Los Angeles is one of the world's largest cultural, scientific, economic and educational centers. Also, the city is one of the world's largest entertainment centers in the field of cinema, theater, music, literature and television.

Story

The coastal territories now occupied by Los Angeles were inhabited by the Tongva and Chumash Indians in the 16th century. The first European to land in what is now Los Angeles in 1542 on two ships San Salvador" and " La Victoria"(with a displacement of 50 tons each), became the navigator Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (the pilot and his deputy was Bartolomeo Ferrelo). Sailing from La Navidad on July 27, 1542, Cabrillo landed in San Diego Bay on September 28. At that time, the Indian village of Yang-Na existed on the coast. The discoverer himself died on January 3, 1543 and was buried on the island of San Miguel, later named after him "Juan Rodriguez" (Juan Rodríguez). Rodriguez Cabrillo wrote about his voyage in a journal brought by his pilot, and now it is stored in one of the archives ().

Only 227 years later, the next expedition under the command of Gaspar Portol landed here, in which the Franciscan missionary Juan Crespi took part, who noted in his notes the suitability of the area for a settlement. In 1771, another missionary, Junipero Serra, established a mission on the site, named after the Archangel Gabriel. By that time, on the territory of modern Los Angeles, there were about 30 settlements of the Tongva Indians, where about 3 thousand people lived. On September 4, 1781, at the insistence of the governor of both Californias, Felipe de Neve, a settlement called El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles sobre El Río Porciúncula(from Spanish  -  “Village of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Angels, on the Porjunkula River”). For several decades, the new settlement remained only a small town, but by 1820 it was already the largest secular settlement in California: 650 people lived here.

City center at night

After independence, Los Angeles was briefly part of it. After the defeat of Mexico in the Mexican-American War, the city passed to the United States under the peace treaty of 1848. In 1850, Los Angeles received official city status.

In 1876, the Southern Pacific completed the railroad to Los Angeles. Citrus fruit growing, especially the cultivation of oranges, soon became the basis of the local economy. Over the last forty years of the 19th century, the population grew from 2.3 thousand to 100 thousand inhabitants. In 1892, oil deposits were discovered in the city area and by 1923, the Los Angeles area accounted for a quarter of the world's production of this hydrocarbon. In 1913, William Mulholland completed the aqueduct, which provided water to the growing Los Angeles. Since the 1920s, the aviation industry began to develop rapidly in Los Angeles and film studios opened. In 1932, the city hosted the X Summer Olympic Games.

Oil Rigs in Los Angeles (1896)

The outbreak of World War II gave a new impetus to the development of the city. During this period, a number of German figures of science, culture and art, who fled from Nazism, moved to the city (among them Lion Feuchtwanger, Thomas Mann, Fritz Lang, Bertolt Brecht, etc.). In 1942, thousands of Japanese-born Los Angeles residents were deported to closed camps outside the city. The internment was carried out in accordance with Executive Order No. 9066, signed by President Franklin Roosevelt.

In the post-war years, the city developed rapidly and grew in breadth; Numerous transport interchanges and skyscrapers were built.

On June 5, 1968, US Senator and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, brother of the 35th US President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in November 1963, was shot dead in Los Angeles.

In 1984, the Summer Olympics were again held in Los Angeles, in which athletes from the countries of the socialist camp did not take part.

In 1992, riots broke out in Los Angeles, the largest since the 1960s, provoked by the trial of four white police officers who were convicted of beating an African American but were acquitted at trial. In the riots, the accumulated national hostility found a way out: the main victims of the crowd were Korean shopkeepers. A total of 55 people were killed and 2,000 wounded. After six days of unrest, army units were brought into the city, more than 10 thousand arrests were made. In 1994, the city experienced a devastating earthquake that damaged many houses and urban infrastructure. In the aftermath of these events, a movement to secede Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley from Los Angeles gained momentum, but the 2002 popular vote prevented these plans from coming to fruition.

At the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century, many neighborhoods of the city (including Hollywood, Silver Lake, the central part of the city, Koreatown) underwent gentrification.

Geography

The city is located on the coastal lowlands adjacent to Santa Monica Bay and bordered by the San Gabriel, Santa Monica, and Santa Ana mountains. Geographic coordinates of Los Angeles: 33°56′ N. sh. 118°24′ W d..

According to the US Census Bureau, the total area of ​​​​Los Angeles is 1290.6 km², including 1214.9 km² - land and 75.7 km² - water spaces (5.86%). The maximum length of the city from north to south is 71 km, from east to west - 47 km, the length of city borders - 550 km. The urban area is the ninth largest in the continental United States (that is, excluding , state and , state ).

Greater Los Angeles (agglomeration) stretches for almost 200 km between the cities of Ventura and San Bernardino.

The highest point in Los Angeles is Sister Elsie Peak (1548 m). The largest river in the city is the Los Angeles River, which originates in the San Fernando Valley (for the most part it flows in an artificial concrete channel, it almost dries up during dry times).

The official flower of Los Angeles is the royal strelitzia.

The abundance of natural areas in the city area (beaches, dunes, swamps, mountains, hills, rivers) creates conditions for the existence of a diversity of biological communities. Los Angeles is mostly surrounded by arid subtropical woodlands with an abundance of brightly flowering plants. At the same time, the extreme urbanization of the landscape leads to a decrease in the distribution and disappearance of many biological species from the city and its environs. The streets, gardens and squares of Los Angeles are planted with numerous rare and exotic ornamental plants, including various types of palms, camellias, etc.

Geology

Los Angeles is in an active seismic zone due to its proximity to the San Andreas Fault, and the Punta Hills Fault running through the city itself. The last major earthquake was the devastating earthquake of 1994, the epicenter of which was in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley. This disaster, which occurred less than two years after the mass pogroms in Los Angeles, was a real shock to the people of California, causing many billions of dollars in property damage.

Other major earthquakes in the 20th century took place in this region in 1933, 1971 and 1987. Be that as it may, most earthquakes that occur in the city area are felt only as weak shocks (small fluctuations are recorded by seismometers almost daily).

Districts of Greater Los Angeles

Los Angeles is regarded by urban geographers as the prototype of the modern American metropolis. With the development of road transport, the Los Angeles model of urban development replaced the Chicago one that prevailed in the 19th century.

Los Angeles is characterized primarily by the absence of an urban center. Although the historical center is La Plaza, and skyscrapers are concentrated in the "city center", administrative functions are distributed among areas that are far from each other. Most areas of the city were previously separate cities that became part of Los Angeles. There are also a number of satellite cities (as well as enclave cities surrounded on all sides by Los Angeles) whose population is related to the population of Los Angeles.

Beach in Santa Monica

In total, more than 80 districts stand out in Los Angeles, the main of which are called:

• Centre;
• East Los Angeles;
• South Los Angeles;
• South Bay and Harbor (South Bay / Harbor);
• Hollywood;
• Mid Wilshire;
• Westside (which includes West Los Angeles as well as the cities of Santa Monica and West Hollywood);
• San Fernando Valley;
• Terminal Island.

Palm trees near the beach on Ocean Avenue

Climate

Park them. MacArthur

The city is located in the subtropical climate zone. It is similar to the Mediterranean climate in terms of precipitation, but in terms of temperature, the average temperature is above +14 ° C for all 12 months, therefore it belongs to the tropical climate. The city has a hot dry season with almost no rainfall, and a cooler wet season with heavy rainfall. Pacific breezes make the city's coastline areas cooler in summer and warmer in winter compared to "continental" areas of the city such as the San Fernando Valley.

Daytime temperatures in summer can greatly exceed +32 °C, while the average maximum usually stays around +29 °C; the average minimum nighttime temperature is usually around +18 °C. In winter, during the day, the average maximum temperature is +21 °C, the average minimum night temperature is about +8 °C. The temperature maximum recorded during the observation period was +48.33 °C (July 22, 2006), the minimum temperature was observed in the winter of 1989: −7.8 °C.

Rains are most characteristic of the winter and spring months (February is the wettest month). On average, Los Angeles receives 379 mm of precipitation per year (with an average of 35 days of precipitation). Snow rarely falls within the city limits, while the mountains surrounding Los Angeles are covered with snow quite regularly. Due to climatic conditions, on some days in Los Angeles it is possible to do both skiing and surfing on the same day.

Ecological state

Due to the city's geographical position, which makes it a suitable place for the occurrence of temperature inversions, as well as significant motorization of the population, Los Angeles suffers from atmospheric pollution, which manifests itself in the form of smog. Unlike other polluted cities, the content of sulfur dioxide is low here, but the level of brown gas is extremely high. The valley that hosts the metropolis traps the pollution emitted by vehicle engines and industrial plants. Smog from the valley often rises higher into the mountains, where it leads to damage and death of vegetation. An important negative factor is the low amount of precipitation and prolonged summer droughts - in other megacities, precipitation helps to purify the atmosphere. In addition to this, the area's groundwater is contaminated with methyl tert-butyl ether from gas stations and other chemical compounds.

Smog over Los Angeles in the afternoon. Left - Griffith Observatory

All this forces the authorities and the population of California to pay attention to reducing vehicle emissions. In recent years, thanks to the use of higher quality motor fuels, as well as improved engines, including hybrid engines, the level of pollution has begun to decrease. Despite these steps, the American Lung Association in 2004 recognized Los Angeles as the city with the most polluted atmosphere in the United States on a number of indicators.

City government

City hall

City governments include the mayor and the city council. As of February 2011, the mayor of the city was Antonio Villaraigosa, who was first elected to this post in 2005 and re-elected in 2009. The city council consists of 15 members elected by the population of 15 districts of the city. Also, Los Angeles residents elect a City Attorney (as of September 2006 - Rocky Delgadillo) and a city controller (Laura Cheek).

The main agency responsible for law enforcement is the Los Angeles City Police Department. At the same time, a number of other police structures operate in the city: The Office of Public Safety, responsible for security at municipal facilities, the Port Police and the Airport Police.

Since 1999, local self-government in the city has been carried out by district councils formed on an elective basis (there are 86 of them in total). In fact, neighborhood councils do not have significant power and their decisions are mostly advisory in nature, however, they are official authorities.

Population

According to the statistical report for 2006-2008, there were 3,749,058 inhabitants, 1,275,534 households and 778,991 families in the city (3,831,868 inhabitants as of July 1, 2009). The population density was thus 2904.9 people per km². The racial makeup of the city was 49.5% White, 9.9% African American, 0.6% Indian, 10.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 26.5% Other. races. 48.4% of the population identified their origin as Hispanic. Los Angeles has one of the largest Asian and Hispanic communities in the United States. The city also has a significant Armenian diaspora.

According to the census, the most spoken languages ​​in the city are English and Spanish. Accordingly, 40.2% and 43.6% indicated them as relatives. Other Indo-European languages ​​were indicated as native by 7.0%, other languages ​​- by 9.2% of respondents.

Age composition of the population: 27.8% - under 20 years old, 23.7% from 20 to 34 years old, 15.9% from 35 to 44 years old, 13.2% from 45 to 54 years old, 9% from 55 to 64 years old and 10.2% - 65 years and older. The average age is 33.9 years. Among residents aged 18 and over, women accounted for 50.5%, among residents aged 65 and over - already 58.3%.

21.1% of city residents had higher education. As of early 2006, 48,000 homeless people lived in Los Angeles. The total number of Los Angeles County homeless residents was 82,000. As noted, Los Angeles rightfully enjoys the infamous "American capital of the homeless."

Monument to Sun Yat-sen in Chinatown

Immigrants

Los Angeles is home to over 140 countries speaking at least 224 different languages. The city is the second in the United States after the share of the population born outside the country. According to the statistical report for 2006-2008, 170.5 thousand residents of the city identified their origin as German, 146.7 thousand - Irish, 129.7 thousand - British, 100.1 thousand - Italian, 98.7 thousand - Russian.

Los Angeles International Airport is the most important immigrant gateway in the United States. An important element of the culture of Los Angeles are the ethnic neighborhoods of the city, including Chinatown, Koreatown, Little Armenia, Thailandtown, the historic Philippine Quarter, Teherangeles and Little Ethiopia, which clearly represent the colorful flavor of the metropolis.

It is curious that, unlike the vast majority of American cities, the population of the center of which is noticeably declining, the central part of Los Angeles has continued to be populated at a rapid pace since the 1950s. This was primarily due to the large influx of immigrants. It should be noted that during the period from 1920 to 1960 the population of the city grew rapidly (see table) due to the massive influx of blacks from the southeastern United States. Since the early 1990s, the number of African Americans in the city has been halved due to the migration of the African American middle class to the suburbs (especially in the Antelope Valley and the Inland Empire). African Americans have been replaced by Hispanics in a number of "colored" areas of Los Angeles. However, African Americans remain dominant in areas such as Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, South Central, Compton, Inglewood and others.

Russian-speaking community

Los Angeles is one of the largest centers of residence of Russian-speaking immigrants in America. Immigrants from the former USSR live in different areas and suburbs of Los Angeles, but their highest concentration is in the city of West Hollywood, which is part of the Los Angeles agglomeration: Russian-language press is published here, tours of artists from Russia and other countries of the former USSR are organized, "Russians" are concentrated shops and restaurants. As of 2015, Aeroflot operates direct flights to Los Angeles from Moscow, and Nordwind Airlines also received permission to fly. The Russian-speaking community of Los Angeles is described in some of the works of Sergei Dovlatov.

District "Little Armenia"

Armenian Church of St. Karapet in "Little Armenia"

"Little Armenia" is a neighborhood of Hollywood. The area's name comes from the large number of American Armenians who live in it, as well as the large number of Armenian shops and businesses. Here, on Alexandria Avenue, is the church of St. Karapet of the Armenian Apostolic Church (built in 1978). Also in the borough is a public park donated to the city by heiress Alina Barnsdall.

Every year on April 24, “Little Armenia” hosts rallies in support of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915, accompanied by rallies, flash mobs, car races, and so on.

There are also Armenian schools in the region, among them the Armenian School of Chamlyan, the Armenian School of Hollywood, specialized Armenian schools for the study of specialties, Armenian Sunday schools, Armenian circles, interest societies, charitable foundations, political parties, business communities and so on.

The action of many novels, short stories and poems by Charles Bukowski, a resident of East Hollywood, takes place in Little Armenia.

Cathedral of Our Lady (2002)

Religion

Representatives of various religions coexist in Los Angeles, in particular, at least a hundred Christian denominations. The most representative of these, as of 2006, was the Roman Catholic Church (the largest diocese in the country). In 2002, the construction of a modern Catholic cathedral dedicated to Our Lady was completed. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels), which was held under the leadership of Cardinal Mahoney in the north of the city center. There is a Jewish religious community in Los Angeles, the third largest in the country. There are many religious organizations representing various beliefs, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Sufism, many Christian movements, etc. In total, there are over 300 places of worship in the city. There are also many fans of non-traditional beliefs and sects, such as neo-pagans, Kabbalists, Scientologists, etc.

As of 2000, the denominations of Los Angeles County consisted of (the total population of the county was 6684.7 thousand people):

• Catholics - 3806.4 thousand people and 278 religious communities;
• Jews - 564.7 thousand people and 202 religious communities;
• southern Baptist convention (evangelists) - 111.6 thousand people and 312 religious communities;
• Mormons - 97.4 thousand people and 239 religious communities;
• Muslims - 92.9 thousand people and 48 religious communities;
• Armenian Apostolic Church - c. 37 thousand people

Economy

In the business center of the city

Los Angeles is the largest industrial and economic center of the Western United States. The main industrial sectors that ensure the economic development of the city are international trade, television and film industry, military, aerospace, oil refining, electrical engineering, car assembly, instrument-making, and food industries. Biotechnologies are actively developing. Developed oil production. Other significant sectors of the economy include finance, telecommunications, medicine, transportation, tourism (this industry employs almost half a million people from the population of Greater Los Angeles), as well as the entertainment and cultural industries.

The headquarters of companies included in the world's leading ratings (Forbes Global 2000 and Fortune 500) are located in Los Angeles - Occidental Petroleum (oil and gas industry), Reliance Steel & Aluminum (metallurgy), CBRE Group (real estate), Health Net (medical and financial services), City National Bank (financial services), KB Home (construction). In addition, the city is home to the headquarters of such well-known corporations as Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Guess, Belkin and others.

