DK Travel : Los Angeles

The myth, the velocity, the edginess in creative and technological fields – this is Los Angeles, where the multicultural future that awaits the rest of the country is already a firm reality. In little more than 200 years, LA has grown from a dusty Spanish outpost into one of the world’s largest and most complex cities offering top venues for everything from archaeology and the arts to food. The birthplace of Mickey Mouse and Hollywood, LA has shaped the imaginations of millions.

Cadillac Hotel

Charlie Chaplin liked to spend summers in this Art Deco landmark on Venice Boardwalk, whose funkiness can be a drawback after dark. Clean but basic rooms, including some four-bed dorms.
Café Santorini

The tables on the terrace are the most coveted on balmy summer evenings. The Greek and Italian menu has lots of fun appetizers.
Café Stella

This romantic, French-style eatery offers mostly outdoor seating in a lovely courtyard with hanging amber lights and olive and lavender plants.
Cal Mar Hotel Suites

The flowery bedspreads and sofas may be stuck in the 1980s, but you get an entire apartment for less money than a standard double anywhere else. Units face a landscaped pool. Located in a quiet residential street, Cal Mar is close to Santa Monica hip zones. Free parking.
California African American Museum

This recently renovated museum celebrates the art, history, and culture of African Americans, especially in relation to California and the western US. The main exhibit traces the journey from Africa to slavery in the American South to final freedom on the West Coast. It includes memorabilia donated by singer Ella Fitzgerald and former LA mayor Tom Bradley. Temporary shows highlight particular artists, including emerging ones.
California Institute of Technology (CalTech)

One of the world’s leading scientific research centers and a pioneer in earthquake science and molecular biology, CalTech counts 29 Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and faculty, including biologist and current president, David Baltimore. The institute evolved from an arts and crafts school founded in 1891 by the famous Amos G. Throop, changing its focus to science after astronomer George E. Hale became a board member in 1907.
California Science Center

Filled with clever and engaging interactive exhibits, this highly entertaining science and technology museum has three themed galleries. The World of Life exhibit explains the processes living organisms undergo, Creative World focuses on the ability of humans to adapt to their environment through technology, and the Air and Space Gallery explores the great beyond. But it’s a 50-ft (15-m) long animatronic doll stripped down to her organs that steals the show and attracts crowds.
California Science Center IMAX Theater

IMAX stands for “maximum image” and with a screen that is seven stories tall and 90-ft (27-m) wide, it’s a fitting name. The giant screen with its six-channel surround-sound system ensures total sensorial immersion (see California Science Center).
California Science Centerr

Located in Exposition Park, this interactive museum makes learning about science and technology a fun experience. Feel a simulated earthquake, watch chickens hatch out of eggs, design your own car, and marvel at the inner workings of a 50-ft (15-m) long robotic doll named Tess. The adjoining Air and Space Gallery in a separate building teaches the principles of flight and space exploration.
Cameo Bar

Hollywood glamour goes seaside at this Neo-Colonial bar at the Viceroy.

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Hotel price categories

For the cheapest standard double room per night (without breakfast), taxes, and extra charges.
- under $100
- $100–$150
- $150–$250
- $250–$350
- over $350
Restaurant price categories

Price categories include a three-course meal for one, a glass of house wine, and all unavoidable extra charges including tax.
- under $25
- $25–$50
- $50–$80
- over $80