Register today! | Already registered? Sign in

traveldk.com

from Eyewitness Travel Guides: the world's bestselling travel guides
  • Personal guide
  • Open
Member image

Shared guides

Submit an attraction

Make sure your favorite shops, restaurants, hotels and more are listed.

Submit an attraction illustration
WIN WIN WIN

Win a digital camera & more in this month's competitions.

Win a digital camera and more
Download a podcast

Free podcasts Find free podcasts for Miami, Sicily and more.

Join our free monthly newsletter

Advertisement

 Los Angeles guide - Renato

Los Angeles guide - Renato

No one has rated this yet.
  • Rate it
Member image
Shared
by rensap.

Guia Expresso para uma visita a Los Angeles - 4 a 5 dias

Introduction
Things to know
General Information

View attraction list

Arriving in Los Angeles

View attraction list

Planning your Trip

View attraction list

Things to Avoid

View attraction list

Getting Around Los Angeles

View attraction list

Guided Tours

View attraction list

Banking & Communications

View attraction list

Los Angeles on a Budget

View attraction list

Cool Places
Sunset Strip

The heady mix of hip restaurants, nightclubs, and bars along the city’s entertainment mile attracts legions of the young and the trendy.

View attraction

Rodeo Drive

A stroll along this fabled shopping street (see Temptations on Rodeo Drive) is a must. All the big names in haute couture have staked out their turf on Rodeo, including Armani, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, and Versace. For better prices, walk one block east to Beverly Drive.

View attraction

Melrose Avenue

Melrose puts the “fun” into “funky” (see Melrose Avenue, Melrose Trading Post). Tattooed 20-somethings pick up vintage clothing, eccentric clubwear, and jewelry in stores between La Brea Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. West of Fairfax is a newer designer enclave and farther west, the Pacific Design Center is more about trendy home furnishings.

View attraction

Exotic Landscape

Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) is renowned for his poetic, naive paintings that depict magical, lushly landscaped dream worlds. He created this work shortly before his death.

View attraction

Huntington Library, Art Collections, & Botanical Gardens

This treasure trove of high culture is the legacy of railroad baron Henry E. Huntington. He made his vast fortune as a real estate speculator and owner of LA’s first mass transit system, the Big Red Cars (see Henry Huntington’s Big Red Cars).

View attraction

Disneyland

Half a century after it first opened, the “Magic Kingdom” continues to be right on top of most children’s must-see lists. A one-, two-, or three-day visit is guaranteed to delight, amaze, and exhaust the kids, especially since recent expansions have added a second theme park, Disney’s California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney entertainment district to Disneyland (see Disneyland® Resort).

View attraction

Chinatown

The Chinese first settled in LA after the Gold Rush, but were forced by the construction of Union Station to relocate a few blocks north to an area that is today known as “New Chinatown.” The cultural hub of over 200,000 Chinese Americans, this exotic district has stores hawking dried and pickled ginger and lucky bamboo, the offices of herbalists and acupuncturists, and restaurants that serve hot dim sum. In February, the Chinese New Year is celebrated with colorful parades and dragon dances.

View attraction

Santa Monica Pier

For a variety of entertainment, visit Santa Monica Pier. Where else can you hop on to a historic carousel, visit an aquarium, or ride a roller coaster? California’s oldest amusement pier (built in 1908) also marks the western terminus of Route 66. Its oldest attraction is the 1916 Hippodrome, a merry-go-round that has made many movie appearances. Its newest is Pacific Park, a compact amusement park, anchored by a solar-powered Ferris wheel. Tucked beneath the pier, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is a small, family-oriented facility where you can observe and pet local marine life.

View attraction

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.