An even greater number of headquarters of large companies are located in satellite cities, where lower tax rates are combined with the advantages of proximity to the metropolis; such companies as The Walt Disney Company (Burbank), DirecTV (El Segundo), Edison International (Rosemead), Health Care Property Investors(), Public Storage (Glendale), Mattel (El Segundo), Jacobs Engineering Group (Pasadena), Hilton Hotels (Beverly Hills), Warner Bros. (Burbank), Sony Pictures Entertainment and Columbia Pictures (Culver City), DreamWorks (Universal City), Sea Launch (Long Beach), Universal Music Group and Activision (Santa Monica). It is curious that despite the fact that Los Angeles is considered the capital of world cinema, only one of the largest studios makes films in Hollywood (Paramount Pictures). The film sets of other companies are moved to the suburbs of Los Angeles (Burbank, Culver City and Glendale).

Los Angeles is the venue for a number of major international exhibitions, including the Electronic Entertainment Expo ("E3"), the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show (privately referred to as the premier international auto show). One of the largest exhibition complexes in the city is the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Economic activity in the city is affected by the lack of a number of natural resources, in particular local water sources. Today, the Los Angeles area is served by three aqueducts: the first delivers water from a distance of 544 km (Owens Valley), the second from a distance of 389 km (from the Colorado River), and the third from a distance of 714 km (from the Sacramento River Delta). Also, the city is experiencing a certain lack of electricity (see Energy Crisis in California).

Employment

As of 2009, the largest employers in Greater Los Angeles were:

By sectors of the economy, employment in Greater Los Angeles was distributed as follows (2010): vocational services and research (471.6 thousand), industry (451.6 thousand), health care and social assistance (444.8 thousand people). ), retail trade (418.1 thousand), hotel business and public catering (339.8 thousand), administrative and public services (319.5 thousand), wholesale trade (259.8 thousand), information technology ( 215.6 thousand), other services (117.7 thousand), real estate transactions (90.8 thousand), art, entertainment and recreation (87.4 thousand), educational services (25.3 thousand) .

Transport

Automobile transport

Los Angeles is the most motorized city in the world, with 1.8 million more registered cars than licensed drivers. Every day, cars collectively drive 160 million kilometers (≈ 1.06 AU) through the streets of the city. Los Angeles has one of the most developed highway systems in the world, many of which are built on flyovers. Intersections of highways are accompanied by grandiose multi-level ones. In general, the city has a mostly rectangular layout (the streets are elongated from north to south and from east to west), a number of the largest and most famous streets are called boulevards.

Due to insufficient funding, many streets in Los Angeles are covered with poor quality asphalt, in which there are potholes. But traffic jams are a major problem in urban traffic: as of 2009, the Texas Transportation Institute named Los Angeles the city with the busiest roads (the city's motorist spends an average of 63 hours a year standing in traffic jams, this is the third largest in country after and, however, back in 2005 this figure was 72 hours). The main reason for traffic jams is the inability of the building to be served by public transport, a large number of private cars, and the absence of restrictions on their use within the city.

Interchange at the intersection of I-10 and I-15.

Highways I-5 and US-101 passing through Los Angeles connect it with cities to the north and south; I-10 serves to connect with cities lying east of Los Angeles.

It should be noted that, contrary to the common misconception that no one walks in Los Angeles, many streets of the city center, as well as local centers of Los Angeles neighborhoods, are full of pedestrians. In such areas, walking is often much faster than driving due to traffic congestion and parking problems. The city administration, when coordinating new construction projects, now requires the mandatory inclusion of parking lots in them.

City public transport

The main public transport systems in the city are the bus network, as well as the rail transport network, which includes subway and light rail lines with a total length of about 120 km; this farm is administered by the state-owned Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (commonly referred to as the Metro or MTA). The rail system includes the "red" and "magenta" subway lines, the "gold", "blue" and "green" lines, as well as the "expo" line of the elevated light rail system. The "orange" line of the rapid bus system also stands out. The total number of passengers carried daily is estimated at 1.7 million.

Union Station - city railway station (built in 1939)

Railway transport

Passenger rail service is operated by Amtrak and Metrolink from the historic Union Station.

Air transport

Air traffic in Los Angeles is provided by five commercial airports, as well as a number of smaller airfields for small aircraft. Commercial airports include:

• Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX), the fifth busiest airport in the world; is one of the hub airports of United Airlines;
• Ontario International Airport (IATA: ONT, ICAO: KONT);
• Bob Hope Airport (IATA: BUR, ICAO: KBUR);
• Long Beach Municipal Airport (IATA: LGBT, ICAO: KLGB);
• John Wayne Airport (IATA: SNA, ICAO: KSNA).

Sea transport

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together form the largest port area in the United States, one of the largest in terms of cargo turnover in the world. The world's fifth largest container terminal is located here (14.2 million TEU in 2008). The Los Angeles sea gate is also popular with passenger shipping companies: in 2009, about 800 thousand passengers of sea cruise ships were served here (the largest figure on the US West Coast).

Also within the city and its environs there are a number of bays adapted for parking small boats and yachts (Redondo Bay, Marina del Rey).

Mass media

The main city daily newspaper is The Los Angeles Times - one of the most influential and widely read newspapers in the United States (daily circulation of 773.9 thousand, fourth place in the country in 2008). In addition to it, the city publishes a lot of city and regional newspapers, magazines and other periodicals, including L.A. Weekly, L.A. City Beat, Los Angeles magazine, Los Angeles Business Journal, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety (publications about show business), The Planning Report, Los Angeles Downtown News and others. Local newspapers and magazines are published in various areas of Los Angeles and its suburbs . In addition to the press in English and Spanish, there are a number of printed publications covering the life of various immigrant groups (in Korean, Persian, Russian, Japanese and other languages).

Sunset Strip

Los Angeles is an important broadcasting region in the United States, ranking second after New York in terms of the number of homes provided with television. The city has many over-the-air and cable TV channels, including: KABC-TV 7 (ABC), KCBS 2 (CBS), KNBC 4 (NBC), KTTV 11 (FOX), KTLA 5 (The CW); four channels included in the PBS broadcast system: KVCR 24, KCET 28, KOCE 50 and KLCS 58, KCAL 9 (owned by CBS Corporation). There are a number of TV channels broadcasting in Spanish (KNLA-LP 27, KRCA 62) and other languages.

Education

Los Angeles is an important center of higher and secondary specialized education in the United States. Among the most famous educational institutions operating in the city and suburbs:

• UCLA (part of the University of California)
• California State University
• California Institute of Technology
• Southern California Medical University
• Otis College of Art and Design
• American Film Institute
• Southern California Institute of Architecture
• other.

There are many secondary schools in the city (the total number of students in 2009 is over 800 thousand) and those that allow you to get an education in the field of the most important areas of human activity.

Culture and entertainment

Hollywood Boulevard (photo from the Kodak Theatre)

Los Angeles is often referred to as the "Entertainment Capital" by its residents and visitors. The city has tens of thousands of entertainment facilities, restaurants, cafes, bars, etc., the diversity of which could not but leave its mark on the diverse national composition of the metropolis. The main centers of nightlife are concentrated in the city center, in the areas of Silver Lake, Hollywood, West Hollywood (with the famous Sunset Strip clubs and bars).

In the daytime, the world-famous Disneyland theme parks (in the neighboring city -) and Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as the famous ocean beaches in Santa Monica and Malibu, are waiting for citizens and tourists.

Los Angeles is known as the world's retail center. Among the busiest shopping streets in the city: Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Ford Street Promenade and Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, Old Town in Pasadena, Hollywood, etc. Los Angeles is also one of the world's fashion capitals, glamor and luxury, which has found its response in numerous films and other works of art.

Breakdance on the sidewalk off Hollywood Boulevard

Cinema and music

The most famous "calling card" of the city in terms of art is the production of films and television programs. Los Angeles is home to many popular film actors. In addition to a number of "Hollywood" film studios, a number of film institutions are based in the city, including the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts, the American Film Institute, etc. A number of film festivals are held, including the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.

Los Angeles rightfully occupies an honorable place in the world musical culture. Back in the 1960s, the Sunset Strip became the launching pad for such bands as The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors; the career of The Beach Boys began in these parts. Lots of heavy and alternative bands come from Los Angeles, including Van Halen (from nearby Pasadena), Mötley Crüe, Metallica (later moved to San Francisco), Guns N "Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, thrash metal band Slayer The city is also famous for its goth scene - it was here at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s that the death rock style was formed, represented by bands such as 45 Grave, Christian Death and Kommunity FK, and among today's popular goth music performers one can note London After Midnight, Diva Destruction and Voodoo Church In the 90s of the XX century, Los Angeles gave the rest of the world a whole galaxy of famous bands, including 30 Seconds to Mars, Blink-182, Hollywood Undead, Korn, Beck, Sublime, Rage Against the Machine, Linkin Park (from Santa Monica), System of a Down, and more. private recording studios owned by numerous record labels (including Warner Music Group, Capitol Records, many independent record labels, etc.).

In the concert hall Walt Disney is based in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

art

Los Angeles is widely known for its monumental art, the "canvas" of which is primarily thousands of city walls. A number of well-known monumental artists of Mexican origin (Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, etc.) immortalized their name on the streets of the metropolis. In the 1960s and 70s, the Chicano Art movement gained strength in the region (in a word, chicano called people from), belonging to which the artists used the muralist tradition in their work.

It should also be noted here that Los Angeles is one of the world centers of the graffiti scene (in particular, the works of graffiti groups in the Belmont Tunnel are widely known).

The city has a famous "public art" program that requires all developers building new buildings to donate one percent of the cost of construction to a public arts fund.

Museums and theaters

Walt Disney Concert Hall, architect Frank Gehry

At the same time, an increasing number of cultural institutions are attracting the attention of residents and visitors to Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Getty Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the Museum of Neon Art (MONA), the Cultural Center Skirball, Museum of Tolerance, Museum of American Indian Art of the Southwest, the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Latin History, Art and Culture, the Los Angeles County Museum of Local History and many others. A significant number of art galleries are scattered throughout the city (the most famous are located in Santa Monica and West Hollywood), which form the artistic environment of the metropolis. The total number of museums and galleries in Los Angeles County is over 800 (the first place in the world per capita).

Among the most famous theaters and concert halls of the city, the Los Angeles County Music Center (which includes the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion - the venue for performances by the Los Angeles Opera, the Amansen Theater, which serves as a stage for large-scale Broadway productions), the Ford Amphitheater, the Greek Theater, Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall (the world famous Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra performs here), Dolby Theater (where, in particular, the Oscars are now held), Staples Center (since 2000, with the exception of 2003, the Grammy Awards are presented), etc. There are also many small theaters scattered around the city. Los Angeles, as the capital of the world film business, has many cinemas, the most famous of which are the TCL Chinese Theater, which hosts many premieres, and the El Capitan Theater.

Libraries

The largest library in the city is Los Angeles Public Library and its branches serving residents of the city. Residents of the city's neighborhoods can use the services of the Los Angeles County Public Library. In general, the system of public libraries of the city has 72 library institutions.

Architecture and sights

Funicular "Angels Flight"

Los Angeles is a fairly young city, and there are no world-famous architectural monuments on its territory. In the city center there are a number of buildings in the Art Deco style typical of the first half of the 20th century.

The city is characterized by a regular layout and low building density - the bulk of the population lives in private houses and villas. High-rise buildings are concentrated in the central part (until 1956, the law forbade the construction of buildings above 45 m in the city), and as of 2015, 10 of the 12 tallest buildings in California are located in Los Angeles. Modern architecture is represented by a significant variety of residential, commercial and industrial buildings, among which are the works of Frank Gehry (Walt Disney Concert Hall, California Air and Space Museum, etc.), African American pioneering architect Paul Williams, Tom Maine, Eric Moss and other famous architects.

Watts Towers

The city actually lacks a historical center - Los Angeles consists of separate districts with their own history and attractions. At the same time, guests of the city can find a lot of interesting things on its streets. Among the main places that attract tourists:

• Hollywood(eng. Hollywood) and its film studios, many of which have exhibitions dedicated to cinema, Hollywood Boulevard (since 1960, stars with the names of prominent film actors, as well as television, record and theater figures, have been knocked out on its sidewalks - “Hollywood Walk of Fame”).
• old mexican street Olvera Street(eng. Olvera street) - a corner of antiquity among the glass and concrete of the central part of Los Angeles.
• Wilshire Boulevard(Eng. Wilshire Boulevard), stretching for 24 km from the city center to the ocean, and its central part, known as the "Mile of Wonders", filled with restaurants, nightclubs, etc.
• Chinatown- a small corner of the East in the center of the metropolis.
• Funicular "Angels Flight"(eng. Angels flight, "Flight of the Angels"), sometimes called "the shortest railway in the world." Built in 1901, closed in 1969, restored in 1996, stopped on March 15, 2001 due to an accident.
• U.S. bank tower- a skyscraper with a height of 310 m, one of the tallest buildings in the world, the tallest building in the United States to the west of.
• Exhibition Park, on the territory of which there are the Coliseum stadium (95 thousand seats), which hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, natural history museums, aerospace, scientific and industrial, African American museum, etc.
• Griffith Observatory with a planetarium, located on the territory of the park of the same name (the largest city park in the United States).
• los angeles zoo , also located on the grounds of Griffith Park.
• Malibu waterfronts, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and beaches with relatively warm and clear water.
• Watts Towers(English Watts Towers, Watts Towers, also known as the Simon Rodia Towers) - three towers 30, 29 and 16 m high, built from materials using broken tiles, dishes, bottles, and shells.
• "Venice"(eng. Venice) - an area in the west of the city, famous for its beaches and canals.
• Tempel on Wilshire Boulevard is the oldest Reform synagogue in Los Angeles, founded in 1862.

Inside Los Angeles is the administratively independent city of Beverly Hills, known for its luxurious mansions of famous Hollywood actors and film industry moguls - the materialized embodiment of the "American dream".

Sport

Night view of Staples Center

Major league teams in the city include the Los Angeles Rams NFL, the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Kings NHL, the Los Angeles Clippers and the NBA. Los Angeles Lakers, as well as MLS football clubs Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles. Near Los Angeles, in the city of Fontana, there is the Auto Club Speedway, which annually hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Los Angeles has hosted the Summer Olympics twice, in 1932 and 1984. The 1984 Olympics gave impetus to the organization of the Los Angeles Marathon, held annually in March since 1986.

Among the mass sports, first of all, beach volleyball and windsurfing should be noted, which were actually “invented” in Los Angeles (or in its district). It is also believed that it was in Los Angeles that skateboarding and rollersport first gained popularity. One of the legends of Los Angeles is surfing, as well as the subculture associated with it, which is reflected in a number of movies and other examples of pop culture (for example, surf rock).

The surroundings of the city and, in particular, the mountains lying around and even on its territory provide excellent opportunities for the development of various mass sports and activities - mountain biking, running, hiking, hiking, horseback riding. In addition, the population of the city and suburbs is actively involved in such sports as skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, hang gliding, paragliding. Many sports fans are united in sports clubs, which often organize various competitions and other public events. Within the city and its environs there are many gyms, fitness centers, swimming pools that attract the attention of fitness and active pastime lovers.

International connections

Direction sign for Los Angeles' sister cities, with distances to them in miles

twin cities

Los Angeles has the following sister cities:

Consulates

There are 103 consulates of the countries of the world located in Los Angeles and its suburbs.

Los Angeles has about 4 million inhabitants, making it the second most populated city in the United States of America. The capital of California is a dream city for all aspiring musicians, singers, actors.

This city is still developing rapidly and is one of the most popular on the planet. Los Angeles is famous for its film industry, a large number of celebrities per square meter. Here you can meet a world star, just walking through the park or having lunch in a restaurant. Incredibly, more than 85% of all film production in the United States comes from Los Angeles.

This city is called the entertainment capital for a reason. Travelers will have a lot of opportunities in Los Angeles. Here you can sunbathe on the magnificent beach, see the process of filming your favorite series, visit Disneyland. To make sure of the amount of entertainment in the city, you need to take a walk along Wilshire Boulevard. The length of the boulevard is 25 km. Here are hundreds of restaurants, bars, shops, as well as the most expensive buildings in the world.

The "city of dreams" is dominated by low-rise buildings, as it is located in a zone of high seismic activity. Skyscrapers can only be seen in the city center.

