Page 666 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA
P. 666
664 C ALIFORNIA
Los Angeles Practical Information long sandy strand leading to
the renowned beaches of Santa
Los Angeles offers a wealth of entertainment and outdoor Monica and Venice. Inland, the
pleasures to its visitors. At the center of the film industry, pristine and rugged terrain of
LA dominated the world stage for most of the 20th century. the Santa Monica Mountains
It is therefore not surprising that LA sees itself as the offer plenty of hiking trails
with panoramic views of the
“Entertainment Capital of the World.” But the glamor of Pacific Ocean. LA’s beaches are a
the movies is just one aspect of the city that manufactures great natural resource and offer
the American Dream. This year-long vacation spot is also swimming and volleyball
famous for its long beaches, mountain ranges, and some opportunities. The waters off
of the world’s best museums. the Malibu Pier and Topanga
State Beach are considered
to be the best for surfing.
Griffith Park offers miles of
Tourist Information
Santa Monica are best explored hiking trails, opportunities for
The main branch of the Los on foot. Other such areas include horseback riding, and cycling.
Angeles Convention and Old Pasadena, downtown, and The best place for cyclists is the
Visitors’ Bureau is in downtown the Golden Triangle in Beverly coastal bike path that runs for
LA, and it offers multilingual Hills. Visitors should avoid 25 miles (40 km) along Santa
assistance. Its website has details walking at night unless the Monica Bay (bicycles are not
of restaurants, coffee houses, street is well lit and populated. allowed on the freeways).
hotels, shops, and other attrac Greater Los Angeles is served Bicycles and skates can be rented
tions. There are also specialty by the Metropolitan Transpor from Sea Mist Rentals (Santa
guides available from their tation Authority (Metro). Bus Monica Pier) and at the local
website. The city’s two other stops display an MTA sign, and pizza stands (Santa Monica
main information centers are buses run on the main thorough Beach). Sports include baseball at
the Hollywood Visitors’ fares. The DASH shuttle provides the famed Dodger Stadium, and
Information Center and the travel within small areas, such college football at Pasadena’s
Beverly Hills Visitors’ Bureau. as downtown and Hollywood, Rose Bowl. Basketball and ice
Various publications can help for 50 cents. Fares can be paid hockey, at the Great Western
sift through the city’s entertain in exact change or with a TAP Forum, are popular draws, as are
ment riches. The LA Weekly – card. Visit www.taptogo.net/ horse racing at the Hollywood
a free paper available at bars, tap/locator for TAP retailers. Park Racetrack and polo at the
clubs, and corner markets across LA’s growing rail subway Will Rogers State Historic Park.
Los Angeles – has the most system, the Metro, serves parts
comprehensive entertainment of the city well. It is made up of
and arts listings. seven lines – red, blue, purple, Entertainment
orange, gold, silver, and green – Los Angeles’s large and success
which serve different areas. The ful artistic community guarantees
Getting Around Green Line is useful for the airport. that there is always plenty to do
The sprawling 467sqmile Other ways to get around in the city, although only small
(1,200sqkm) city of Los Angeles include the somewhat expensive areas tend to be lively after dark.
may seem a bit daunting to taxis, which have to be called Most visitors don’t spend a
navigate. The most costeffective by phone. Two reliable taxi lot of time seeing movies in
method of getting around is by companies are Yellow Cab and Los Angeles, even though all
car. A network of freeways the Independent Cab Co. Visitors the current releases and
provides a conve nient, if can also rent a limousine for a countless classics are always
crowded, means of traveling in luxurious alternative. Private bus being shown. The movie
the area. It is advisable to avoid lines, such as LA Tours, offer palaces themselves, however,
the freeways during rush hours package tours of the city. draw the crowds, with Mann’s
(8–9:30am and 4–6:30pm). Some Chinese and El Capitan theaters
freeways are busy regardless of on Hollywood Boule vard being
the hour, and it can be less Outdoor Activities the best known. Multiplexes,
stress ful to take one of the city’s Each year more than 30 million such as those in Universal
major streets. When parking, people visit the beaches around City and the Beverly Center,
read the posted signs for Los Angeles, making them the offer stateoftheart facilities.
limitations, and carry plenty of most popular vacation destina Stage productions are also
quarters for the parking meters. tions on the West Coast. The plentiful, with LA putting up over
At nights, it is safer to valetpark. Malibu headland, from Point a 1,000 professional plays each
Although the city is spread Dume to Malibu Lagoon, year. Pantages in Hollywood is
out, many of its districts are alternates between rocky a leading venue for touring
pedestrianfriendly. Third Street shorelines and beaches. Farther Broadway musicals. Housed in
Promenade and the beach in along, the shoreline becomes a beautiful Mediterraneanstyle
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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
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Date 5th March 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm
