Los Angeles Tourist Events, Travel Info, Articles & Tips

Official Destination Contact Information

LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau

333 South Hope Street
18th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90071

001 213 624 7300
(800) 228-2452
www.discoverlosangeles.c
om

Title: View of the Mountains and Los Angeles
Posted by: LA Inc. The Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Introduction

Los Angeles is as much an idea as it is a physical city. It sprawls across 467 square mi; add in the surrounding five-county metropolitan area, and you've got an area of more than 34,000 square mi. Contrary to popular myth, however, that doesn't mean you have to spend all your time in a car. In fact, getting out of your car is the only way to really get to know Los Angeles. We've divided the major sightseeing areas into 10 driving and walking tours that take you through the various entertainment-industry-centered, financial, beachfront, wealthy, and fringe neighborhoods and minicities that make up the vast L.A. area. But remember, no single locale -- whether it be Malibu, downtown, Beverly Hills, or Burbank -- fully embodies Los Angeles. It's in the mix that you'll discover the city's character.

Looking at a map of sprawling Los Angeles, first-time visitors are sometimes overwhelmed. Where to begin? What to see first? And what about all those freeways? Here's some advice: relax. Begin by setting your priorities -- movie and television fans should first head to Hollywood, Universal Studios, and a taping of a television show. Beach lovers and outdoorsy types might start out in Santa Monica or Venice or Malibu, or spend an afternoon in Griffith Park, one of the largest city parks in the country.

Those with a cultural bent should probably make a beeline for the twin Gettys (the center in Brentwood and the villa near Malibu), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), or the Norton Simon Museum. And urban explorers might begin with downtown Los Angeles.

Content provided by

Share Your Story

Introduction

ADVERTISEMENT