The history of the formation of the city is quite interesting. In 1769, the head of the Spanish missionaries who lived in this territory formed an expedition of several families to explore the land on the ocean. This territory was called "the city of the Great Lady, the queen of angels."

Soon these lands passed into the possession of the United States, and received an impetus for development. At the end of the 19th century, oil was found in this area, and the population slowly grew. The name of the city was too long, and for convenience, the locals shortened it, and it turned out to be the "city of angels."

Los Angeles is a stunning city with a lot to offer. It is unrealistic to determine the historical center here, since all areas have their own legend and interesting places.

By far, the most famous area of ​​the city is Hollywood. Many stages, theaters and film studios are concentrated here. In addition, here you can find the houses of famous actors and directors of our time. For tourists, Hollywood is a must-see place. Here you can see the shooting of films with the participation of celebrities, as well as take a walk along the Walk of Fame.

Speaking of curious places in the city, one cannot help but recall Disneyland. The very first such park opened in Los Angeles in 1956. At that time, Disneyland was a couple of dozen attractions, and even then, visitors could see various scenery and cartoon characters. To date, Disneyland is equipped with computer technology that allows you to reproduce the scenery as realistically as possible.

Of course, there are countless beautiful places in Los Angeles. In addition to Hollywood and Disneyland, tourists are recommended to visit the Downtown and Beverly Hills areas, visit the beaches of Malibu, etc. You can list forever, but we can say with confidence that all travelers who have visited Los Angeles were left with an indelible impression of wealth and grandeur cities.

City of Los Angeles on the USA map

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It owes its worldwide fame to the twentieth century, the heyday of the film industry and the concentration of film celebrities and everyone who has anything to do with this world. Los Angeles is a city built on dreams. Dreams of seekers and adventurers about untold riches, dreams of emigrants about a new better life, dreams of aspiring actors about the splendor and luxury of Hollywood. While traveling around the city, you will certainly feel the energy of these dreams, embodied in stone and concrete, metal and glass, in wonderful parks, ancient and avant-garde architectural structures, fountains, frescoes and sculptures.

Video: Los Angeles

Basic moments

The trump card of Los Angeles is a convenient and simply chic location on the Pacific coast. The city itself is spread out on a hilly plain, on one side it is surrounded by mountains, on the other it rests on the ocean. The climate is better than you can imagine - hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, the latter, as a rule, do not last more than a few months, anyway, 329 days a year the sun shines overhead.

At the beginning of 2018, the city had 4 million inhabitants. Los Angeles has one of the largest Asian and Hispanic communities in the United States. There is also a significant Armenian diaspora. About 50,000 homeless people live in Los Angeles.

In this city, you absolutely do not have to complex about your possible accent. Los Angeles is home to over 140 countries speaking at least 224 different languages. The city is second in the United States after Miami in terms of the proportion of the population born outside the country.

Los Angeles is famous for its beaches and famous area - Hollywood. This city has many nicknames - it's just LA, and Lalaland, and Southland (country in the south) and City of Angels and Lotusville and El Pueblo ("city" in Spanish).

Although "All-American" is not the first word that comes to mind when thinking about Los Angeles, the homonymous county (LA County), the largest in America, epitomizes this diverse nation in every extreme. Among its inhabitants are the richest and poorest Americans, descendants of old families and newly arrived immigrants, the most refined and the most rude people, the most beautiful and the most gaudy, the most erudite and the most stupid. Even the landscape is a microcosm of the United States, with iconic beaches and snow-capped mountains, skyscrapers, sprawling suburbs and pristine, untouched nature.

Yes, Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, but the essence of the city will not be told on the silver screen or in reality shows; rather, you will learn about it from everyday experience, step by step. And there is a chance that the more you get to know this city, the more you will enjoy it.

Now is the most interesting time to travel to Los Angeles. Hollywood and Downtown are experiencing a renaissance, and art, music, fashion and cuisine are at their peak.

Story

With the arrival at the end of the XVIII century. Spanish missionaries and early settlers, the Tongva and Chumash hunter-gatherer tribes gradually disappeared. First Spanish civilian settlement, El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles (El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles; 1781) remained an isolated farming town for decades. Los Angeles was annexed to the United States in 1850. By 1830, its population had grown dramatically due to the decline of the "gold rush" in Northern California, the construction of the transcontinental railroad, the development of citrus production, the discovery of oil fields, the emergence of the film industry and the construction of the Los Angeles Port of the California Aqueduct. The city's population continues to grow rapidly, from about one and a half million in 1950 to nearly four million today.

The development of Los Angeles has caused problems such as suburban sprawl and air pollution - although due to persistent resistance, smog levels have been declining every year since records were kept. Traffic jams, a crackdown on the public education system, a volatile real estate market, and occasional earthquakes and wildfires remain vexing problems.

Yet with a strong and diversified economy and declining crime rates, all things considered, Los Angeles is still struggling and surviving.

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County is pretty big (88 cities over four thousand square miles), but the areas of tourist interest are outlined very well. Downtown, located about 19.2 km from the coast, combines historical heritage, high-intellectual culture and the enthusiasm of the "big village". Forever young and trendy Hollywood is in the northwest. Urban design chic and gay/lesbian chic reign supreme in West Hollywood. Musium Row runs south of here. (Museum Row), the main artery of Mid-City. Further west are posh Beverly Hills, Westwood and, up on the hill, the Ghetto Center. Santa Monica is a tourist beach paradise. Other cities in the area include elegant and discreet Malibu, bohemian Venice and intoxicating Long Beach. Majestic Pasadena lies northeast of Downtown.

The easiest way to get around is by car; however, if you are not on your own wheels, fast urban transport will take you to most of the surrounding areas.

Los Angeles County has some great hiking trails, especially the mountains of the Santa Monica area, as well as the forested Angeles Crest. You can walk among the mountains of the Hollywood Runyon Canyon, where you can sometimes meet celebrities without makeup walking their dogs here.

The Venice area is the quintessence of California. Walk along the Santa Monica Pier or stop at Zuma Beach off the Pacific Coast Highway from Malibu.

Video: Los Angeles Infrastructure

Attractions in Los Angeles

Of course, everyone knows the main attractions of the "City of Angels". You can spend hours in the park of Universal Studios (Universal Studios), a long walk along the colorful City Mall (City Walk), take pictures at the giant Hollywood letters, show off on the amazing hill of Beechwood Canyon Drive (Beachwood Canyon Drive). All tourists who come to Los Angeles want to go down Hollywood Boulevard and look at the handprints of American celebrities at Grauman's Chinese Theater (graumann) or do some great shopping at Hollywood Mall and Highland Center (Highland Center).

Visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. This relatively small museum is dedicated to the art of the post-war era and has 5,000 exhibits on permanent display. If you like great art, stunning architecture, peaceful gardens and wonderful views (unless smog hurts to enjoy them) then stop by the Getty Center.

And, of course, no trip to Los Angeles is complete without spending at least a day at Disneyland - it's only a 45-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles.

But Los Angeles is not only these world-famous places, but also many others - albeit less popular, but no less interesting.

Hintington Library (Huntington Library). This rich library contains many original masterpieces such as Thomas Gainsborough's The Blue Boy, the Gutenberg Bible, The Canterbury Tales and two quarters of Hamlet.

Paul Getty Museum. The Getty may have spent more money than any other museum in the world, but it's a pleasure to climb this hill and see all the works on display here. The space, designed by Richard Meyer, is a real oasis of peace and tranquility. Unlike museums in cities where the entertainment industry is not so developed, the entrance to the Getty Museum is always free.

Robertson Boulevard (Robertson Boulevard). If Melrose Avenue (Melrose Avenue) is a fashionable place for walking, and on Rodeo Drive (Rodeo Drive) the most fashionable stores are located, then Robertson Boulevard is good for its restaurants, where they serve dishes of probably all the cuisines of the world. If you get the chance, don't see anyone famous and don't mind paying $100 per person, you can get a table here.

Olvera street. Among the souvenir shops that are numerous on this street, you can find Mr. Chirro, who sells delicious donuts with caramel. You can also dine at one of the Mexican restaurants, or you can try a lamb sandwich from Philip, who has been working in this place since 1908. After lunch, it will be interesting to go to the Walt Disney Concert Hall or sit in the silence of the Cathedral of Our Lady, who is the queen of the angels. An iconic attraction for the "City of Angels", isn't it?

All sights of Los Angeles

Night Los Angeles

Los Angeles is lucky with the weather all year round, so most residents of the city try to be outside as often as possible, even at night. In the summer, people flock to the Hollywood Bowl Amphitheater to watch the Playboy Jazz Festival, listen to the Philharmonic Orchestra or some of the opera's stars. You can also have a picnic under the stars. The Greek Theater in Griffith Park is one of the most secluded places. And of course, beach parties will never go out of style either.

Clubs and cinemas

Ever since the Gold Rush, West Hollywood's Sunset Strip has been the go-to place for entertainers. Both residents of the city itself and tourists still gather every evening in the bars "Whisky A Go Go", "Viper Room", "Roxy", "Comedy Store" or other bars, trendy clubs and cinemas, for example, at Grauman's, in vintage Pantages or Kodak.

where to go

It's nice to spend an evening in Santa Monica and in the Westside - the pedestrianized Heart Street Promenade sparkles with the lights of street cafes and bars where celebrities sit, live music sounds everywhere. They come here to see people and show themselves. The Performing Arts Center and the Walt Disney Concert Hall are located in the city center, where the most famous theatrical performances take place, and during the season the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra plays, artists of the Los Angeles Opera and Choir sing. Various productions can be seen in almost any theater in the city, where you can meet stars not only on the stage, but also in the hall.

Los Angeles graffiti

Los Angeles is widely known for its graffiti art, the "canvas" of which is primarily thousands of city walls. A number of notable artists who are of Mexican descent (Diego Riviera, David Alfaro Siqueros), immortalized their name on the streets of the metropolis in this style.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Chicano art movement gained momentum in the region. (The word "Chicano" refers to immigrants from Mexico), belonging to which the artists used the monumental tradition in their works.

It is important to note that Los Angeles is one of the world centers of the graffiti scene. (in particular, the works of graffiti groups in the Belmont tunnel are widely known).

The city has a famous "public art" program that requires all developers building new buildings to donate one percent of the cost of construction to a public arts fund.

Bars and restaurants

Los Angeles' food scene has earned a reputation as one of the most vibrant and eclectic in the world, from celebrity chefs whipping up farmer's market produce to authentic international cuisine. All its inhabitants are very fond of good food and drink, the word "gourmet" is applicable here to almost everyone. There are many places in Los Angeles where people go to see and show themselves, but there are even more ordinary cafes where you can eat or order food to go. In such simple establishments, you will hardly need to think about a dress code.

Many representatives of different nationalities live in Los Angeles, so the cuisine of this city is infinitely diverse. The cool climate means food is always fresh here. Vegetarians and healthy eaters alike can always find something to their liking.

Heart Street Promenade is home to cafes and restaurants, but if you're looking for something special (and inexpensive), go to the Venice Broadwalk. On the Pacific Coast Highway you will find many cheap seafood restaurants. But for Beverly Hills, you have to dress up and take a lot of money with you. And not far from here is the cheaper student district - Westwood. You can also grab a bite to eat in the huge Hollywood and Highland shopping complex, but the trendiest restaurants are located along Melrose Avenue. You can also eat in large hotels in the city center or in old Pasadena, where there are many different cafes and bistros.

For dinner in Los Angeles, you are unlikely to have to give up your last shirt, unless, of course, you go to the most expensive restaurants, where for two people you will have to pay starting from $ 70 (without alcohol). Lunch will be cheaper - about $40. In an average restaurant, be prepared to charge $8-10 per person for breakfast, $10-12 for lunch, and $20-25 for dinner. (without drinks). Wherever you are, we advise you to leave a tip of about 15% of the check amount. Locals usually have lunch from half past twelve to two in the afternoon, and dinner from 6 to 9 pm, but many restaurants can open earlier and close later.

Bars open anytime between 6am and 2am, but most open at 11am and close at midnight (Friday and Saturday later). In licensed restaurants, alcohol is served at any time except between 2 am and 6 am. You have the right to buy or drink alcohol in California if you are over 21 years old, they may ask for a document.

Accommodation

For those who come to relax and visit the famous film studios, there is a huge selection of hotels with different price categories, different styles of decoration and a diverse range of services offered. Of course, among them are the world-famous hotel chains Hilton, Sheraton, Marriot and Ritz-Carlton.

Most hotels with different numbers of stars have autographs of world-famous celebrities who, as you know, have a habit of leaving various things in their wardrobe as a keepsake. It should also be noted that in any area of ​​the city there are hotels that give the impression that they are intended for people of a clear profession, for example, hotels decorated in a futuristic style located in party quarters. Such hotels can be seen in the area of ​​the city called “Little Tokyo”. The hotel business in Los Angeles continues to grow and develop, constantly improving, as the sights of the “city of angels” attract not only foreigners, but also the Americans themselves.

Location

This is the main point when choosing a hotel in a city like Los Angeles. Most of the hotels are located on major west-east highways between downtown and the coast of Santa Monica. If you plan to stay in the city for more than a few days, then it is better to stop in turn in two different areas (e.g. Santa Monica and Hollywood or Beverly Hills and Pasadena).

Hotels

Full-service hotels, usually located in the center, in the Westside or Beverly Hills, have many more additional options - fitness centers, swimming pools, laundries, Internet, car parking, doorman - and this will all, of course, be reflected in the price. In less trendy areas, hotels are usually smaller and cheaper. Most hotels don't include breakfast or parking, but children usually get a free bed in their parents' room.

Motels and hostels

Motels are usually located outside the city, right on the highway. They usually have a TV and internet. The entrance to the motel room is most often directly from the street, which creates a security problem. There are hostels where a night costs from 10 to 25 dollars per person. Most dorm-style rooms are single-sex only, but some also have family rooms. Visit the Youth Hostels of America website (www.hiayh.org). Bed and breakfasts are also very common.

Camping

There are so many campsites in Malibu where you can stay at any time of the year. For reservations in Southern California National Parks, call 800-444-7275. Remember that places are booked months in advance.

The best hotels in Los Angeles

Mondrian Hotel

The stylish modern Hotel Mondrian welcomes you into a glamorous and fantasy world created by renowned French designer Philippe Starck. Finding yourself here, you will plunge into that atmosphere of sensuality, which, as it turned out, is close and understandable to many representatives of cinematic bohemia. Indeed, it is difficult to refuse to spend even a few days in this realm of romance. Spacious halls filled with juicy, bright light, beautiful rooms, the entire design of which was reduced to the use of white, light beige and sky gray. Beautiful terraces surrounded by greenery with a swimming pool, from where a stunning view of the city opens, and a pleasant melody is heard under the water - this is only part of what the hotel has prepared for you!

The hotel is located in West Hollywood (West Hollywood), on the famous Sunset Boulevard (Sunset Boulevard), five minutes walk from the Sunset Strip (SunSet Strip), 15 minutes from Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills), 35 minutes from Universal Studio (Universal Studios), 20 minutes from downtown, 45 minutes from Disneyland. The current owner is Cindy Crawford's husband, Randy Gerber. One of the most striking incarnations of Philippe Starck. The 12-storey hotel is designed in a modern style Urban Resort (Urban Resort), is distinguished by its modern interior and impeccable service.

The hotel has a Sky bar, known no less than the hotel itself, an outdoor heated pool on the roof of the hotel offering a magnificent panorama of the city, SPA, jacuzzi, gym, massage, business center, laundry, dry cleaning, concierge, 24-hour room service, a permanent exhibition of designer furniture and items art.

The room has a fully equipped kitchen, color cable TV, VCR, video library, three telephones, fax, tape recorder, hair dryer, mini-bar, iron and ironing board, bathrobes.

8440 Sunset Boulevard, (90069 West Hollywood. 8440 Sunset Boulevard)
www.gramercyparkhotel.com
Room price from $300

The Loews Santa Monica Beach hotel is located on the beach in the fashionable area of ​​Santa Monica, 20 minutes from the airport.

The hotel has 350 rooms, 8 floors, 29 meeting rooms, restaurant, bar, business center, health center, gym, indoor and outdoor pools, dry cleaning and laundry services, express checkout, parking.

In the room: air conditioning, bathroom with hairdryer and bathrobe, mini-bar, cable TV, telephone with voice mail.

