes enough to create a true peak season. There are the outrageously priced suites of course, or the skid row hotels where you can (cautiously) lay your head for less than $20 a night. Most of us just want somewhere clean and convenient that has good room service. If you are part of this last group, expect to pay an average of $150 per night per room (sleeps 3), with online specials at hotels like the Langham costing as little as $54.
Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder to find top accommodation and cheap hotels in Los Angeles.
(Photo:Fotolia/Ibizarre)