View attraction

Hollywood Sign

From the very beginning, the shiny white Hollywood sign atop Mount Lee was meant to attract attention, originally for the real estate developer and publisher Harry Chandler. Built in 1923 at a cost of $21,000, the sign was once illuminated by 4,000 bulbs and had its own caretaker. Each letter is 50 ft (15 m) tall and is made of sheet metal. In 1932, unemployed actress Peggy Entwistle immortalized herself by leaping to her death off the H. It’s illegal to hike to the sign, but the top of Beachwood Drive gets you fairly close to LA’s most recognizable landmark.

View attraction

Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood’s main artery (see Historic Hollywood Boulevard), one of the district’s most glamorous streets during its pre-World War II heydays, has been revitalized in recent years. The focus of this rejuvenation is the extravagantly designed Hollywood and Highland complex, but old favorites such as Mann’s Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame have also received a fresh sheen.

Hollywood Boulevard

View attraction

Historic Hollywood Boulevard

The boulevard that gave birth to the movie industry is still associated with the stars, even if the only ones around today are those embedded in the sidewalk.

View attraction

The Getty Center

One of the best bargains in town, this striking hilltop complex is a marvel of modern architecture and a mecca for fans of European art. Stunning views.

View attraction

Los Angeles Zoo

Your kids will love the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo, located within the LA Zoo. Here, they can pet barnyard animals at Muriel’s Ranch, greet the zoo’s newest members in the animal nursery, and dress up for interactive play and storytelling sessions at the Adventure Theater.

View attraction

Universal Studios Hollywood

This theme park attached to the world’s largest movie studio is LA’s biggest tourist attraction. A ticket buys a day of thrill rides and live action shows, and includes encounters with Spider-Man, the Terminator, Shrek, and other movie heroes. A must-do is the narrated tram tour to the backlot with its famous outdoor sets.

View attraction

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.

View attraction

Petersen Automotive Museum

LA’s evolution from sleepy outpost to sweeping megalopolis is uniquely tied to the rise of the automobile. This is the basic premise of this wonderful museum, which does a lot more than display pretty vintage cars (though there are plenty of those, too). On the ground floor, you’ll follow a Los Angeles “streetscape” through 100 years of car history. You’ll pass dioramas of a 1920s gas station, a 1930s showroom, and a 1950s drive-in restaurant. Upstairs, the cars take center stage. Exhibits change regularly, but usually include galleries devoted to hot rods, motorcycles, and vehicles owned by Hollywood celebrities or used in movies. For children, the Discovery Center makes science fun.

View attraction

Santa Monica Pier

Pet a sea cucumber, take to the skies in a Ferris wheel, or watch local fisherfolk reel in their latest catch at this pier. These are just some of the activities on California’s oldest amusement pier, whose attractions draw over three million people a year. During summer, be sure to make it to the popular free concert series that takes place on Thursday nights.

View attraction

The Rodeo Collection

A white marble outdoor shopping mall with five floors of fashion, interior design, and jewelry boutiques orbiting a sunken atrium courtyard with a fancy eatery.

View attraction

Tours
Disneyland® Resort

As timeless and ageless as Mickey Mouse himself, the original Disney park hasn’t lost its magic nearly half a century after it first opened.

View attraction

A Day in Hollywood
Morning

Start your day at Wilshire Boulevard’s “Museum Row” to catch the latest headline exhibit at LACMA or selections from its superb permanent collection. Don’t miss the beautiful Pavilion for Japanese Art. If you can muster the energy before lunch, head for the Petersen Automotive Museum or the Page Museum.

Leaving Museum Row, drive a few blocks north to the Farmers Market. Try the Cajun food at Gumbo Pot, the all-American menu at the retro Kokomo, or the Du-par’s diner fare.

Afternoon

For an afternoon of shopping, start with the Farmers Market itself, then wander over to The Grove, a new outdoor mall. Head north on Fairfax Avenue, turning right on Melrose Avenue. This quintessential LA shopping street is packed with fun and funky stores and offers great people-watching opportunities, especially on weekends.

Head for an early dinner at Campanile , where you’ll be treated to innovative California cuisine, then drive to Sunset Strip for an evening of laughs at the Comedy Store or The Laugh Factory . Make your reservations in advance. Showtime is usually 8pm. Round off your day with a drink at Bar Marmont or the lounge at the chic The Standard Hollywood .