1700 Ocean Avenue (90401, Santa Monica, 1700 Ocean Avenue)
Room price from $300

The Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey

One of the largest man-made harbors in the world - Del Rey Harbor - has become the place where the hotel is located, whose name speaks for itself. The Ritz-Carlton is a special style, traditions and atmosphere, as well as the highest level of service, designed for the most demanding audience. The Ritz-Carlton is an opportunity for a wonderful holiday, which will take place against the backdrop of chic, brilliance and luxury. No wonder this hotel often becomes the venue for wedding ceremonies, gala dinners and banquets - the elegant European decor always finds its admirers.

Located near Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, 10 minutes drive from the airport. The hotel offers beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.

The hotel has 306 rooms, restaurant, bar, outdoor heated pool, fitness center, gym, SPA, jacuzzi, massage, sauna, yoga, tennis, basketball, babysitting, conference room, business center.

In the room: TV, telephone, radio, mini-bar, hairdryer, safe, scales, bathrobes, umbrella.

The Ritz-Carlton Club: 46 rooms located on the top two floors, which can only be accessed with a special key. Offers express check-out, afternoon tea, cocktails.

Admiralty Way 4375 (Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292) 310-823-1700 Fax: 310-823-2403
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/MarinadelRey/Default.htm
Room price from $300

Regent Beverly Wilshire

Two worlds, two images, one name. Regent Beverly Wilshire - a hotel located at the intersection of the famous Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard, is distinguished by its versatility. Here a clear line is laid between the always fashionable classics and modernity, which, of course, will find a lot of its admirers. Not so long ago to the old 10-storey building "Wilshire Wing" (Wilshire Wing), decorated in a classic European style, a new building "Beverly Wing" was added (Beverly Wing) in 14 floors. Designed in an ultra-modern style, it has become a successful addition and successor to all the traditions of its predecessor. It should be noted that the hotel, which is a representative of the well-known hotel chain "For Sizan" (Four Seasons), there is something to be proud of: it is recognized by the prestigious association "The Leading Hotels of the World" (Leader of the Hotel World) and the number of its guests is growing year by year.

Location: At the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive. The film Pretty Woman starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts was filmed at this hotel.

The hotel has 395 rooms, including 120 suites, an award-winning California restaurant, room service, multilingual staff, fax, photocopy, mail delivery, ticket office, business center, translation services, limousine service, health club, beauty salon, sauna, massage, swimming pool, babysitting, entertainment programs.

The room has a safe, a bar, a refrigerator, an Italian marble bathroom with towels, bathrobes, a hairdryer, woolen blankets, down pillows and pillows with synthetic filling, a telephone (at least 2 lines) with answering machine, TV, air conditioning, mini-bar, safe.

3515 Wilshire Boulevard (90010, USA, Los Angeles. 3515 Wilshire Blvd)
Prices from 100$

The Beverly Hilton

Creating his brainchild - the Beverly Hilton Hotel (The Beverly Hilton) - Conrad Hilton had high hopes for him. But could he imagine that the glory of the hotel would surpass all his, even the most daring, expectations. Since its opening on August 12, 1955, the hotel has become incredibly popular: movie stars and leading politicians have stayed here, John F. Kennedy liked to visit here, for which the hotel was even called the “White House of the West”. Over the many decades of its existence, the hotel has developed many traditions: every year it hosts the Golden Globe Award ceremony and a gala dinner in honor of the nominees for the prestigious Oscar film award. And the daily life of the hotel is more like a star catwalk, where Mel Gibson, Robin Williams, John Travolta, Dustin Hoffman, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith appear with enviable regularity.

The hotel is located near the centers of entertainment and business life, close to the elite area of ​​Beverly Hills.

In the hotel: 188 elegant suites with a balcony and a living room, two restaurants, a bar, lounges for relaxation, two heated pools, a jacuzzi, a beauty salon, a fitness center, and 24-hour room-service.

The room has cable TV, minibar.

Note - Children under 18 stay free of charge in a double room with parents using existing beds.

9876 Wilshire Boulevard | Beverly Hills, CA 90210
www.beverlyhilton.com
Room price from $250

Quite often, in photo albums dedicated to America, you can find photos depicting high-rise cylindrical towers built in the heart of the business district of Los Angeles. 35 glass-clad floors hide the world of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, often referred to as a "city within a city." It is difficult to doubt the correctness of these words: 1354 rooms and 135 Suites deserve the best reviews; a huge atrium of six floors with amazing ease accommodates many boutiques and bars. 19 restaurants and cafes cater for all tastes: international and American cuisine, as well as treats made from the best seafood; For those with a sweet tooth, delicious and mouth-watering desserts and cocktails await. A point of special pride is the L.A. restaurant located on the top floor. Prime Steak House”: it offers a panoramic view of the city, which looks especially beautiful at night.

404 South Fijora Street (90071, USA, Los Angeles, 404 South Figueroa Street)
Room price from $130

The Beverly Hills Hotel

The Beverly Hills Hotel - Legendary hotel. It was from him that the history of Beverly Hills began - the now elite area of ​​​​Los Angeles, where many representatives of the world cinema elite settled. It was built at the dawn of the 20th century, in 1912, under the direction of Margaret Anderson and her son Stanley. In the mid-20s, it was not just a hotel where silent film stars Rudolf Valentino, Gloria Swanson and Charlie Chaplin lived - for several years city celebrations took place in the halls of the hotel, which on weekdays were replaced by school lessons, and on Sundays - church services.

Time passed and pretty soon "Pink Lady" ("Pink Lady"), as the hotel is sometimes called, became the place where not only movie stars, but also prominent politicians and musicians aspired to get. In the 70s, John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent several days here, and in 1972 the great Charlie Chaplin again visited the hotel, where he came to receive a special Oscar award.

9641 Sunset Boulevard
Room price from $350

Bel Air

One and a half kilometers west of Beverly Hills is one of the most romantic hotels in Los Angeles and its first boutique hotel - Bel-Air. Once here, as if you are transported to another time, to which reality has nothing to do. The hotel is located in the depths of a beautiful flowering park. A pond and swans swimming there add a special charm to it. Tranquility and solitude, a state of harmony and tranquility overwhelms everyone who comes here. Walk along the alleys of the park, look into one of the restaurants, relax on the terrace, visit the spa rooms, which offer a wide range of treatments, and then become a guest of the pavilion where Marilyn Monroe used to live while staying at the hotel. Today, the pavilion has acquired a new look and purpose, but the very idea that the legendary Hollywood actress lived here fills it with a special meaning.

701 Stone Canyon Highway (90077, USA, Los Angeles, 701 Stone Canyon Road)
Room price from $320

Los Angeles Hotel Deals

Etiquette

In Los Angeles, it is customary to dress in a casual style. Men rarely wear a jacket and tie, even to dinner at a fancy restaurant.

Smoking is prohibited in public buildings, bars and restaurants. Allowed only in restaurants at tables on the street, if other visitors do not mind. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms.

Tipping - 15-20% for waiters. 15% - for taxi drivers, 1-2 dollars for baggage porters, 1 dollar per piece of clothing - for a cloakroom attendant. 15-20% - to the hairdresser. 1-2 dollars - to the porter-packer.

Blue Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to one of the largest gay communities in America. Advocate Magazine, Lesbian and Gay Parents and Friends Association (PFLAG), America's first church and synagogue for gays - all this appeared here. Gays and lesbians have filled all segments of society: entertainment business, politics, business, there are many of them among the actors / waiters / models.

Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. Boystown is the epicenter of the gay community. Dozens of dynamic bars, cafes, restaurants, gyms and clubs are particularly lively from Thursday to Sunday; most of them are served by gay men. Like everywhere else, gay venues have a much more relaxed atmosphere. Silver Lake, historically the first gay enclave in Los Angeles. evolved from leather and Levi's to cute hipsters of different nationalities. A large gay community also inhabits Long Beach.

Gay Pride in Los Angeles (Gay Pride; www.lapride.org), which takes place in mid-June, attracts hundreds of thousands of gays. On Santa Monica Boulevard at this time there is an ongoing fun. There are clubs where you can make friends during the rest of the year. Information about them can be found in free magazines and at www.losangeles.gaycities.com.

shopping

Los Angeles is a shopper's paradise. It doesn't matter where you are more interested - in a fashion boutique or a grocery store. Many stores have doormen, so if you're shopping, consider your appearance in advance.

Fashion

Los Angeles is a city of fashion, sometimes even its victim. Here everyone tries to look as fashionable and rich as possible, especially if they are going to a famous restaurant or a nightclub party. While you're roaming the boutiques looking for something out of the ordinary, you always have a chance to meet some celebrity. Be sure to check out Rodeo Drive or Melrose Avenue - here you will find everything from the most famous brands to rare vintage collectible jewelry, shoes and handbags. And although many things are fabulously priced here, there is a good chance that you will be able to treat yourself to some trinket.

Free time

People flock to Los Angeles not only for a beautiful life, many come here to enjoy the pleasant climate and spend their free time with health benefits, so it is not surprising that any sports equipment, surfboards, skateboards, rollerblades, an insane amount of all sorts of T-shirts, swimwear and sneakers can be found anywhere in the city at any price. The most popular sports are tennis and golf, in any sports shop you will definitely find something in which you can easily conquer any court or playground, whether it be a park or a trendy country club.

For home and garden

You can also buy any household goods in the city. Residents of Los Angeles care not only about themselves and about fashion, but also about their homes and gardens, so the sale of all kinds of decorative and useful knick-knacks is widely developed here.

Music

Music is the whole business here. All the music in the world is collected in huge stores on the Sunset Strip or small shops selling new and used CDs.

Books

There are also many large and small bookstores in Los Angeles. Some of them specialize in certain topics, such as recipes, detective stories or movies. Bookstores are everywhere, but check out Heart Street in West Hollywood, Hollywood Boulevard, or Westwood Village.

For good health

Health and beauty stores in Los Angeles will satisfy any discerning shopper. In chic spas and cheap shops, you will find avocado face masks, aromatherapy oils, handmade soaps, and a variety of creams. Health care extends to food - in Los Angeles, it is easy to find any natural products, nutritional supplements or soy products.

curiosities

Picking out John Wen's footprints from Grauman's Chinese Theater, like Lucille Ball did in I Love Lucy, is probably not the best idea, because there are so many different souvenirs around. Hollywood Boulevard sells a great variety of T-shirts, baseball caps, stacks, key chains, posters, mugs and more with movie symbols.

Climate

Los Angeles is located in the subtropical Mediterranean climate zone. This region is characterized by mild, fairly wet winters and warm, even hot summers. Pacific breezes make the city's coastline areas cooler in summer and warmer in winter than more continental areas.

Rains are most common during the winter and spring months. (February is the wettest month). Snow rarely falls within the city limits, while the mountains surrounding Los Angeles are covered with snow quite regularly.

Due to climatic conditions, some days in Los Angeles it is possible to do both skiing and surfing on the same day.

• spring (from mid-March to end of June) usually comfortable and dry.
• Summer (end of June to mid-September)- the best time for beaches and amusement parks. There are fogs in late summer, although the humidity is usually low.
• autumn (from mid-September to November) warmly. During the day it is very nice, at night it is quite cool.
• in winter (December to mid-March) warm days become cool and nights are frosty. After sunset, don't forget to bring a sweater and jacket.

Festivals and holidays

• January. Rose Parade - A flower parade and American football championship on New Year's Day in Pasadena.
• January February. Chinese New Year - Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown.
• February. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards Ceremony - All the stars gather in Los Angeles.
• April. Thai New Year - the main action takes place at Wat Thai in North Hollywood.
• May. Mexican Independence Day at Olvera Street. Marathon and cycling - a five-kilometer distance for runners and cyclists.
• June. Jazz Festival "Playboy" - in the amphitheater "Hollywood Bowl". Gay and lesbian holiday - in a park in West Hollywood.
• July. The Lotus Festival is one of the largest lotus beds outside of China near Echo Park Lake.
• July-September. Summer festival in the amphitheater "Hollywood Bowl" - open-air concerts.
• August. Nisei Week is an event honoring Japan and America.
• September. Los Angeles Birthday is a celebration in honor of the city. Fair in Pomona.
• October. Oktoberfest is in Torrance.
• November. Day of the Dead on Olvera Street. The Doo-Da Parade is a parody of the Rose Parade.
• December. The Griffith Park Festival is a month-long light show. Los Pasadas is a holiday commemorating the journey of Mary and Joseph.

Transport

Public transport

The main public transport systems in the city are the bus network, as well as the rail transport network, which includes subway and light rail lines; the facility is operated by a government-owned company, commonly referred to as Metro or AIT. Metro Buses Bus routes run along most major streets in the county; passengers are offered various types of routes. Buses on the Metro Local route (Metro Local), make a stop every two blocks and are colored orange (some in white with orange stripes). Buses on the Metro Rapid route (Metro Rapid), faster as they only stop at major intersections; they are painted red Buses on the Metro Express route (Metro Express) travel long distances on expressways and make few stops; they are colored blue.

Metro Rail system

Metro Rail is represented by Blue Line, Green Line, Red Line, Gold Line (Metro Blue Line, Green Line, Red Line and Gold Line). In total it includes 62 stations, each next to a bus stop.

Metro Orange Line, the orange line of the metro system

The Orange Line is an east–west bus route through the San Fernando Valley between North Hollywood and the Warner Center. (North Hollywood and Warner Center). Buses on this route are painted silver and are called Metro Liners. (in a simple way, accordion buses); they stop at 13 points and operate in much the same way as Metro Rail trains.

At each point there are bus stops of other routes, other bus companies. Please note that these systems have a different fare structure than Metro. For inquiries call 800-266-6883 or visit metro.net (scheme of buses and metro).

Most Metro bus and train lines open around 4 am and run until around midnight. The number of flights is reduced towards the night and on weekends, so check the schedule on the metro.net website so that there is no doubt.

Using the metro system

Metro Rail and Metro Orange line (Metro Rail and Metro Orange Line) operate on a system based on trust. There are no conductors to collect tickets, no turnstiles to go through. Controllers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department check from time to time that passengers have valid tickets or passes.

You may never get checked, but if it does happen and you don't have a valid ticket, the inspector can issue a subpoena and you could be fined. Two children under 5 years of age enjoy free travel with each paying adult. Eating and drinking in the cabin is not allowed.

Simple bus stop rules

Make a hand signal to the bus driver to stop.

• Before entering the cabin, wait until the passengers get off, the entrance is only through the front door.
• Passengers using a wheelchair can ask the driver for help to get into the cabin and take a seat.
• The fare is paid directly to the driver. The main thing to remember is that the DRIVER DOES NOT GIVE CHANGE - have the exact amount or travel card on hand.
• Be vigilant on the road and report any suspicious incident to 888-950-7233.

Regular passenger fares

• $1.25 Metro Day Pass (Metro pass for the day)
• $5 (Unlimited travel on virtually any bus and train route during the day.)
• Weekly pass (week pass): $ 17
• Monthly Pass (monthly pass): $62

Buy a Day Pass (day pass) by taking any Metro bus (drivers don't have change, so you'll need the exact amount), or at ticket machines at Metro Rail or Metro Orange Line stations.

It is almost impossible to catch a taxi on the street, it can be easily done only in the center. It is better to take a taxi at the hotel or at the station, you can also ask the restaurant employee to order a taxi for you at the time when you plan to leave the restaurant.

Taxi services:

• Checker Cab 213-482-3456
• Independent Cab 213-385-8294
• LA Taxi 310-859-0111

Behind the wheel

Los Angeles is a very dense city and it is difficult to get around using public transport. so renting a car at the airport is not a bad idea. But since everyone else is also able to drive, you will find that there is almost always traffic jams in the city. Be sure to fasten your seat belts. children under seven years of age must sit in special chairs.

Routes from the airport

To get to Marina del Rey, Venice, Santa Monica and Malibu. follow signs north no Sepulveda Boulevard, then turn onto Lincoln Boulevard (here Highway 1) and further north.

To get to Westside and Beverly Hills follow signs to Century Freeway (105) or east on Century Boulevard to San Diego Freeway (405) . Continue north on Route 405 to the intersection with the Santa Monica Freeway (10) , and from it turn off respectively onto Santa Monica Boulevard. Wilshire Boulevard or Sunset Boulevard.

