Hollywood
Visit the film capital of the world, where film and television are shot on street corners and in studios. The famous Hollywood sign looms high above the city and can be seen from miles away. Mann’s (Grauman’s) Chinese Theater has a courtyard filled with cement handprints and signatures by more than 200 stars, including Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman and Frank Sinatra. The theater is traditionally used for movie premieres and is designed to look like a Chinese temple. In front of theater you can walk along the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. The sidewalk runs for a mile with pink granite stars dedicated to more than 2,500 entertainment greats. Other attractions in the area include the famous cylindrical Capitol Records Tower, the Kodak Theater, the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum and the Ripley’s “Believe It or Not!” Museum.
Telephone: Chinese Theater: (323) 464 6266. Guinness World Records Museum: (323) 463 6433. Ripley’s “Believe It or Not!” Museum: (323) 466 6335.
Website:www.walkoffame.com.
Opening time: Guinness World Records Museum open daily, 10am – midnight. Ripley’s “Believe It or Not!” Museum: open daily 10am – midnight.
Admission: Mann’s Chinese Theater movie tickets - $12.75. Guinness World Records Museum - $15.95. Ripley’s “Believe It or Not!” Museum - $14.99.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Other theme parks really don’t stand a chance against Universal Studios Hollywood, one of Los Angeles’ most popular attractions. The famous studio tour takes visitors – tourists and locals alike – backstage through TV sets and famous lots. Back to the Future and your fondness for Marty McFly will come flooding back as you pass the film’s famous town square. Passengers get the chance to feel staged disasters, like earthquakes and avalanches, and come up close with King Kong and Jaws. After the tour, check out the amusement park rides at the abutting theme park. Filled with cinematic thrill rides, the park is a day-trip the whole family can enjoy. After you’ve had your thrill, shop ‘til you drop at Universal CityWalk, a hub of restaurants, stores and a popular movie theater.
Address: 100 Universal City Plaza
Telephone: (800) UNIVERSAL
Website:www.universalstudioshollywood.com
Transport: Parking costs $10- $20, depending on the duration of your stay
Hours of operation: Hours of operations vary by season; check the website before you go.
Admission: Adults $77, Children $69, Children under two get in free.
Warner Bros. Studios
The Warner Bros. tour gives visitors a real-life glimpse of life behind the scenes of a working Hollywood studio. The two-and-a-half-hour tour focuses more directly on modern-day filmmaking than its competition at Universal Studios. The tallest sound stage in North America, Stage 16, is just one stop on the movie-themed tour. Movie buffs will drool over the glimpse they’ll get at rare scripts, sets and stars’ correspondence.
Address: 3400 W Riverside Dr, Burbank
Telephone: (877) 492 8687
Website:www.vipstudiotour.warnerbros.com
Hours of operation: Tours depart Mon-Fri 8:20am-4pm
Admission: $49
Disneyland Resort
Disneyland has for generations been an integral part of many American childhoods and was the world's first mega-theme park designed for the family by Walt Disney in 1955. The enchanted kingdom is divided into eight "lands" and each one features different rides, dining experiences and entertainment as well as daily live-action shows and parades. Adventureland, Fantasyland, Critter Country, Frontierland, Mickey's Toontown, Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square and Main Street USA offer such attractions as a boat trip through the underground caverns of Pirates of the Caribbean, an experience of the Wild West, a visit to Sleeping Beauty's Castle and flying with Dumbo the elephant, a giddy journey with Indiana Jones, or the unforgettable experience of a pitch-black rollercoaster ride inside Space Mountain, and a wet ride on Splash Mountain. There is also a new shopping, dining and entertainment district called Downtown Disney which features shopping, dining and nighttime entertainment.
The latest appendage to Disneyland is the adjacent California Adventure, a separate park with the same style that offers further rides and roller coasters, but an additional ticket is required.
The Fastpass system allows visitors to save a place in line at the park's busiest attractions.
Address: 1313 S Disneyland Dr, Anaheim
Telephone: (714) 781 4565
Website:www.disneyland.disney.go.com
Hours of operation: Hours vary by season; guests should check the website prior to visiting
Admission: Children (ages 3-9), $74; Adults (10 and up), $80, for a one-day, one-park ticket. A variety of other passes are offered.
West LA
West LA is as affluent as it is influential. Hollywood’s most famous stars call prestigious neighborhoods in West LA, like Beverly Hills and Bel Air, home. Tree-lined streets and gated estates set the tone in residential areas, while famous shopping in districts like Rodeo Drive boast retail stores of the highest caliber: Gucci and Armani, to name a couple. Los Angeles’ LGBT community is active in West Hollywood, located between Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Neighborhood restaurants and shopping attract locals and visitors alike to this cultural nook of LA. (Insider tip: there’s no better place to be during Halloween festivities on Oct. 31 each year than Santa Monica Blvd in the heart of West Hollywood.) And then, of course, there’s Hollywood. Nestled at the foothills of the famous Hollywood Hills sits Hollywood Blvd, the iconic Grauman’s Theater (home to the Academy Awards), and the oh-so-famous Walk of Fame.
Transport: Getting around by car is by far the easiest way to tour the area as public transport is limited.
The Beach Communities
More than 70 miles of California coast link wonderfully distinct – yet universally picturesque – beachfront communities. The rich and famous play house in super-chic Malibu and the coffee shop-types gather at Venice Beach, an artsy area where jugglers, musicians and vendors set up shop along the famous Ocean Front Walk. In between is Santa Monica, a great spot to grab delicious food or do some much-needed shopping. Take a stroll out to Santa Monica Pier and ride the carnival attractions while nibbling funnel cake and taking in the celebrated view. Needless to say, the diversity among LA’s beaches is vast. The best part: a short drive up or down the Pacific Coast Highway lets you have your pick.
Transport: As in the rest of LA, getting around by car is the easiest way to go – if not exactly quick.