View attraction

A Day With the Stars
Morning

Begin at La Brea Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard, heading east to the Hollywood Entertainment Museum for a high-tech look at movie-making, then step into the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (see Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel ">), home of the first Academy Awards. In Mann’s Chinese Theatre you can stand on the footprints of your favorite stars. An escalator will whisk you into the vast Hollywood & Highland complex with great shopping and views of the Hollywood Sign and the dazzling El Capitan (see El Capitan Theatre). A two-block detour south on Highland Avenue takes you to Hollywood High School, alma mater of Lawrence Fishburne. Lana Turner was discovered at the Top Hat Malt Shop which once stood at the corner of Sunset and Highland. Backtrack north on Highland Avenue for a delicious retro lunch at Mel’s Drive-in .

Afternoon

Back on Hollywood Boulevard, you’ll come across the exotic Egyptian Theatre (see The Egyptian Theatre, The Egyptian Theatre) and, at No. 6667, Musso & Frank’s (see Mel’s Drive-in), Hollywood’s oldest restaurant, once the haunt of Chaplin, Hemingway, and other famous people. At Frederick’s of Hollywood (see Frederick’s of Hollywood Lingerie Museum), take a peek at the stars’ underwear in a special exhibition. Wrap up the day with drinks and sunset views at Yamashiro ’s, followed by a grand gourmet meal at the popular Patina (see Places to Eat).

View attraction

Tour of Stars’ Homes
Morning

Begin your tour of stars’ homes by driving north on Walden Drive, just off Santa Monica Boulevard, for a glimpse of “Witch’s House” at the corner of Carmelita Avenue, famous for its Hansel-and-Gretel looks. Go right on Lomitas Avenue, then left on Linden Drive where mobster Bugsy Siegel was gunned down at No. 810 in 1947. Follow Linden north to Sunset Boulevard, turn right, then left on Roxbury Avenue for two star-packed blocks. Apart from Jimmy Stewart who lived at No. 918, you’ll also see the former homes of song lyricist Ira Gershwin (No. 1021), Diane Keaton (No. 1025), singer Rosemary Clooney (aunt of George, at No. 1019), Peter Falk (No. 1004), comedian Jack Benny (No. 1002), and Lucille Ball (No. 1000).

Turn right on Cañon Drive, then right again on Bedford Drive where the house at No. 904 was at different times the homes of stars such as Frank Sinatra, Rex Harrison, Anthony Quinn, Greta Garbo, and Ava Gardner. Steve Martin used to live at No. 721 and Lana Turner at No. 730. It was here in 1958 that Lana’s daughter Cheryl Crane is believed to have killed her mother’s mobster-lover Johnny Stompanato. At No. 512 is the former home of silent screen siren Clara Bow where, in 1927, she allegedly “entertained” the entire USC football team, including Marion Morrison, better known by his screen name of John Wayne.

View attraction

Write a review

If you were signed in, you could write a review here. Register for a free account, or if you're already a member, sign in.

Advertisement

Latest guides
What’s on now in Los Angeles
  • Long Beach Jazz Festival
    The annual Long Beach Jazz Festival features some great artists and benefits from a stunning location in Rainbow Lagoon Park. Read more
  • Vans Warped Tour
    The music and extreme sports behemoth that is the Vans Warped Tour rolls into town, presenting leading punk and hardcore bands on ten stages, extreme sports demos, a Guitar Hero 2 Tent, Lucha Libre... Read more
  • Radiohead
    One of the biggest bands in the world, British quintet Radiohead bring their 2008 tour on the back of new album, In Rainbows, to the Hollywood Bowl for two nights. Read more
  • Pageant of the Masters
    The Pageant of the Masters is part of the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach. Every evening teams of people recreate exact tableaux and present live re-enactments of classical and contemporary... Read more