To get to Hollywood, take Route 105 East to Route 405 North to Route 10 East to Route 110 North (to Pasadena) then take the Hollywood Freeway (101) to Hollywood. Or take the 405 north to 10 east, exit the highway at La Brea, La Cienega or Fairfax and drive north to West Hollywood or Hollywood Hills.

To get to the center, take the Century Freeway (105) east to Harbor Freeway (110) north to Pasadena to downtown.

To get to Pasadena, drive downtown but continue north on Route 110 (in the northern part of the city, the name of the route will change to Pasadena Freeway).

How to get there

Airports

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is located 27 km southwest of the city center. It serves most local airlines and many international ones. The flight from London will take about 10 hours, from New York - 6, from Moscow - about 13.

Road from the airport

Airport Information 310-646-5252. Car rental companies offer free shuttles to their offices from ground transportation stands behind the lower baggage claim level.

To get downtown from Airport Boulevard, take I-405 through West Los Angeles. Perhaps the fastest way to the lake is on La Tijera Boulevard, then head north to La Cienega Boulevard in West Los Angeles. La Cienega Boulevard intersects with Wilshire Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard leading to the centre.

Buses also run to all areas of the city, for example, SuperShuttle (800-554-3146) - departs from the ground transport parking. The trip to the center will take from half an hour to an hour and will cost from 12 to 16 dollars. Metro Airport Service - these are buses between all eight terminals (shuttle A) and distant parking (shuttles B and C). Shuttle C also serves the terminal, from where buses leave for the city ($1.85-$3.35). Taxi to downtown or Hollywood - $40-50 (from half an hour to an hour on the way).

Airport design

The control tower, resembling a palm tree, was built in 1995 by American architect Keith Diamond. It blends in beautifully with the nearby spider-like building that has long been a symbol of the airport. This building has a space-style Encounter restaurant.

Airports near Los Angeles

If you are flying from another state or city in America, your plane may land at one of the smaller airports, such as Bob Hope Airport, formerly Burbank Airport (818-840-8840) in Burbank; John Wayne Airport (949-252-5200) in Santa Ana; Long Beach Municipal Airport (562-570-2600) or at Ontario International Airport in Ontario (909-937-2700) , which is only handy if you decide to visit the desert first.

By bus

Main Station 1716 E. 7th Street. There are also terminals in Anaheim. Hollywood and Pasadena. More information: 800-231-2222.

By train

Trains arrive at Union Station (800 N. Alameda Street), north of the center. Red metro line, DASH buses. More information: 800-872-7245.

Additional Information

• DASH Routes - www.ladotransit.com/dash/routes/downtown/downtown.html
• Metro and buses - www.metro.net

In case of lost luggage

• Los Angeles International Airport: Contact your airline representative to find out where the baggage tracing desk is located.
• Airport Police 310-417-0440.
• Forgotten items on the subway or bus 323-937-8920.
• Otherwise, contact the police. Addresses and phone numbers of departments are in the phone books.

Tours

• Los Angeles Conservancy - 213-623-2489. Thematic excursions.
• Starline Tours - 800-959-3131. Excursions to star places and Hollywood, some are conducted on double-decker buses.
• Casablanca Tours - 323-461-0156. Excursions on the theme of show business.
• American Limousines - 310-829-1066.
• Gondola Getaway - 562-433-9595.

Medical service

Many hotels have a doctor or dentist, or look in the Yellow Pages telephone directory for "Physicians and Surgeons" or "Dentists".

Most hospitals in the city accept in emergencies. 24 hour hospitals:

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center 8700 Beverly Boulevard, West Hollywood 310-423-8780.

Good Samaritan Hospital 1225 Wilshire Boulevard. Downtown. 213-977-2121.

There are quite a few pharmacies, see the Yellow Pages guide. Guests from other countries note that many well-known medicines are available, but under different names, so it is better to show the recipe or packaging. If you need to buy a prescription drug, be sure to get a prescription from your doctor.

Education

Los Angeles is an important center of higher and secondary specialized education in the United States. Among the most famous educational institutions operating in the city and suburbs:

• University of California at Los Angeles (part of the University of California - www.uda.edu),
• California State University (California State University),
• California Institute of Technology (California Institute of Technology - www.caltech.edu),
• Southern California Medical University (University of Southern California: Health Sciences - www.usc.edu),
• Otis College of Art and Design (Otis College of Art and Design - www.otis.edu),
• American Film Institute (American Film Institute - www.afi.com),
• Southern California Institute of Architecture (Southern California Institute of Architecture - www.sciarc.edu)

Airfare low price calendar

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The first city I was lucky enough to visit was Los Angeles. And from the first day, he proved himself well. A few hours after arriving at the first grocery store in the center, I came face to face with Hollywood actress Lisa Kudrow (played by Phoebe in Friends)! It was significant: on the very first day in America to meet the idol of his childhood. It turned out that finding a star doing household chores is a rarity ...

Los Angeles is one of the largest and most expensive cities in the world. When we talk about Los Angeles, the Hollywood sign immediately comes to mind, famous actors walking along the streets and green palm trees all year round. Yes, it is in many ways exactly the way we imagine it, but, like any foreign city, it has many features and things that are unusual for us. Let's talk about everything in order.

How to get there

The road to the City of Angels is not fast and very tiring. Obviously, the only way to reach the United States from Eurasia is by plane.

Los Angeles, in addition, is located in the most remote point of America from us: on the West Coast, in the state. That is, you will also have to fly across the whole of America to the very coast of the Pacific Ocean. Since the distance is far, air tickets, whatever one may say, will not be cheap!

By plane

I have bought tickets to Los Angeles more than once and have identified a formula for the maximum possible savings:

1. First you need to choose the most profitable resource, the metasearch of air tickets. You can try, including, I like it.
2. You should start searching for tickets in advance, this makes it possible to compare prices on different days of the week.
3. It matters not only the day on which you are going to fly, but also the day of the purchase itself. According to my own observations, it is most profitable to buy tickets in the first half of the working week (from Monday to Wednesday). The time of the trip already depends on your plans, but, as you know, tickets are always more expensive in the summer, on New Year's and other holidays.
4. Now we need to create a route. Aeroflot Airlines operates daily direct flights to Los Angeles from Moscow (flight time - 12 hours). Unfortunately, there are no direct flights either from St. Petersburg or from other Russian cities. So, if you do not live in the capital, you will have to make a transplant in Moscow, Europe or America. Usually, the more transfers, the cheaper the ticket. This is another way to save money, but I do not recommend this option when traveling with children, as it is very tiring. To date, the choice of flights with transfers is huge, here are some of them (from Moscow): AirFrance with a transfer in Paris (connection 1 hour 15 minutes, flight time with transfer - 17 hours), Swiss via Zurich (connection 2 hours 20 minutes, time flight with transfer - 18 hours 15 minutes), Lufthansa via (connection 17 hours 50 minutes, flight time with transfer - 33 hours 35 minutes), etc.
5. Another point that you need to take care of in advance is a transit visa (transit visa - a visa that is issued for no more than 72 hours to transfer through the territory of a particular country). This applies to transfers carried out on the territory of the Schengen countries. You will only need a transit visa if you need to leave the transit zone of the airport during a transfer, for example, to go to another terminal.

Bottom line: the cheapest ticket to Los Angeles (and back) is a ticket bought in advance, on a weekday, out of season, with a transfer. The price of such a ticket starts on average from 35 thousand rubles per passenger.

If you are not going to return to the city of arrival by the same car, you can return it in any other city by paying about 50 USD. This service is offered by large car rental companies, for example: Enterprise, AVIS, Thrifty.

Clue:

Los Angeles - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 10

Kazan 10

Samara 11

Yekaterinburg 12

Novosibirsk 14

Vladivostok 17

When is the season. When is the best time to go

Los Angeles is one of those cities that can be said to be the same color in winter and summer.

It is a fairly comfortable city to live in with minimal rainfall and 330 sunny days a year.

As a heat-tolerant person, I would say that Los Angeles is always either hot or very hot. But many people think differently, so I'd better give the numbers. The weather varies on average from +15 °С in December to +35 °С in July.

The most popular period for making tourist trips to Los Angeles is during the summer months during vacations and school holidays. Personally, I do not recommend this time for a trip for the following reasons:

• In summer, a huge number of vacationers arrive in the city, not only tourists, but also residents from other states, in connection with which kilometer-long queues are formed at airports, in all tourist places of the city (museums, attractions, studios, shops, etc.), crowds of people on the beaches, traffic jams are getting bigger.
• Airfare and accommodation prices are always higher during the summer months.
• The scorching sun is tiring and does not allow you to fully enjoy the journey. Exploring Los Angeles, you will have to travel long distances from one attraction to another. To do this, you need to move a lot either on your own (on foot and public transport), or in a rented car. In any case, the heat will be exhausting, and the enthusiasm will gradually leave you.

For those who love and easily tolerate the heat, summer is the perfect time to travel. And for those who are uncomfortable traveling under the scorching sun in a big city, May, June, September, October would be best. During these months it is quite warm, there is no precipitation, a pleasant wind blows and you can still (or already) swim in the ocean.

los angeles in summer

The air temperature in summer in Los Angeles reaches an average of +35 ° C, but when you are under the scorching sun, it seems that everything is +40 ° C outside. Everything melts! It is not uncommon for wildfires to occur in central and southern California during the summer months.

Summer is the most popular time for trips to the city, because you can sunbathe, swim in the ocean, take surfing lessons! The main thing - do not forget about sunscreen.

Los Angeles in autumn

In the autumn months, Los Angeles gradually begins to "cool down". The temperature is about +20, +25 °C, there is no such influx of people. It is still comfortable to walk and go to the beach, but you can no longer swim.

On the eve of Halloween, the city is gripped by "costume fever", after which a period of calm and cozy autumn sets in. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the last Thursday of November.

Los Angeles in spring

Spring in Los Angeles is very pleasant weather. Warm, but not hot, like in autumn, the temperature is about +20, +25 °С.

The city becomes even greener in March, when the Irish holiday of St. Patrick's Day, symbolized by the shamrock, is widely celebrated across the country on the 17th. On this day, it is customary to wear green clothes.

And in May, the violet tree (jacaranda), common in Los Angeles, begins to bloom, the streets are transformed!

Los Angeles in winter

The lowest temperature in winter in Los Angeles is +15 °C. Coolness is truly felt only when a strong wind blows. Sometimes it rains in winter. Perhaps, except for short rains and New Year's decorations, nothing else betrays the onset of winter.

From the end of November, festivities and Christmas parades begin in the city. All houses and streets are decorated in a festive way, in the shops of the sale. Another enjoyable winter activity is ice skating. With the beginning of the season, a huge skating rink is poured in the center of the city on Pershing Square.

Clue:

Los Angeles - monthly weather

Districts. Where is the best place to live

Los Angeles is a very large city with many different neighborhoods, some of which are actually separate cities. This is an important point to keep in mind.

For example, you want to book a hotel in Los Angeles, and its address is 111 Oceanbridge Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90023 (111 Oceanbridge Avenue, 90023). In our understanding, this is just an area on the territory of the so-called Greater Los Angeles.

Los Angeles consists of a colossal number of such towns, districts and microdistricts, so it is impossible to describe them all. I will highlight the most culturally significant of them, worth visiting and in which it is convenient to live, as well as dangerous areas in which a tourist should definitely not stay.

Santa Monica

This is a small city in the western part of Los Angeles on the Pacific coast. One of the most touristic places in the city is the beach "Santa Monica» (Santa Monica Beach) amazing size. All year round, along it, tourists and residents of the city ride bicycles, play volleyball, do yoga, etc.

The beach is also home to the famous pier of the same name. This is a place where you can walk, eat American burgers or cotton candy, ride the rides and just enjoy the scenery.

Not far from the coastline is the 3rd Street Promenade, which I stubbornly call the Arbat. It reminds me a lot of him. There are cozy cafes, restaurants and eateries, a cinema, a shopping center, souvenir shops, shops of leading brands and a dozen street musicians.

Venice

Another town on the ocean just a couple of kilometers from Santa Monica. Venice is considered an elite area of ​​Los Angeles with a lot of expensive real estate, boutiques and restaurants. But a must-see place is Venice Beach.

Although it is located near Santa Monica Beach, these are completely different places, primarily in their atmosphere. "Venice" is more cheeky, it has a row of tents with souvenirs, marijuana shops, skateboard and surf rentals, tattoo parlors, palmistry studios. There are even freak shows. Even along the beach, both tourists and locals breakdance, play basketball and work out on simulators in the famous gym where Arnold Schwarzenegger once trained.

Malibu

A coastal town far from the center of Los Angeles, which is associated with the popular series of the nineties "Baywatch" (by the way, it was filmed not in Malibu itself, but on the beach "Will Rogers" nearby and in Hawaii).

On 40 kilometers of the coastline of Malibu are the most expensive mansions in Los Angeles and the homes of many Hollywood actors. This is truly an ideal place to live: wide beaches, ocean air, picturesque landscapes and remoteness from the bustle of the city.

Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills)

The famous area of ​​luxury hotels, shops and restaurants, the area of ​​mansions of Hollywood stars and palm alleys. The most beautiful street here is the well-known Rodeo Drive, where the most expensive boutiques and gastronomic establishments are located, where instead of traffic jams there is a parade of brand new racing cars.

Even if your plans do not include spending a fortune on branded items, still visit this place. I would call Rodeo Drive a glamorous street that is just nice to walk along.

West Hollywood

The closest neighbor is Beverly Hills and a favorite haunt of the rich. It is also popular among tourists as an area of ​​clubs, restaurants and shops.

One of the main streets of Los Angeles - 36-kilometer Sunset Boulevard (Sunset Boulevard) - passes through several areas, including West Hollywood. Their intersection is called Sunset Strip (Sunset Strip) and is the center of the city's nightlife.

Mid-Wilshire

Mid is short for middle - “middle”, and Wilshire is the name of another significant street in Los Angeles - Wilshire Boulevard. This area is located between West Hollywood and Downtown.

The part of the boulevard that runs through Mid-Wilshire is called the Miracle Mile. In fact, it is 1.5 miles, or almost 2.5 kilometers of restaurants, shops, nightclubs, theaters and museums. The so-called Museum Row (Museum Row) has collected five famous museums in Los Angeles:

1. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art);
2. The Petersen Automotive Museum;
3. Museum of Craft and Folk Art (CAFAM Craft and Folk Art Museum);
4. Academy Museum of Motion Picture Arts / Academy Museum of Motion Pictures scheduled to open 2017-2018;
5. La Brea Ranch / La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.

And not far from the Museum Row is the farmers market and the open-air shopping center "The Grove" (The Grove).

Downtown

It is visible from afar. This is the financial center of the city, there are offices of large companies and banks, business centers. It seems that all the skyscrapers of the city are collected on this island.

Tourists here may be interested in such places as Pershing Square, City Hall with an observation deck on the 27th floor, Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Burbank

This is a small area north of downtown Los Angeles. It seems to me that it should be at the top of the tourist list.

Indeed, in order to feel the city of cinema, the birthplace of Oscar and Disney cartoons, you must definitely visit a couple of existing film studios. And the main Hollywood film studios are located here: Warner Brothers, Walt Disney and, very close, in the Universal City area, Universal Studios.

Dangerous areas

As with any city, there are places in Los Angeles where tourists should not visit.

These are poor gangster areas where it can be really unsafe:

• Compton (Compton) - the most criminal area of ​​Los Angeles;
• Crenshaw is a dangerous area, the inhabitants of which themselves can approach a tourist and advise not to walk the streets after sunset, and this is at best;
• Downtown (Downtown) - unsafe to walk in the evening and on it.

Separately about housing

The areas of Los Angeles are obviously very different from each other in their specifics: some offer wide beaches, others - excellent shopping or a large selection of museums.

Unlike many other tourist cities in America, there is no clear division in Los Angeles: expensive housing close to the center, cheap housing far from the center. It all depends on the region itself. For example, Malibu, one of the most expensive places to live, inhabited mainly by Hollywood stars, is located at a fairly large distance from the center (about 50 kilometers). As I mentioned, there is no specific area in Los Angeles that would bring most of the attractions together. Places worth visiting are scattered throughout the city, so you will have to travel a lot.

Some of the most expensive areas to live in:

• beverly hills,
• santa monica,
• West Hollywood.

