SUMMARY (see sections below for details)
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Hollywood Boulevard offers world-famous sights such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame (stars on the sidewalk), the Chinese Theatre (celebrity hand/foot prints in the cement courtyard), and many other attractions such as Madame Tussaud's wax showcase of celebrities, and Ripley's Believe It or Not "odditorium." Hollywood & Highland entertainment center is a great place to view the Hollywood Sign, browse shops and eat lunch or dinner.
Universal Studios Hollywood combines a movie studio with an amusement park, and it is only ten minutes from the Hollywood Entertainment District, whether by bus, train or driving your own car. Universal Studios offers movie-themed rides, plus entertainment, and dining. You can explore the world of TV and big-screen production on the world-famous Backlot Studio Tour of actual film sets, plus live shows like the Special Effects Stage that reveals movie-making secrets and how computers can enhance a scene using CGI. Universal Studios is adjacent to CityWalk Hollywood, where you can unwind at a restaurant, comedy club, or do some shopping.
Santa Monica is an oceanside community that offers beach activities, famous tourist attractions, plus outstanding shopping, dining and nightlife. The Santa Monica Pier features restaurants and shops, plus a carnival with a Ferris Wheel and other rides. Nearby you can visit the mall at Santa Monica Place, and then watch street performers and browse shops at the Third Street Promenade, or watch a spectacular Pacific Ocean sunset from Palisades Park. Near Santa Monica you can visit Venice Beach Boardwalk, a section of beach famous for body builders and souvenir shops.
Downtown Los Angeles attractions include: The Performing Arts Center (Disney Concert Hall, the Music Center and more), the Museum of Contemporary Art (two locations), Staples Center, L.A. Live, the Grammy Museum, the Jewelry District, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, City Hall, and others. There are numerous bus lines and train stations (including historic Union Station) in downtown L.A., making it easy to get around.
SHOPPING IN L.A.
Los Angeles is a shopper's paradise! If you like shopping then you will love L.A. There are indoor malls, outdoor malls and combinations of both. Every day of the week, there is a farmers market somewhere in the city.
In Los Angeles, Beverly Center mega-mall offers a variety of stores and restaurants where you can shop for hours! Only a mile away, The Grove at Farmers Market offers upscale boutique shops and clothing stores in an outdoor, yet enclosed environment. A free trolley carries guests from The Grove to Farmers Market, which features open stands of fruits, vegetables, nuts, pastries, ice cream, plus numerous booths selling prepared food. Another popular shopping destination in the area is Westfield Century City shopping mall.
Santa Monica Place is an outdoor shopping center, featuring department stores and a grocery store that offers healthy and natural foods. It is adjacent to Third Street Promenade, a section of roadway that's open only to pedestrians. Third Street is lined with a variety of shops ranging from traditional to unusual. Clothing outlets and stores prevail, sprinkled amongst specialty shops, book stores, gift shops, restaurants and more. Street performers provide entertainment in exchange for tips. If you still haven't had your fill of shopping in Santa Monica, head over to Montana Avenue, home to many upscale fashion boutiques and stores that sell high-end furniture, accessories, and gifts. This quiet tree-lined street also boasts 150 charming boutiques, restaurants and cafes, bistros, and bakeries.
In Hollywood, shopping hot-spots are Hollywood & Highland Center, Melrose Avenue, CityWalk Hollywood and the Robertson Boulevard Shopping District in West Hollywood.
THEME PARKS
Southern California offers several theme parks to visit during your vacation in Los Angeles. The most famous is Disneyland, along with its nextdoor neighbor, Disney's California Adventure. The Anaheim-based parks attract about 20 million visitors per year.
Universal Studios is only ten minutes from the Hollywood Entertainment District, whether by bus, train or driving your own car. There you can enjoy movie-themed rides, plus entertainment, dining and the world-famous studio Backlot Tour. Universal Studios is adjacent to CityWalk Hollywood, where you can unwind at a restaurant, comedy club, or do some shopping.
More theme parks near Los Angeles include: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, LegoLand, and SeaWorld in San Diego.
MUSEUMS
Museums are L.A.'s hidden gems. The cost of admission is usually less than a movie, but you'll get better value and a more memorable experience from a museum. There are dozens of museums throughout the city. Here are a few:
Museum Row on the Miracle Mile - a concentration of museums including the L.A. County Museum of Art, Page Museum (La Brea Tar Pits), Petersen Auto Museum, Craft and Folk Art Museum, and the A+D Architecture and Design Museum.
Downtown L.A. - includes the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA Grand Avenue and Geffen Contemporary), Wells Fargo Museum, The Grammy Museum, Japanese American National Museum, the museums at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, and the Chinese American Museum.
Exposition Park - includes the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, California Science Center, California African American Museum and Fisher Museum of Art at USC.
The Getty Trust offers two world-class museums in Los Angeles: the Getty Center near Westwood, and the Getty Villa in Malibu.
GUIDED TOURS
A Guided Tour is the best way to start your vacation in Los Angeles, to help you become acquainted with the city. A guided tour provides a good overview of the city and gives you the opportunity to see attractions you might have otherwise missed. It might also save you some time, because the tour will provide a first-hand view of the tourist hot-spots without driving to each of them. If you feel you didn't have enough time at any particular attraction during the tour, you could go back there on your own later on. On the other hand, a 15-minute stop at some attractions might be all you need.
ORANGE COUNTYIf you have time, consider spending a day or two at Disneyland, especially if you have children with you. Other attractions in Orange County include whale watching from Newport Beach harbor, shopping at Fashion Island, and dinner shows on Beach Blvd, among others.
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