Known as the 'Entertainment Capital of the World', Los Angeles is a city of glitz, glamour and Hollywood dreams!  This is a city that has everything to offer, from galleries, museums, theatres and performing arts, to lovely beaches, world-class shopping, dining and famous entertainments and tourist attractions!

Whilst Los Angeles will always be associated with the rich and famous, the Hollywood movie scene and Disneyland, this City of Angels is also a vibrant and culturally diverse city, with nearly half the population being born outside the United Sates.  Many nationalities have created their own little neighbourhoods, such as the famous Chinatown,  Koreatown and several Hispanic areas, all offering their own cultural feel and authentic culinary traditions. 

Up until 1848, Los Angeles was part of newly independant Mexico, and although was not big for gold mining, it was incredibly important as a supply station to the miners in the north, for beef and other fresh food.  Oil was discovered in 1892 and LA grew in size expedentially, and soon became a major oil supplier to the rest of the country. It had quite a turbulent time during the late 1800's and early 1900's, with battles and riots, gangs and revolutions, and this helped to create the city as it stands today.

The city has the largest harbour and port and is the 2nd largest city in the US, after New York.  The far-reaching conurbation includes the well-known areas of Downtown LA, Hollywood, Beverley Hills, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, San Fernando Valley, Venice Beach and Bel Air.

There are many galleries and museums to visit, such as the J. Paul Getty Centre and the LA County Museum of Art, performing arts centres, such as The Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl, The Rose Bowl and the Staples centre.  Families will enjoy the LA Zoo, Griffiths Observatory, Disneyland Resort and Universal Studios, as well as the famous Mann's Chinese Theatre, the Stars' Walk of Fame and the Venice Beach and Boardwalk.  For sports fans, there is baseball, hockey, American Football and soccer to enjoy.  

Shopping in LA is almost an artform, and is certainly a popular pasttime, with many purpose-built shopping malls, village-style shopping areas, farmers' markets and, of course, the famous Rodeo Drive, with big designer names and exclusive boutiques.  Every area of LA has numerous shopping havens, and you can find a full list with lots of information on the LA Tourist website.

Dining choices in Los Angeles are innumerable, with every possible style of cuisine and budget catered for.  From world-class haute cuisine restaurants full of A-listers and LA's elite, to chic cafes to see and be seen in, from world-wide cuisines and tastes to experience, to fun and varied food courts for the budget-conscious diner.   There is probably no culinary fare that you can't find somewhere in LA, and even in the wee small hours there are many restaurants and diners still open to cater to the late night/ early morning crowd in this 24 hour town! 

Deciding where to stay in LA can be a dilemma in itself.  We would suggest you choose your Hotel in the area(s) you plan to visit.  Beverley Hills has some of the most famous and luxurious hotels, whilst Hollywood or Downtown is probably the most popular option for general sightseeing.  If you want the sun and sand of the beach, Venice Beach or Santa Monica are good choices, but if you're only staying for a night or two, then the Westside, near the main LAX Airport would be suitable.

We have only listed a few hotels here, ones that we have found are the most popular for a stopover, but we can book any hotel you wish, and for any length of time you require.  Just give us a call to discuss your exact requirements, and we will be happy to help.

Average Los Angeles temperatures:

Winter: December, January and February average daily temperature is 58 degrees
Spring: March, April, and May average daily temperature is 65 degrees
Summer: June, July and August average daily temperature is 75 degrees
Autumn: September, October and November - average daily temperature 68 degrees