Beach Cities
Life is a never-ending summer in LA’s Beach Cities. Redondo Beach and surfing are forever intertwined. On weekends, many Angelinos head to Santa Monica to relax in the ocean and hang out at the Third Street Promenade. The Getty Center, an art-world powerhouse, is nestled in the nearby hills north of Brentwood. Santa Monica’s neighbor, Malibu, is home to The Getty Villa and its antiquities.
Beach Cities
Life is a never-ending summer in LA’s Beach Cities. Redondo Beach and surfing are forever intertwined. On weekends, many Angelinos head to Santa Monica to relax in the ocean and hang out at the Third Street Promenade. The Getty Center, an art-world powerhouse, is nestled in the nearby hills north of Brentwood. Santa Monica’s neighbor, Malibu, is home to The Getty Villa and its antiquities.
Beverly Hills - West Hollywood
Multimillion-dollar mansions flank Beverly Hills’ palm-lined streets. Lifestyles of the rich and famous are on full view on Rodeo Drive’s boutiques, from Armani to Zegna. Not coincidentally, the Melrose District east of Beverly Hills has excellent secondhand shops. Many up-and-coming design studios are based in Melrose. Nearby, West Hollywood, or WeHo, is the epicenter of Los Angeles gay life.
Brentwood - Westwood
Brentwood is a wealthy district in western Los Angeles. The famed Wilshire and Sunset boulevards are in Brentwood. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his family live here, as do several other Hollywood celebrities. Westwood, also in western LA, is home to several vintage movie theaters, as well as to Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion.
City of Industry
The City of Industry is built on trade. With no business taxes and a dedicated Foreign Trade Zone, office and manufacturing parks have blossomed where agriculture once grew. The City of Industry honors its roots at the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum. This institution has preserved one of California’s oldest homes, an 1841 ranch house updated in the 1870s.
Downtown Los Angeles
Used as a backdrop for countless films and TV shows, downtown Los Angeles is one of the world’s most recognized skylines. This area’s landmarks include the LA Convention Center, the Staples Center, and Dodger Stadium. Post-modern architecture takes center stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Nearby, Chinatown and Little Tokyo lie east of City Hall.
Hollywood
From its hills to its sidewalks, the stars are everywhere in Hollywood. Although most film and TV production today takes place in Burbank, Hollywood retains its mystique. The elite are commemorated with stars on the Walk of Fame and cement handprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. The Hollywood & Highland Center shopping and entertainment venue includes the Kodak Theatre, home of the Oscars.
Long Beach
Long Beach, with its immense port, is a hub for commerce and leisure on the Pacific. Freighter ships haul imported goods, pleasure cruises depart for Catalina Island, and the Queen Mary, the storied trans-Atlantic liner, is moored in the city’s bay. The Aquarium of the Pacific is nearby. At night, downtown’s Pine Avenue strip and Belmont Shore’s Second Street are prime entertainment spots.
Los Angeles Intl. (LAX)
Most visitors begin and end their Southland jaunt at the Los Angeles International Airport. As the nation’s busiest immigration port, LAX is a modern Ellis Island. The airport, convenient to the Beach Cities, has its own tourist attraction. The retro-futuristic Theme Building, built in 1961, resembles a flying saucer. Today, it houses a restaurant.
Pasadena
Pasadena sees life through rose-colored glasses each New Year. The city hosts the annual Tournament of Roses Parade, along with the Rose Bowl Game college football championship. Pasadena also tends its roots at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Aside from its original Gutenberg Bible and Canterbury Tales, the institution is regarded for its 120 acres of gardens.
San Fernando
Simply known as “The Valley,” this sprawling area includes the suburbs of Encino, Northridge, and Van Nuys. But Burbank is the key attraction, as several movie and TV studios are based here. Universal Studios’ theme park combines tourism with the local craft. Griffith Park provides much needed green in a city known for its smog. Nearby, the Burbank airport is an alternative to LAX.
Santa Clarita - Magic Mountain
Part of the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita is about 30 minutes north of downtown LA. Its main attraction is Six Flags Magic Mountain, a 230-acre theme park with 15 roller coasters. The area’s other major attraction is the California Institute for the Arts, a prestigious private college for the performing and visual arts. Nearby Castaic Lake is popular for boating, fishing, and swimming.
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