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Los Angeles Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in Los Angeles
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Los Angeles Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in Los Angeles - Millions of visitors arrive each year in Los
Angeles eager to experience for themselves the epitome of the
American Dream; to find the self-indulgent living soap-opera
lifestyles, to experience firsthand the images that are
strangely-familiar thanks to the 'big screen', and to walk in the
footsteps of the stars. The fantasy worlds of Disneyland and
Hollywood, the famed extravagance of Beverley Hills and Malibu, and
the sun-soaked beach culture are just some of the attractions
within this 'City of Angels'.
Los Angeles is not
really a city but rather a sprawling metropolis constituting more
than 80 smaller city areas woven together by a daunting network of
traffic-congested freeways without a clearly defined centre. LA is
just one of these cities with Downtown at its heart, and lying
outside the city limits is the surrounding conglomeration of cities
that comprises LA County. Los Angeles offers a
dazzling variety of attractions and world-famous amusements.
Downtown is a mixture of cultures and local communities: the
traditional herbalists of Chinatown's Bamboo Lane; Little Tokyo
with its sushi bars and Japanese gardens; and the narrow
Latino-influenced Olvera Street. Los Angeles County is endowed with
a rich diversity of backgrounds and is a mix-and-match of people
from 140 countries speaking 96 different languages, of those who
have left home to seek acceptance for ideas or unconventional
lifestyles not tolerated in the more conservative parts of the
country, and would-be stars with dreams of fame and fortune. West
Hollywood is the focal point of gay and lesbian culture, and the
posh beachside resort of Santa Monica and body-builders at Muscle
Beach, as well as the childhood fantasy of Disneyland are all a
part of the diversity, although not always a harmonious one. There
are exciting museums, cinemas featuring every conceivable
production, swanky boutiques with the latest fashions, comedy
clubs, poetry readings and coffee house recitals, and music of
every kind played in various venues throughout the city.
Underneath the huge 'Hollywood' sign on the crest of the
Hollywood Hills, the high energy and pleasure-seeking atmosphere,
bold billboards, sexy sun-bronzed people, bright lights and fancy
cars are images of a city that everyone loves to hate; but whether
one likes what one finds or not, Los Angeles must be experienced at
least once in a lifetime.
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Los Angeles
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. Hollywood
www.seeing-stars.com |
What is it? Los Angeles is the film and entertainment
capital of the world and the name 'Hollywood' is the embodiment of
glamour, success and money; the place where films are made,
television shows are recorded and stars take up residence. The
famous Hollywood sign on the hills above the city has become the
enduring symbol of the movie industry and of Los Angeles itself -
the 50ft-high (15m) white letters can be seen from miles away. The
historic heart of the movie industry is centred on Hollywood
Boulevard where millions of visitors flock to see landmark
attractions and museums. The impressive Mann's (Grauman's) Chinese
Theatre is famous for its courtyard where over 200 stars like
Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood and Frank Sinatra
have set their signatures and imprints of their hands or feet in
cement. For many years the theatre has been the spot for movie
premieres and is modelled on a Chinese temple with columns, dragons
and an ornate interior. Passing in front of the theatre is the
mile-long Walk of Fame, the world-famous sidewalk embedded with the
names of legendary television, film, radio, theatre and recording
greats engraved within pink granite stars. More than 2,500
celebrities are honoured, including Elvis Presley, Charlie Chapman,
Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson. The cylindrical Capitol Records
Tower is one of the most recognisable buildings in the city and is
supposed to resemble a 12-storey stack of records with a needle on
top that blinks out 'h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d' in Morse code. Other
attractions include the Kodak Theatre designed to host the Academy
Awards, and the Hollywood Entertainment Museum, as well as the
Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum, the Hollywood Wax Museum
and the Ripley's 'Believe It or Not!'
Museum.
Hours of Operation: Hollywood Entertainment Museum opens daily 10am to
6pm (summer) and 11am to 6pm in winter (closed Wednesdays). The
Guinness World Records Museum opens daily 10am to midnight; Wax
Museum daily 8am to midnight; Ripley's ?Believe It or Not!' Museum
open daily 10am to 11pm (until midnight on weekends)
Phone:Mann's Chinese Theatre (323) 461 3331, Walk of Fame
(323) 469 8311, Hollywood Entertainment Museum (323) 465 7900,
Guinness World Records Museum (323) 463 6433, Wax Museum (323) 462
5991, Ripley's ?Believe It or Not!' Museum (323) 466
6335 |
2. Universal Studios Hollywood
100 Universal City Plaza, University City
www.universalstudioshollywood.com |
What is it? One of the most popular attractions in Los
Angeles is Universal Studios Hollywood, reputedly the world's
biggest film studio and theme park. The main attraction is the
Studio Tour, a narrated tram ride that traverses the huge complex,
passing stars' dressing rooms and famous back-lot sets, including
an Old West town, the town square in 'Back to the Future' films, as
well as Jurassic Park III and 'Curse of the Mummy's Tomb' sets.
