Los Angeles

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Everyone knows Los Angeles. It's the home to Hollywood, where pretty much every American movie is made. It's the “City of Angels”. It's the second biggest city in all of the United States. The weather is perfect about 99% of the time. People travel from all over the world to catch a glimpse of beautiful Los Angeles, and there's good reason for that. Some people visit with the intent to return home, but end up staying because it's so perfect. There's a diverse culture in Los Angeles, with 41.3% Whites (29.4% Non-Hispanic), 57.5% Hispanic, 9.8% African American and 10.7% Asian. Southern California is a jewel all on its own, and Los Angeles is the cherry on top.

History

Los Angeles started out as a Native American settlement for over 1,000 years. It wasn't until the Spanish Empire claimed the Southern end of California in the 1500s that this changed. It was a very small community of religious Spaniards that didn't grow until the early 1800s when it was claimed by Mexico. After the Mexican-American War (Wikipedia Article)

, Los Angeles became part of the United States and in 1876, railroads made it possible to travel to Los Angeles. While the population was over 100,000 by the turn of the century, it was the implementation of Hollywood that made Los Angeles one of the largest cities in the world. The movie industry appealed to millions, and it caused the city to not be affected much by the Great Depression (Wikipedia Article)

. Since then, different industries were added, and corporations decided to make Los Angeles their home due to the great weather. It has continued to grow and eventually surpassed Chicago as the second largest city in America.

Sightseeing in Los Angeles

While it might not be within the city limits of Los Angeles, it's a short drive to the most iconic spot on all of the West Coast, Disneyland. Everyone has heard of the theme park and it should be experienced by all.
If you are in your 20s, however, then you might find that Venice Beach is more of your speed. This is where people lift weights right on the shore, form drum circles, and experience a very controlled form of anarchy.
One of the most popular spots is the Hollywood Walk of Fame, if you are a movie buff. Los Angeles is the movie capital of the world, where the legends are honored.
Finally, if you want something extraordinarily unique, then visit the La Brea Tar Pits. It's not often you find a park with tar pits in America, especially in a major city like Los Angeles, so it's a once in a lifetime experience for those that don't live there.

Districts

With over 100 different neighborhoods in Los Angeles, it can be easy to get lost and not know which neighborhoods to experience first. Some of the neighborhoods you will want to stay away from, but others offer a lot for those that visit. Obviously, when you go to Los Angeles, you want to get the Hollywood experience. Make sure to visit this spot when you are there for a great time.

The Elysian Park part of Los Angeles is also nearby and is quite famous, offering many places to take in the natural beauty of Los Angeles. If you want to take in the museums, the Tar Pits, city parks, and movie theaters, then you should head to the Mid-City West District. It's also a great place to eat, but can tend to be quite expensive. There’s no shortage of great districts in Los Angeles, but there are some areas to avoid.

Food

Los Angeles has one of the most diverse populations in all of the United States, and it shows when it comes to their food. Hispanic and Asian populations are high in Los Angeles, so you won’t have a problem finding great authentic foods. Sushi, hamburgers, BBQ chicken pizza, tacos, and fusion burritos are all included in the list of foods you must try if you are visiting Los Angeles, so come hungry!

Hotels

Los Angeles is home to some of the most historic and beautiful hotels in the world. The most well known is the Millennium Biltmore, known mainly for its gorgeous lobby. The Spanish cathedral-type structure is breathtaking, and was actually home to the Academy Awards in the 1930s. In Hollywood, the Roosevelt Hotel opened in 1927 and also has Spanish architecture, and also hosted the Academy Awards in 1929. If you want more celebrity nostalgia, check out the Beverly Hills Hotel. The Beatles once stayed here when they played in Los Angeles, and it is the inspiration for the song “Hotel California” by the Eagles.

Budget

Comfortable

Luxurious

Suburbs

With nearly 3.8 million residents, Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States. Since the Southern California area is so desirable, there are many other large cities in the Los Angeles area that rank among some of the largest in the country. The most notable is Long Beach with nearly half a million residents. Also, Anaheim is such a large city that is has two professional sports teams. Santa Ana, Irvine; Glendale, Huntington Beach; Santa Clarita, Malibu; Garden Grove, Lancaster; and Palmdale are all massive cities on their own with over 150,000 residents.

Sports

There is no shortage of sporting events in Los Angeles with many professional teams to watch. Most notably, Los Angeles is home to the Dodgers and Angels of Major League Baseball (the Angels play in Anaheim). There are also two teams from the National Hockey League nearby, the Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks. There are two basketball teams that share the Staples Center (Wikipedia
Article)

in Los Angeles, the Clippers and the Lakers. The Galaxy of Major League Soccer also draw large crowds, but there is no professional football team in Los Angeles.

Safety

Some people think that Los Angeles has an incredibly high crime rate, but it's some of the suburbs that have higher crime. Staying on the south end of the city limits or the west end are the safest areas. The neighborhoods that have the lowest crime rates are Rinaldi Street, Sesnon Boulevard, and Porter Ranch Drive.

Transportation

Judge Harry Pregerson
Interchange — Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange

Los Angeles is home to one of the most famous airports in the entire world, Los Angeles International Airport known as “LAX”. However, some don't know that there are two other international airports nearby. These are the LA/Ontario International Airport and the John Wayne Airport. There are also two domestic airports close by, the Bob Hope Airport and Long Beach Airport.

Los Angeles is notorious for its heavy commuter traffic, grinding the main arteries to a halt during rush hour; so if you plan to go sightseeing by car, it is advisable to avoid peak times.

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Author: koreydbeckett. Last updated: Jul 14, 2014