These areas are considered elite, where you pay for comfort: five-star hotels in Santa Monica with ocean views, luxury hotels and boutiques in Beverly Hills and the neighboring West Hollywood area with the famous Hollywood Boulevard and the best restaurants. The cost of the hotel varies from 200 USD to 500 USD per day.

Less expensive accommodation (about 100 USD per day) can be found in areas:

• downtown,
• Mid-Wilshire.

And, of course, you can always find inexpensive hostels and motels.

You can see the current prices for hotel rooms in each specific area. To save as much as possible, I advise you to book accommodation in advance at. There are good deals on apartments.

What are the prices for holidays

Vacation prices can vary greatly. The price is made up of living conditions (hostel / motel / hotel / apartment), area, restaurants visited and the purpose of the trip. Maybe you're going to Los Angeles for surfing, shopping, or visiting movie studios, or both. Another important point is the way of moving around the city. You can travel both by public transport and by taxi, or rent a car, which is the most expensive option (rent, insurance, gasoline - from 100 USD per day). There are many things to consider.

Let's calculate the average cost of a two-week vacation in Los Angeles for a tourist staying in a good hotel (4 stars) in the city center:

• visa fee - 160 USD;
• medical insurance - 50 USD;
• air tickets (round trip per person) ~ from 500 USD;
• accommodation (two weeks per person) ~ from 1,500 USD;
• transport ~ 50 USD (public transport), ~ 500 USD (car rental);
• mobile communication - 30 USD (tourist SIM card for 21 days of the T-Mobile operator);
• meals (breakfast is usually included in the price) ~ from 700 USD (minimum 25 USD for 1 trip to the cafe).
• Depending on your wishes: excursions and museums, shopping and entertainment (sports, attractions, bars, clubs).

In total, it turns out about 3,500 USD, excluding leisure :).

Main attractions. What to watch

Los Angeles is a huge metropolis with an impressive number of attractions and entertainment. Everyone will find something to their liking here. I would divide the sights of the City of Angels into cultural, natural and entertainment.

There are more than 350 museums, dozens of parks and canyons, hundreds of beaches and many theme parks, film studios and shopping centers. You can also try your hand at surfing or rock climbing.

Top 5

Walk of Fame

it is the #1 tourist spot in Los Angeles. Although many of my friends, having visited the Walk of Fame, are a little disappointed, explaining this by the fact that they always imagined it to be more colorful and pompous. But in fact, this is just a street, and rather dirty, on which a crowd of tourists always walks. But I think that the star street, whatever one may say, is one of the main symbols of the city.

The alley occupied as many as 18 blocks on Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. Several kilometers of the boulevard are adorned with thousands of copper stars, so finding the one that belongs to your idol can take time. But here's a little hint: Oscar-winning stars are mostly located near the Kodak Theater, where it takes place every year.

Each star has a special sign symbolizing a particular area of ​​activity of the recipient. Thus, a film camera symbolizes the film industry, TV - television, a phonograph - music and the sound recording industry, a radio microphone - radio, masks of comedy and tragedy - theater.

Santa Monica Beach

The beach closest to the city center (25 kilometers from Downtown), it is also the most touristy. But neither a large number of people, nor the presence of a road nearby spoil the impression of this place.

The beach is so wide and long that everyone will find a place for themselves. You can come to Santa Monica to relax, sunbathe and enjoy the ocean, play sports or ride the rides on the pier.

Rodeo Drive (Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills)

The well-known street in the Beverly Hills area is one of the most expensive in the world.

Luxury boutiques, restaurants and hotels under the shade of palm leaves.

Griffith Observatory

The Jenkins Griffith Observatory, with adjoining exhibition halls and a planetarium, opened to the public in 1935.

If you want to enjoy a panoramic view of the vast Los Angeles, and at the same time see the famous Hollywood Sign, then you are here.

Universal Studios

Unlike Disneyland, it will be interesting not only for children, but also for adults. This amusement park is a whole city divided into themed zones. Everything is there: the Jurassic Park zone, the city of Springfield from the Simpsons cartoon, the city of Minions from Despicable Me, there are small ones and England and much more.

And most recently, in 2016, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened with life-sized Hogwarts, butterbeer carts, gift shops and "magical" goods.

For fans of Harry Potter, there is a huge selection of themed clothes, sweets and magic wands of all the main characters of the film. Also, magic wands are divided into ordinary ones for 39.9 USD and interactive ones for 47.9 USD. The latter respond to spells, they can be used during your journey through the world of Harry Potter.

Beaches. Which is better

There are dozens of beaches on the Pacific coast, and all of them have their own specifics. By the way, the west coast of the United States is considered one of the best places for surfing. I will write more about surfing in Los Angeles below in the Extreme Sports section.

So, from north to south along the coast are the following beaches.

Malibu beaches

The coastal town of Malibu has many beautiful beaches. This area is distinguished by beautiful landscapes, mesmerizing sunsets and a peaceful atmosphere. This is probably why many celebrities buy houses here.

The best beaches in Malibu:

1. Zuma (Zuma Beach),
2. Dume Cove Beach,
3. Paradise Cove Beach,
4. Malibu Lagoon State Beach,
5. Topanga State Beach.

Distance from the center of Los Angeles - 44 kilometers.

Santa Monica State Beach

As I mentioned above in the Top 5 section, Santa Monica Beach is perhaps the most attractive for tourists. This is understandable, it is never boring here, there is a lot of entertainment for both large companies and families with children.

Biking, amusement rides, beach volleyball, a wide coastline, a yoga area and volleyball courts, as well as cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops and a cinema within walking distance - it's all a beach.

Distance from the center of Los Angeles - 25 kilometers.

Venice Beach

The second most popular beach in Los Angeles after Santa Monica, one of the closest to the city center and rich in entertainment. This beach is special, because here almost no one lies on the sand.

Venice attracts crowds of people with its famous promenade, where there is a Rastaman atmosphere: medical marijuana at every turn, street dancers, comedians, palmists and tattoo artists. And along the waterfront there are basketball courts and an open-air gym.

Once the Muscle Beach sports beach, which is part of Venice, was the Mecca of bodybuilders, Arnold Schwarzenegger himself worked here. Now it's more like a kind of theater where amateur bodybuilders show off their skills. In general, "Venis" is an interesting beach, but very noisy! Read more about Venice Beach here.

Distance from the center of Los Angeles - 27 kilometers.

Playa Del Rey Beach

There is also a relaxed atmosphere here. Along the coastline are small hotels and beach bungalows. In terms of infrastructure, Playa del Rey is no different from others: it also has volleyball courts and kilometers of bike paths.

Distance from the center of Los Angeles - 30 kilometers.

Manhattan (Manhattan Beach County Park)

A popular beach with the rich. Many call it the birthplace of beach volleyball. Here you can sunbathe, play sports and watch the sunset. Along the coastline, in addition to the bike path and the pedestrian promenade, there are summer houses in a row (although they rest in them in winter, the weather allows). This luxury accommodation overlooks the ocean, almost every house has its own barbecue area, sauna, hot tub and terrace.

Distance from the center of Los Angeles - 32 kilometers.

Redondo Beach

Here you can definitely choose an activity to your liking: cycling, fishing on the pier, diving and snorkeling, surfing and paddleboarding, boating or boating and beach volleyball are available. Ideal for families with children. There is beautiful soft sand, the entry into the water is gentle.

Distance from the center of Los Angeles - 36 kilometers.

Long Beach

A beach in the port town of the same name in the south of Greater Los Angeles. Like other beaches, there is a long coastline and a bike path, but not crowded. It is a quiet and calm beach, well maintained and clean.

Distance from the center of Los Angeles - 42 kilometers.

Huntington Beach

Ideal for surfing. This place is famous for its fantastic waves, which is why the US Open of Surfing takes place here every year.

Distance from the center of Los Angeles - 62 kilometers.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

Los Angeles is a multiethnic and multireligious city. A metropolis to which thousands of people from all over the world immigrate every year. Hundreds of different denominations are gathered here, the largest of which is the Roman Catholic Church. Religion is of great importance in the US as a whole, and for the most part, Americans describe themselves as believers.

Los Angeles has over 300 iconic buildings. Here you can find both impressive architectural structures, beautiful temples and cathedrals, as well as churches of non-traditional beliefs, which can be located in the most unexpected places and have an unusual shape. More than once I came across such amazing churches located in the same building with some kind of shop.

In Los Angeles, of course, there are Russian Orthodox churches, for example: the Transfiguration Cathedral, founded in 1930 (pictured above), and the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos (1952).

I will not focus on specific churches, this is, so to speak, not really my topic :). But I am sure that while walking around the city you will be able to find something especially close to you.

Museums. Which are worth a visit

Los Angeles - City of Angels, but also beaches and traffic jams. But few people know that in addition to entertainment and natural attractions, Los Angeles is also rich in museums, of which there are more than 350.

Of course, it will not be possible to visit all of them, so I have identified the largest and most popular of them, which tourists and locals love for good reason.

The Broad Museum

Modern Art Museum. Built at the expense of the famous collector and philanthropist Eli Brod, it has been open to visitors since September 2015. It is currently the most visited museum in Los Angeles. I didn’t have to book a ticket to any other 3 weeks in advance (it can be done), and I was looking forward to going there, despite the fact that I had never been a fan of modern art.

Once there, I understood the reason for the hype: inside there are more than 250 unique paintings from the founder’s private collection, photographs, sculptures and aesthetically pleasing installations. Pay attention to the work of Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Roy Lichtenstein.

The main draw for visitors is the Infinity Room, designed by Yayoi Kusama. This room with mirrored walls and LED lights makes you feel like you are in intergalactic space. There are always a lot of people who want to find themselves in this magical room, besides, the entrance to it is individual, so I advise you to go to the registration desk immediately upon arrival at the museum and reserve a place in the queue.

The museum building itself is also delightful: a unique place, just look!

Free admission. The museum is closed on Mondays.Opening hours:

• Tuesday and Wednesday - 11:00–17:00,
• Thursday and Friday - 11:00–20:00,
• Saturday - 10:00–20:00,
• Sunday - 10:00–18:00

Los Angeles County Museum of Art / LACMA

Art Museum. For connoisseurs, more than 100 thousand exhibits are presented, representing almost all eras. The museum is particularly proud of its collections of Asian, Latin and Islamic art.

There is also a unique Urban Light installation on the territory of LACMA, which consists of several rows of cast-iron street lamps (200 in total). The first time I saw this place was in the movie No Strings Attached, and then I found it in the city. By the way, last month (November 2016) a long reconstruction of Urban Light was completed, now the lanterns shine with renewed vigor.

The cost of a ticket to the museum is 15 USD, children under 17 are free. The Urban Light installation has free entrance from the street.Opening hours:

• Monday and Tuesday, Thursday - 11:00-17:00,
• Friday: 11:00–20:00
• Saturday, Sunday: 10:00–19:00.

La Brea Ranch, or La Brea Tar Pits (La Brea Tar Pits & Museum)

Located next to the Museum of Art. Several thousand years ago, on the site of the La Brea ranch, there were bituminous lakes, or the so-called "tar pits". Bituminous lakes are unique geological formations where underground bitumen comes to the surface, forming patches of natural asphalt. These lakes were an insidious trap for animals that came to drink and got stuck in a viscous asphalt pit. In 1906, the remains of animals that lived in the United States thousands of years ago were found: mammoths, bison, saber-toothed cats and other outlandish animals.

Ticket price - 12 USD, for teenagers (13-17 years old) - 9 USD, for children from 3 to 12 years old - 5 USD, up to 3 years old - free of charge. On the first Tuesday of the month, admission is free for everyone.Open daily from 9:30 to 17:00.

Paul Getty Museum Complex (Getty Museum)

Huge museum complex, must visit! There are two Getty museums: the Getty Center and the Getty Villa.

The Getty Center is the largest art museum in California, located on a hilltop in south Los Angeles. The museum is named after American oil tycoon Paul Getty, an avid art collector. The Getty Center houses the main collection of the museum, among the exhibits are the works of great artists: Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Cezanne, Renoir, etc.

Free admission.Opening hours:

• Tuesday to Friday and Sunday - 10:00-17:30,
• Saturday - 10:00–21:00.

When art from the Getty's private collection no longer fit in his home, the billionaire purchased a second villa, which is still open to visitors. The Getty Villa is located in the Pacific Palisades (near Malibu) and is a museum of ancient art.

Free admission.Open daily, except Tuesday, from 10:00 to 17:00.

Booking tickets to the Center and the Getty Villa.

Hammer Museum

Art Museum in Westwood. He specializes in the works of the Impressionists, including paintings by Van Gogh, Monet and Rembrandt.

Free admission.Opening hours:

• Tuesday to Friday - 11:00–20:00,
• Saturday and Sunday: 11:00–17:00.

California Science Center

Science Museum. It is divided into several thematic areas:

• World of Life - study of living beings,
• Creative World - the latest technologies and inventions,
• Ecosystems - ecological systems.

And one of the main attractions of the museum is the Endeavor shuttle, which has made 25 flights into space. This exhibit is truly amazing! Presented at the Samuel Oschin Pavilion.

The California Science Center is a very educational museum, which will be interesting for both children and adults, although it seemed to me that it is more aimed at a children's audience.

Free admission.Open daily from 10:00 to 17:00.

Museum of Natural History (Natural History Museum)

Located 300 meters from the aforementioned science center. This is one of the largest museums in the world, it has 35 million exhibits and artifacts. After visiting the exhibits covering 4.5 billion years of history, you can go to the seasonal exhibitions in the Butterfly or Spider Pavilion.

Other museums and interesting places to visit

I think you can pick up something for yourself from this list:

• Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (Madame Tussauds Hollywood). A ticket costs 21 USD on the official website and 30 USD at the museum box office.
• Watts Towers.
• The Kodak Theatre.
• Grauman's Chinese Theater (Chinese Theatre).
• Museum of urban transport (Travel Town Museum). Free admission.
• Museum of Contemporary Art (Museum of Contemporary Art / MOCA). The entrance fee is 12 USD.
• Guinness World Record Museum. Tickets for 20 USD.
• Grammy Museum - 13 USD.
• Museum of craft and folk art (Craft and Folk Art Museum) - 7 USD.
• The Walt Disney Family Museum - 20 USD.
• Walt Disney Concert Hall.
• Gallery of photography "Enenberg" (Annenberg Space for Photography). Free admission.
• Museum of the Holocaust (Los Angeles Museum of Holocaust). The entrance is free.
• Museum of Tolerance. Tickets for 15.5 USD.

parks

Los Angeles is a huge metropolis, and, of course, there are many parks in it.

Here are some of them:

tourist streets

Since there is almost no bad weather in Los Angeles, tourists come here all year round, so the main tourist streets are always quite crowded. Which ones you should definitely go through:

What to see in 1 day

Arriving on vacation in one of the most famous cities in America, of course, you want to do as much as possible. But the main attractions of Los Angeles are scattered in different areas, located at a fairly large distance from each other, so a considerable part of the time will have to be devoted to the road.

So what can you do in one day?

The point of departure, of course, will depend on where you are staying in Los Angeles. So it will be more logical to build a route. Imagine a tourist staying in a hotel on the sunny coast of Santa Monica.

Then the first point of the route will be the Santa Monica beach, from where we will move towards the city center:

(read about ways to move around the city and modes of transport below in the section "How to get around the city")

• 9:00 - go to the beach, sunbathe, swim, play volleyball, ride bicycles (bike rental on the beach - 10 USD per hour).

What to see in the surroundings

Los Angeles is full of travel and entertainment destinations for the year ahead. But outside of it, there are small towns that would be interesting for tourists to visit.

Santa Barbara

The town is located on the Pacific coast, 150 kilometers north of Los Angeles. Its name became a household name in Russia after the release of the television series "Santa Barbara". Remember?

Personally, I remember it for the rest of my life. Back in 1996, as a small child, I found matches at home and decided to play with them, and our wooden kitchen was lit up with a blue flame. But my mother did not immediately notice this, since it was at that moment that the last, two thousand and fortieth episode of "Santa Barbara" was shown on TV. For some reason, I've always wanted to go there.

This is a very quiet and cozy city, where mostly wealthy people live. Top attractions include the courthouse tower with panoramic views of Santa Barbara (Address: 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara), the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, the Santa Barbara Old Mission Church, and several museums. :

• Historical Museum (Santa Barbara Historic Museum);
• Museum of Natural History (Santa Barbara Museum of Natural history);
• Maritime Museum (Santa Barbara Maritime Museum);
• Art Museum (Santa Barbara Museum of Art).