Along the way visitors will experience several realistic
staged-disasters such as an earthquake, an avalanche, an attack by
'Jaws' and a meeting with an enormous version of 'King Kong'.
Besides the tours there is a theme park that provides a thrilling
introduction to the principles of special effects with several
attractions and movie-related rides. The popular 'Back to the
Future' ride is a simulated jerky flight in a time machine with
exceptional special effects and is one of the park's best rides.
The 'Jurassic Park' ride is a tour through a jungle full of
frightening dinosaurs ending with an 84ft (26m) near-vertical drop
into water. Other attractions include the spectacular 'Waterworld'
live action stunt performance, a realistic warehouse fire in
'Backdraft', a 'Terminator 2' 3-D show, and animal tricks on
'Animal Planet Live!' Universal CityWalk is a separate venue with
shops, restaurants, cinemas and nightclubs.
Hours of Operation: Opening times vary according to season and visitors
are advised to check beforehand. Generally open daily in summer
from 8am to 10pm (June to September), and in winter from 10am to
6pm (September to June)
Phone:(818) 622 3801 |
3. Warner Bros Studios
4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank
wbsf.warnerbros.com |
What is it? The tour at Warner Bros offers a
comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at an authentic working studio
and provides more of a technical slant than the Universal Studios
tour, focussing on the authentic filmmaking procedure. The
informative two-hour tour takes visitors to view the sets, prop
construction, wardrobe and sound department, as well as visiting
active film and television sets where it is sometimes possible to
watch actors in the midst of filming. There is also an introductory
film and museum depicting the studio's film
history.
Hours of Operation: Open for tours from Monday to Friday between 9am and
4pm (9am to 3pm in winter). Reservations are
required
Phone:(818) 954 3000 |
Los Angeles
holidays - Top Events
1. Tournament of Roses
From 2007-01-01
To 2007-01-01
|
What is it? This festival has been a Pasadena tradition
for over a century and is one of the most colourful events in the
world. The New Year's Day celebrations feature the Rose Parade,
which is a breathtaking spectacle of marching bands, equestrian
units and magnificent floats, completely covered in flowers and
petals. Float construction takes about a year to complete and the
Post Parade is an opportunity for the public to admire the
fantastic workmanship and the floral creativity from close up.
After the parade the Rose Bowl Game takes place between two college
champions and is renowned as the 'Superbowl' of college
football.
Where is it? Rose Parade: Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena. Rose Bowl Game:
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena |
2. Doo Dah Parade
From 2007-11-01
To 2007-11-19
|
What is it? Known as the 'other' parade, the Doo Dah
Parade began as a parody of the Rose Parade - where the one had a
list of rules and regulations and invited performers, the other
decided to exult in the opposite with no theme, no judges and no
commercials. Every year thousands of marching groups or acts are
led through the streets in a colourful procession of humour,
eccentricity and mayhem, doing almost anything they please and
attracting enormous crowds of spectators along the route. Entries
are unusual and entertaining, and have included Dead Rose Queens,
The Spawn of Captain James T. Kirk, the Royal Doo Dah Orchestra,
the Invisible Man Marching Band, Caesar's Circus, BBQ and Hibachi
Marching Grill Team and Bungee Barbies, among
others.
Where is it? Pasadena Old Town |
3. Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival
From 2007-09-14
To 2007-09-16
|
What is it? The world's largest lobster festival is one
of the city's great food events, in deference to the Maine lobster.
The focus is on fresh steamed hot lobster meals, but in addition
there is a variety of other seafood done the Californian way, as
well as many international dishes. The festival also features
non-stop live entertainment and activities for all ages, from
magicians and lobster-calling contests, to music, dancing and arts
and crafts, and the Lobster Dog Pet Parade, in memory of Bob the
official mascot of the lobster fleet, where costumed dogs are
invited to compete for the grand cash
prize.
Where is it? Ports O'Call village, Harbourfront, San Pedro |
4. Whale-Watching
From 2007-01-01
To 2007-03-31
|
What is it? During the annual migration of the
Californian Gray Whale from Alaska to Mexico, whales can be seen
passing along the California Coast and numerous whale-watching
excursions are available from Los Angeles city harbours or further
south from the city of Dana Point. In January, the annual Whale
Fiesta celebrates the start of the season at the Cabrillo Marine
Aquarium, with a family day filled with activities, exhibitions,
contests, arts and crafts, food, music and talks. In March the Dana
Point Festival of Whales features fairs, street processions, and
non-stop entertainment for the whole
family.
Where is it? |
5. Chinese New Year Festival
From 2007-02-18
To 2007-02-18
|
What is it? The greatest annual spectacle in Chinatown is
the colourful Chinese New Year celebrations, which is famous for
its Golden Dragon Parade involving a magnificent procession of
painted, undulating dragons. Contests, fairs, firecrackers and lots
of authentic food highlight the
festivities.
Where is it? Chinatown |
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