There are many beaches in Santa Barbara, but they are not particularly remarkable, the most popular of them is East Beach.

From Los Angeles, the town can be reached by car in 1.5 hours or by train in 2.5 hours. Trains arrive at the SBA Santa Barbara Station, which is located between the city center and the beach. Train tickets can be purchased. The cost of one ticket is 31 USD.

Palm Springs

an elite resort town 180 kilometers southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Palm Springs is considered the golf capital of the world. Fans of this sport are waiting for more than a hundred golf courses. The resort became popular in the 20th century, when Hollywood stars and politicians began to come here on vacation.

The main tourist streets are Palm Canyon and Indian Canyon. They are lined with luxurious restaurants, boutiques and art galleries.

You can get to Palm Springs by car in 2 hours, by train in 2 hours and 50 minutes. Ticket price - 19 USD. You can even get there by plane. The flight lasts only 50 minutes, the ticket will cost about 300 USD.

Anaheim

A small town 45 kilometers south of Los Angeles. The main interest for us is the Disneyland amusement park located in it. The well-known park opened its doors to visitors in 1955 and is open all year round.

The world of Disney cartoons has been recreated in the park and more than fifty rides have been built. This is a great place to travel with kids. But remember that many people think so, so during the summer months and on weekends, the number of people in the park will be colossal. A ticket costs 105 USD, for children from 3 to 9 years old - 99 USD.

Disneyland is located outside the city limits and can be reached both by car and by public transport. Route from city center:

1. Amtrak 566 Pacific Surfliner runs from Union Station in Downtown to Fullerton Station (31 minutes, $12 Amtrak ticket)
2. Upon arrival, we walk 100 meters to the Fullerton Trans Ctr Dock 3 stop, take the OCTA bus route number 543 to the Harbor & Katella stop (23 minutes on the way, the ticket price for the OCTA bus is 4 USD).
3. It remains to walk 400 meters to the entrance to the Disneyland park.

Food. What to try

Los Angeles is a multinational city, and in matters of gastronomy it is also diverse. Most often you can stumble upon establishments of American, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Italian cuisine.

Los Angeles, located on the ocean, is rich in fresh seafood. I advise you to visit restaurants COD Restaurant(8408 W 3rd Street) and The Lobster in Santa Monica.

On a note! Drinking establishments in Los Angeles have a very popular Happy Hour promotion: for a certain time they provide big discounts on certain dishes and drinks, often on alcoholic cocktails.

In all cafes and restaurants in America, it is customary to leave a big tip. Usually from 15% to 25% of the check amount. Most often, the invoice has a suggested amount to reward the waiter. In some establishments, the waiter or manager may approach the visitor with a question about what he did not like, in case he left less than 10% for a tip.

Of course, when you come to Los Angeles, you can't help but try American burgers. Recognized leader in this category - in-n-out burger.

Budget

• Taco Bell,
• arby's,
• IHOP.

Intermediate level

• Urth Cafe,
• California Pizza Kitchen,
• Panini Cafe,
• The Cheesecake Factory,
• Benihana.

Expensive

• Musso & Frank Grill,
• perch,
• providence,
• wolf.

Holidays

It's always a good idea to know what holidays fall on a trip so you can plan ahead for timed events and determine which days most businesses and government offices in America are closed.

Independence Day

America's main public holiday is celebrated on July 4th. True, unlike the capital, in Los Angeles, everyone celebrates this day in their own way.

Every year, various parades and street shows take place in certain areas, the most striking of which, in my opinion, take place in Downtown. And the grandiose salute always remains unchanged.

Halloween

All Saints' Day in Los Angeles is being prepared very seriously. In addition to all kinds of parties in clubs, the annual parade of costumes on the boulevard takes place on October 31st.

This event is for everyone who wants to have fun and look at the real masterpieces of masquerade fashion. Many begin to prepare a costume for the parade a year in advance! The city has a large number of ateliers and workshops for creating costumes, master classes in applying makeup and shops for accessories and wigs. And in many cinemas of the city on this day only horror films are shown.

Thanksgiving Day

As we remember from school English textbooks, the fourth Thursday of November. Americans love this warm autumn holiday very much. On Thanksgiving Day, it is customary for the whole family to gather at a large table and eat a traditional turkey.

Every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the Great Los Angeles Walk is organized. Hundreds of people gather for a 27-kilometer walk through Los Angeles. The procession starts in Downtown and ends in Santa Monica in about 9 hours. Of course, you don't have to go all the way.

Christmas (Christmas Day)

Perhaps this is the most beautiful holiday (celebrated on December 25). Americans are very fond of holiday decorations, Christmas paraphernalia begins to be sold in stores as early as the end of October. The city is changing, each house is decorated with bells and garlands, huge Christmas trees are set up in the squares.

People are in a hurry to buy gifts and things at impressive New Year's discounts. Beginning in late November, many annual parades take place throughout Los Angeles, such as the Thousand Lights Ship Parade in Long Beach or the Christmas Parade on Hollywood Boulevard. The holiday itself is usually celebrated at home with the family.

New Year (New Year)

New Year's Eve (December 31) is celebrated in Los Angeles on a grand scale. Fireworks, large-scale city festivities and parties in nightclubs.

A great option to celebrate a holiday (especially with children) is to go to Disneyland. At this time, the amusement park turns into a fairy-tale world of magic, and the castle is decorated in a New Year's way with thousands of twinkling lights. Guests are greeted by Santa Claus and invited to all kinds of festive events.

And on January 1, the annual Rose Parade takes place in Los Angeles. It has a century-old history and is one of the most beautiful and magnificent performances of the year, in which about a million people take part.

In the US, it is also widely noted:

• Hanukkah, the Jewish "holiday of lights" (Hanukkah, dates are floating);
• Valentine's Day (Saint Valentine's Day, February 14);

• Saint Patrick's Day (March 17);
• Fool's Day (April 1);
• Easter (Easter, April 16 (dates floating).

Unusual holidays:

• National Hot Dog Day, July 23;
• System Administrator Appreciation Day, last Friday in July;
• Businesswoman Day, September 22;
• Sweets Day, third Saturday in October;
• Alaska Day, October 18;
• Groundhog Day, 2 February.

Security. What to watch out for

Los Angeles is considered the American capital of the homeless, many of whom are mentally ill. They are mainly concentrated in poor areas of the city, but there are many of them both in the central part of the city and on the beaches. They do not pose a particular danger, but their behavior can be very unpredictable, so I advise you to be careful.

I strongly do not recommend visiting crime-prone areas like Compton and Crenshaw.

Remember tolerance. Insulting people on racial, religious and sexual orientation grounds is punishable!

In all tourist places, keep an eye on your belongings, the same goes for public transport, where thefts often occur. Be especially careful on underground metro lines, but don't lose your vigilance on buses either.

I advise you to be as careful as possible during the conclusion of all kinds of transactions, whether it is renting an apartment, renting a car from locals, buying something in person or via the Internet. Here, as elsewhere, there are ways of fraud, especially in relation to tourists. For any transaction, enter into a written contract.

Things to do

I will tell you about some of the activities that Los Angeles has to offer, and you will already choose what is closer to you. So, what can you do in the City of Angels:

Shopping and shops

Some facts about shopping in the USA. Unlike Europe, in America there is no Tax Free system, on the contrary, the tax is levied on the buyer for any purchase. This applies not only to stores, but also to restaurant bills, and orders via the Internet, in general, everything where you pay for things or services. Tax in Los Angeles is about 9%.

When paying for purchases with a card, you may be asked to provide proof of identification with your photo. So, by checking the names, the seller wants to make sure that the card belongs to you.

What is profitable to buy in America

Even taking into account taxes and the current exchange rate, shopping in America is a profitable business. I mean buying things from American brands. Since many American designers are currently very popular in Russia, the prices for their clothes are unreasonably high. When I came to America for the first time, I was surprised how different the prices and perception of these brands are here. Brands that are considered luxury in Russia are absolutely not luxury in America.

Just in case, american brands: Guess, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, Diane von Furstenberg, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, Victoria's Secret, American Eagle, Urban Outfitters, GAP, Nike, Converse, Abercrombie & Fitch, Levi's, Lee , DKNY, Tiffany & Co, Apple.

Specialize in cosmetics: Benefit, MAC, Anastasia Beverly Hills, NYX, Smashbox, NARS, Bobbi Brown, Urban Decay, Tarte, Burt's Bees, Cover Girl, IT Cosmetics, Hourglass. Major cosmetics retailers: Sephora and Ulta.

Shopping places

Some of those that I will list below, I have marked on the map.

Shopping centers:

• Santa Monica Place (395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, CA 90401),
• Westfield Century City (10250 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90067),
• Beverly Center (8500 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048),
• The Grove (189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036),
• Hollywood & Highland (6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028),
• Westside Pavilion (10800 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064).

Multi-brand clothing stores:

• Macy's
• bloomingdales,
• nordstrom,
• Saks Fifth Avenue,
• Barney's New York.

Multi-brand clothing stores with discounts:

• Nordstrom Rack,
• Saks Off 5th,
• tj Maxx,
• marshalls,
• ROSS.

All of the above stores together can be found in one mall Beverly Connection(100 N. La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048).

outlets:

• Citadel Outlets (100 Citadel Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90040),
• Camarillo Premium Outlet (740 E Ventura Blvd, Camarillo, CA 93010).

Grocery stores(price ascending):

• Walmart / Kmart (hypermarkets with the most affordable prices, usually located outside the city. It is most profitable to buy long-term storage products there: convenience foods, cereals, snacks, sweets, juices, soda, etc.),
• 7-Eleven (a supermarket with a rather poor selection at average prices),
• Target (a hypermarket where you can buy everything from chewing gum to furniture; prices are low),
• Ralphs / Vons (grocery stores where you can buy good vegetables, fruits, fresh meat and seafood; average prices),
• Walgreens / CVS pharmacy / Rite Aid (pharmacies that always sell snacks, drinks, even alcohol and cigarettes in addition to drugs, there is always a department of inexpensive cosmetics),
• Trader Joe's (a very good grocery store, always fresh and natural fruits and vegetables, meat, fish. Large selection of quality convenience foods, average prices),
• Whole Foods (the best grocery store with a huge selection of organic products, fresh fruits and vegetables; meat and seafood are always fresh and natural, you can also always buy ready-made food: soups, salads, pastas, rolls, homemade cakes, etc.; prices are high) .

I recommend buying shelf-stable food at Walmart and Target, fresh meat/fish at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, vegetables and fruits, cheeses and dairy products are more profitable to buy at local markets (list below).

Markets:

• Farmers Market (6333 W.3rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90036). Opening hours: Monday to Friday - 9:00-21:00, Saturday - 9:00-20:00, Sunday - 10:00-19:00.
• Grand Central Market (317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013). Open daily from 8:00 to 22:00.

Several quirky stores:

Bars. Where to go

Los Angeles is the center of entertainment and nightlife on the West Coast of America. The most popular hangout spot has always been the Sunset Strip (part of Sunset Boulevard) in West Hollywood. Here are the best bars and nightclubs in the city.

Bars are different: beer, cigar, jazz bars, Irish pubs and others. And in Los Angeles, of course, there is everything.

Where to go?

• The Edison, located in Downtown. This huge bar recently celebrated its centenary. Musicians play here every evening and a burlesque show is arranged. The average cost of a cocktail is 14 USD. Opening hours: from Wednesday to Friday from 17:00 to 2:00, on Saturday from 19:00 to 2:00.

• Next Door Lounge- a cocktail bar in central Hollywood. During the day it works as a cafe where you can have a hearty breakfast or lunch, and in the evening a bar opens. It serves over 200 cocktails and 75 dishes. Great interior and jazz music. Happy Hour promotion hours from 17:00 to 20:00. Cafe opening hours: weekdays from 11:30 to 15:30.Bar opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 17:00 to 00:00, Friday - 17:00 - 2:00, Saturday - 19:00 - 2:00.

• 7 grand- a bar for whiskey lovers. Twice a month, tastings are held here, where you can chat with real connoisseurs of this drink. Every day until 20:00, the Happy Hour discount system is valid. You can also play billiards here. The average bill is 40 USD. Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday - 16:00-2:00, Thursday to Saturday - 15:00-2:00, Sunday from 17:00 to 2:00.

• Pour Haus Wine Bar This is a liquor store and bar. Here you can not only try rare varieties, but also learn a lot of interesting things about this noble drink. Wines from different regions of the world are wonderfully complemented by appetizers from French, Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. Opening hours: Monday and Sunday - 12:00 - 21:30, Tuesday - Thursday - 12:00 - 22:00, Friday and Saturday - 12:00 - 00:00.

Clubs and nightlife

Los Angeles - the city that never sleeps! If you also want to have fun all night long with the tracks of the best DJs, dozens of clubs are at your service. Head to West and Central Hollywood and find a place to your liking.

Where to go?

• Exchange LA is a nightclub in downtown Los Angeles that hosts parties, live performances by famous artists, filming and fashion shows. It filmed scenes from the movie The Social Network and hosted the television show Heidi Klum's Topmodel. It was previously home to the Los Angeles Stock Exchange, opened in 1931. The club is divided into several rooms (main room, gallery, Rockfeller Room and Sky Loft Lounge) and can accommodate 1.5 thousand guests. Ticket prices can vary from 10 USD for regular seats to 200 USD for the VIP area. The dress code forbids flip-flops, shorts, caps, white t-shirts, baggy jeans, T-shirts, clothing with sports team logos.Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday - 10:00-19:00, Thursday to Friday - 10:00-3:00, Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00.

• The Viper Room - a very famous rock club in West Hollywood, which hosts live concerts almost every day. Such famous performers as Tom Patty, Lenny Kravitz, Iggy Pop, Bruce Springsty and others entered on its stage. The Viper Room Club is distinguished by strict face control. Until 2004, the co-owner of this club was Johnny Depp. After he sold the Viper Room, the club's facilities were extensively redecorated. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday - 20:00-2:00.

• Avalon Hollywood- a nightclub located in the building of the former Hollywood Palace (Palace Theater). The club has three bars and a patio that often hosts after parties. Avalon is very popular with both tourists and locals, including celebrities. Opening hours: Thursday - 22:30-3.00, Friday - 21:30-5:00, Saturday - 21:30-8:00.

extreme sports

Water sports

Surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing are very popular on the West Coast of California. This is done here almost from infancy, so you can easily find an instructor for both an adult and a child, for a beginner or an experienced athlete.

The ocean water is always quite cool outside of the summer months, so you will need to buy or rent a wetsuit. The most comfortable months for skiing are from September to May. Another important point is the place for surfing. The ideal beach for beginners is Santa Monica, where the waves are not too big, and for professionals, Huntington and the beaches of the town of San Diego are suitable.

Surf schools in Los Angeles:

• Eat Sleep Surf, 109 USD per lesson (Santa Monica Beach),
• Go Surf LA, 80 USD per lesson (Santa Monica Beach),
• Poseidon Paddle & Surf, 130 USD per lesson (Malibu),
• Aloha Brothers, 85 USD per lesson (Venice Beach),
• Learn to Surf LA, 75 USD per lesson (Venice),
• Star Surf, 99 USD per lesson (Santa Monica).

Classes must be booked in advance.

skydiving

And even more extreme!

Skydiving, of course, is carried out away from the city center. And one of the best skydiving clubs in Los Angeles is located in the town of Camarillo near Malibu. Called Skydive Coastal California, a jump there will cost $220 on a weekday or $299 on a weekend.

There is also a place in Los Angeles where you don't have to jump from incredible heights to experience the thrill. I Fly is a flight in a wind tunnel (skydiving) and is a great alternative to skydiving. Cost - 60 USD for two flights for one person.

Rock climbing and mountaineering

Quite popular sports in California, due to the presence of many mountain ranges and canyons in this area.

If you are sufficiently prepared and equipped, these places are for you:

• Point Dume,
• Joshua Tree National Park,
• Vasquez Rocks Park,
• Malibu Creek State Park,
• Stoney Point Park.

Karting

They can be practiced at the Racer's Edge Indoor Karting club in Burbank, 17 kilometers from Los Angeles. The cost is 23 USD per person.

There is also a K1 Speed ​​karting club in the city Gardena 25 kilometers from Los Angeles (20 USD per person).

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

As a souvenir from Los Angeles, you can bring:

How to move around the city

Los Angeles has a subway and surface transportation system, but it is quite confusing, and most likely it will be difficult for an inexperienced tourist to figure it out right away. In addition, it is not always possible to reach attractions located in the mountains by public transport.

The subway in Los Angeles was opened only in 1990, so the subway lines are not held in all areas. For a long time, they did not dare to build an underground transport system in Los Angeles, since the city is located in an earthquake-prone zone. But today, the metro, built from special flexible materials, is considered the safest place in the event of an earthquake.

Los Angeles is definitely a city of motorists. If you do not have the opportunity to rent a car, I advise you to use the Uber service - this is a city taxi, a good alternative to public transport. A very convenient and safe way to travel, which is also very budgetary, and most importantly - fast!

Taxi

In Los Angeles, it is not customary to hail a taxi on the road. Uber and Lyft taxis are common here. It is very convenient to use by downloading the application on your phone! You just need to link your account to a bank card, and you can start using it. Taxi arrives at the specified place in 2-10 minutes, payment is made online. Surprisingly the prices are very low. On weekdays, a trip to the beach from the center (20 kilometers) cost me an average of 2-3 USD (1 bus trip 1.75 USD).

Underground

A single ticket is valid for the metro and buses, which can be purchased from vending machines installed in the metro and on the street, as well as from the bus driver. Payment for tickets is available in cash and by credit card at the machine. A single trip costs 1.75 USD, for 1 day - 7 USD, for a week - 25 USD, for a month - 100 USD. The fine for ticketless travel is 250 USD.

The subway includes six lines: two underground lines (red and purple), three ground lines (blue, green, gold). Metro hours: from 4:00 to 00:00.

Buses

The city has more than 200 bus routes connecting various districts and suburbs. The routes operate bus services Metro Express, Metro Local and Metro Rapid, which includes buses Big Blue Bus, Culver City Bus and Torrance Transit. There is also a separate bus rapid transit line: the orange Metro Line. These buses run on a dedicated freeway lane and enjoy priority traffic.

To travel by bus, you must always have a change or small bills, as the driver does not give change and you will not be lucky either.

All buses are quite modern and comfortable to ride in, but the scheme itself is rather confusing, which is quite normal for a metropolis. At first, it can be difficult for a tourist to understand this system with many types of buses and subway lines, but on the official site of public transport in Los Angeles you can find all the necessary routes and maps.

Transport rental

In everyday life in Los Angeles, a car is indispensable. Long distances and sweltering heat have made it a city of motorists, in which it is very rare to see a pedestrian on the street (besides walking to their car and tourists). Of course, a tourist can use public transport or a taxi during his trip, but a car saves a lot of time and makes it possible to visit distant sights in the mountains or neighboring cities.

It is most advantageous to book a car in advance via the Internet, not at the airport. It turns out that prices can vary greatly depending on the location of the rental, and are higher at the airport (almost 2 times more expensive than in the city).

You will also have to pay extra if you are going to return the car in another city. Usually this service costs about 100 USD. In any case, you need to return the car with a fully filled tank.

To rent a car, you only need a Russian-style driver's license. It is also necessary to purchase insurance for the entire rental period. The price depends on the rental period (from 50 USD).

As for the age at which you can rent a car, in California there is no law that would limit the age of the renter, but this issue is regulated by the rental companies themselves. Here are the rules for renting a car from major car rental companies in Los Angeles:

• Enterprise:
  • The minimum age is 21 years old.
  • 21–25 years old - limited choice of cars (by power and class).
• Hertz:
  • The minimum age is 20 years old.
  • Up to 24 years old - an additional fee of about 30 USD per day.
  • From the age of 25, rental of powerful machines is available.
• Fox Rent A Car:
  • The minimum age is 19 years old.
  • Up to 25 years old - an additional fee of about 20-30 USD per day

Average rental price:

• Sedan - about 50 USD per day (200 USD per week).
• Convertible - about 115 USD per day (390 USD per week).

The price depends on the class of the car and the rental period. You can compare the cost of renting from different rental companies or look at the offers on official websites.

A few tips for motorists in Los Angeles.

First, Los Angeles' road junctions are some of the most complex and confusing in the world. Therefore, I recommend that you have a navigator with you. Either the built-in GPS in the car, or the navigator on the smartphone. To do this, you need to remember to buy a local SIM card with unlimited mobile Internet.

Secondly, some traffic rules:

Los Angeles. Vacation with children

The journey to the homeland of Mickey Mouse and Superman will not leave any child indifferent.

One of the top attractions for kids in Los Angeles is Disneyland. Moreover, this is the very first Disneyland in the world, opened in 1955 as conceived by Walt Disney. I already wrote about it in detail above in the "What to see in the vicinity" section.

Another favorite place for slightly older children is another amusement park, Universal Studios about which I also wrote above. This is an acquaintance with your favorite movie characters, rides and the grandiose world of Harry Potter.

And 150 kilometers south of Los Angeles is an amusement park Legoland(Legoland California), where absolutely everything is built from Lego. Small copies of many world attractions are reproduced here, and there are also a lot of attractions. Ticket price - 90 USD.

Educational museums that will interest children:

1. Science Museum (California Science Center).
2. Museum of Natural History (Natural History Museum).
3. WikiwandThe Walt Disney Family Museum.
4. Guinness World Record Museum.
5. Hollywood Wax Museum / Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (Madame Tussauds Hollywood).

Go to toy stores Puzzle Zoo on the Santa Monica boardwalk Tom's Toys in Beverly Hills, Lego Store in Glendale and Disney Store at the Santa Monica Place mall.

Ski holidays

I am convinced every day that there is everything in Los Angeles and near it! And even ski resorts. Thanks to the mountainous terrain in California, you can not only sunbathe all year round, but also go skiing or snowboarding at any time (season from mid-November to late May).

The nearest ski resort is only 72 kilometers from Los Angeles - Mount Baldy, and next to it is a resort Mountain High East Ski Resort. A little further (170 kilometers from Los Angeles) - the mountains of San Bernardino and the resort Snow Summit.

Ski passes

Price:

• Mt. Baldy. Ski pass for the whole day - 69 USD per person, rental of a full set of ski equipment - 30 USD.

• Mt. High East Ski Resort. Ski pass for 8 hours - 69 USD on weekdays, 74 USD on weekends, rental of a full set of ski equipment - 30 USD.

• Snow Summit. Ski pass for the whole day - 67 USD on weekdays, 74 USD on weekends.

Tracks

Mt Baldy Resort has 26 runs, 4 for beginners, 8 for intermediates and 14 for professionals. There are 4 lifts on the slopes.

The elevation difference is 640 meters, the highest point of the slope is at an altitude of 2,600 meters, the lowest point is 2,000 meters. The area of ​​the resort is 320 hectares.

The Mountain High East Ski Resort has 16 slopes and 7 lifts. Elevation difference - 488 meters. The highest point is 2499.5 meters.

Snow Summit is the most popular resort. There are 31 tracks open here, of which 3 are for beginners, 20 for intermediate athletes, 8 for professionals. There are only 14 lifts. The longest track is 2,012 meters. The height difference is 365 meters. The highest point is 2,499 m. The lowest point is 2,134 meters. The ski area is 97 hectares.

Los Angeles - the greatest and one of the most vibrant cities in America, which is located in the state of California. Someone likes to call this place the “City of Angels”, someone likes the easy nickname “L.A.” (from the letters L.A.), but undoubtedly, every gourmet of American culture wants to personally see this fabulous corner and recharge with a lot of positive emotions. According to new statistics, the population of Los Angeles is almost 4 million people! These figures "scream" that L.A. can be called one of the most crowded places on the planet.

One of the most fabulous sights of Los Angeles, oddly enough, is its geographical location. After all, being in the southern part of California, this city cut off the most vile landscapes and fantastic places for recreation. The City of Angels is washed by the strong waves of the Pacific Ocean and guarded by Mount San Gabriel, Santa Monica and Santa Ana. Due to this location, Los Angeles is called a paradise for lovers of beaches and swimming. Evening time will not make you feel discouraged, as hundreds of clubs open on the streets of the city, where the hottest parties in America take place (by the way, you can meet many Hollywood stars here). It is on the territory of Los Angeles that the well-known Malibu beach is hidden, about which many films have been shot and continue to be shot about girls and guys with perfect shapes running along a clean and sparkling beach. Thanks to the famous TV shows, Malibu Beach can also be attributed to the main attractions of Los Angeles.

Do not think that L.A. is just a place for entertainment. Those who are rooted in such thoughts are deeply mistaken. After all, Los Angeles is an educational, scientific, cultural and economically developed center. Thanks to thousands of hard workers, a phenomenally large center of the American film industry called Hollywood functions on the land of L.A. Every day there are created favorite for millions of people: films, series and other projects.

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It is worth mentioning that the population of Los Angeles is not only Americans. Like a huge magnet, the city attracts residents from various countries to its territory. Now representatives of almost 150 countries of the world live in the sparkling city, which creates an incredible flavor and atmosphere of a constant holiday on the streets of the city. Imagine that in one day of a long walk through the streets of El Hey, you have the opportunity to hear about 224 different languages ​​of peoples. Such an atmosphere inspires, motivates and tones (perhaps this is the great secret of the constant cheerfulness of local lucky people). If you create a rating of the largest nationalities, you can see that the leaders are: Asians and Hispanics. But, the rating does not end there, because it is followed by residents of Armenian, German, Irish, Russian, Italian and even British origin. Perhaps these are the people for whom the "Big American dream" has come true. As a result of the residence of various nationalities on the same land, the population of Los Angeles was divided into different ethnic areas: Chinatown (which can also be found in New York), Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Little Armenia, Thailand Quarter and even Little Ethiopia. It is no secret to anyone that in each of these areas you can meet your own, unique and famous gang of Los Angeles.

Geographically, the city is divided into the following areas: Hollywood, Eastside (east), Westside (west), Downtown (central), Northeast and South, the waterfront, Wilshire, Crescent Valley and San Fernando Valley.

The religious side of the development of a big city also does not stand still. Here you can meet more than 100 different Christian denominations, for example, the Roman Catholic Church, Evangelicals, Mormons, Jews, the Armenian Apostolic Church and Muslims. It may seem strange for people from our country, but all of the above confessions coexist in one city, where they respect other people's views on life.

All the pathos events that are broadcast even on our television channels can be called the sights of Los Angeles. Can't remember something? Think about the Oscars. Red carpets, expensive outfits, thousands of photographers and millions of discussions of this event by people around the world. Beautiful! Expensive! Impressive! This metropolis is home to the headquarters of such companies as The Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox and others.

The sights of Los Angeles also include a huge port (5th in the list of the busiest ports in the world). This point always remains one of the main ones for all tourists who decide to visit L.A. The climate of the city is ideal for even sunbathing and for sports jogging. Hundreds of palm trees, spacious streets, rare cars and buildings warmed by the sun adorn the cozy streets of the city.

Collecting the rating of the most "evil" places in the city, we can say that there are a lot of them. Having access to the Internet and various sites, many tourists get lost in a sea of ​​information and, as a result, miss important sights of the city (after all, more than 850 museums operate in the center alone). We advise you to write down on a separate sheet the following items of what you must see in L.A.:

1. Los Angeles County Museum of Art or LACMA;

2. City Hall - a tall white building in the city center with an observation deck on the roof;

3. Hollywood Bowl - a large theater (a building similar to an amphitheater);

4. Hollywood Boulevard - 15 blocks of entertainment and art monuments;

5. Griffith Park;

6. Runyon Canyon Park;

7. Museum of Modern Art - the center of the collection of the most talented artists and their works;

8. Madame Tussauds museum;

9. Grammy Museum (The Grammy Museum):

10. Getty Center - a complex of museums, named after Paul Gety (founder);

11. Griffith Observatory (you can find it in the southern part of Mount Hollywood);

12. Stadium "Memorial Coliseum" - the pride of the city, where American football matches are held;

13. Staples Center - a huge sports complex;

14. Sign "Hollywood" - a monument in the form of the inscription "HOLLYWOOD" known even to a child;

15. Dodger Stadium - for baseball games;

16. Grauman's Chinese Theater - one of the largest cinemas in the world;

17. La Brea Ranch (or La Brea Tar Pits);

18. Dolby Theater ( also called Kodak listen)) is the venue for the Academy Awards ceremony » ;

19. Olvera Street - bright, luminous, colorful street;

20. Zoo (Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens);

21. Disney Concert Hall (here you can enjoy the performance of the Philharmonic Orchestra);

22. Capital Records - a beautiful office building with an interesting shape;

23. Chinatown is a fascinating area with many bright signs and exotic dishes.

Getting to a big American city for the first time, you need to be careful, cautious and not very trusting of strangers, because it is no secret to anyone (thanks to American films) that a variety of criminal gangs rule in the dark alleys of the streets. More dangerous than the gangs of Los Angeles can be natural disasters. Earthquakes alone do not give peace to the inhabitants of L.A. The strongest confrontation of nature against humanity was an earthquake (with a force of 8 points) in 1906, about 3,000 people died in it. The last recorded trouble was an earthquake that occurred in 1994, which almost reached the mark of 7 points on the force scale. During this incident, 9,000 people were injured and 72 people died. Such misfortunes cause the country losses of 20 billion dollars. But if a person cannot fight unpredictable weather, then the establishment of laws and orders is quite real procedures. The American police are constantly monitoring the streets of the city, because the gangs of Los Angeles make up a total of 26,000 people. They include everyone - from petty thieves to large mafia clans. In the entire history of the city, the most famous are such gangs of Los Angeles: "Bloody", "Mara", "18th Street" and "Cripples". As the state's cultural development capital, L.A. is also referred to as the "Gang Capital of America." Such a strange reputation does not scare off new streams of tourists, on the contrary, Hollywood films have created the image and image of gangs where good always wins. Unfortunately, life is not always so positive. SWAT is a law enforcement agency guarding the streets day and night, partially making life easier for lost tourists.

If you are thinking about traveling to your dream city, you need to sort out the possible flight options. Flights with transfers are cheaper. Experienced tourists know that even without a visa, you can get permission to enter the city at the airport (the number of hours allowed varies depending on the country). To obtain permission, you need to provide airport employees with tickets to the final destination of the trip, cash and the name of the booked hotel in the city where the transfer takes place.

Transfer flights:

1. Lufthansa

Departure from: Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan, Samara;

Transfer: Munich / Frankfurt am Main.

1 British Airways

Transfer: London.

1 Virgin Atlantic

Departure from: Moscow;

Transfer: London.

1 Turkish Airlines

Departure from: Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Rostov, Kazan, Sochi, Ufa, Novosibirsk;

Transfer: Istanbul.

Departure from: St. Petersburg, Moscow;

Transfer: Amsterdam.

1 Air France

Departure from: St. Petersburg, Moscow;

Transfer: Paris.

Departure from: St. Petersburg, Moscow;

Transfer: Dubai.

1 Air China

Departure from: Moscow;

Transfer: Beijing.

1 Cathay Pacific

Departure from: Khabarovsk;

Transfer: Hong Kong.

Departure from: St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Moscow;

Transfer: Rome.

For those wishing to purchase a direct flight to Los Angeles, there is great news: two flights from Moscow - Transaero and Aeroflot for a decent amount of money will "transfer" you to a country of warmth and relaxation. The flight duration is approximately 11-14 hours.

Despite the environmental problems, the city is a very popular place not only among Americans. The endless stream of cars does not allow the air to rest from the constant release of poisonous substances (but it seems that this kind of living suits the Americans). The constant flow of tourists does not allow the city to be cleansed, as a result of which, living here for a long time, it is possible to get health problems (cough, hoarseness, visual impairment). But despite all sorts of problems, the people of Los Angeles incredibly appreciate the culture of their city and hospitably accept curious tourists from all over the planet. Bright signs and huge fonts cloud and hypnotize. Every day new hotels, hostels and other types of lodging houses are being built here. An incredible number of restaurants, clubs and bars attracts with a wide choice. It seems that any, even the most unpredictable taste will certainly be satisfied, because this is the great city of America and you can see it all with your own eyes from the site. Los Angeles is becoming a center for expats who want to plunge into the world of freedom, independence and thrilling adventures, and with the Resort you can feel like one of them.