LOS ANGELES

Why is Los Angeles worth a visit?

LA, City of Angels, City of Flowers and Sunshine, La La Land and The Big Orange – Los Angeles has many nicknames. And the US metropolis on the Pacific is just as legendary. It’s home to the Hollywood dream factory and where the Disney empire got its start. Even today, everything in Los Angeles revolves around the realization of dreams. No wonder that in LA many things are a bit bigger, more imposing, louder and more expensive than in the rest of the USA. You either love or hate this city – you can only find out by paying a visit to the City of Angels.

Here are our top 10 reasons to travel to Los Angeles:

1. Los Angeles is Hollywood (and vice versa). Although many films have not been shot in the big Hollywood studios for years, the legendary dream factory still exerts a magical influence on LA. The Hollywood Walk of Fame and one of the major film studios should be on every LA visitor’s itinerary.

2. Los Angeles is the world capital of amusement and theme parks. The oldest Disney park in the world is located here. Right next door is the Disney California Adventure Park. Universal Studios Hollywood also offers an action-packed amusement park. And there’s even a roller coaster and Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier.

3 Next to New York City, Los Angeles has the best landscape of art museums in the United States. With the Getty Center, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, the Norton Simon Museum and The Broad, five of the most important art museums in the country are located in LA.

4. Los Angeles is probably the largest megacity in the world by area. A view from one of the vantage points, such as the OUE Skyspace or Mulholland Drive, over the seemingly endless sea of houses of LA is absolutely impressive.

5. Although Los Angeles has the image of a concrete desert full of freeways and parking lots, there are some very beautiful and diverse green spaces in the city, such as Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon Park.

6. Los Angeles is the car city par excellence. No wonder LA is home to some of the most legendary streets in the world. Hollywood Boulevard, Melrose Avenue, Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard are household names almost everywhere in the world.

7. Los Angeles is a true entertainment metropolis. Whether cinema, comedy, blues, country, jazz, rock or classical concerts, LA has something for every entertainment taste.

8. Los Angeles is a great place for shopping. Especially the countless shopping malls of the megacity are among the largest and most beautiful in the USA.

9. Los Angeles has a wonderfully pleasant climate. For twelve months the daily maximum temperatures are between 18 and 30 degrees. And that with seven to eleven hours of sunshine and a maximum of four rainy days per month.

10. Hardly any other city in the world polarizes visitors like Los Angeles. This city is either loved or hated. Whether you are one of the lovers or haters is something you have to find out for yourself during a visit.

For whom is Los Angeles worth a visit?

Hollywood fans:

Self-explanatory, actually. If you really want to understand and get close to Hollywood, you have to get out of the cinema and into the plane to Los Angeles. For true Hollywood fans, a stroll along the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame, a look at the world-famous Hollywood Sign and a visit to one of the big film studios such as Universal Studios Hollywood or Warner Bros. Studios is a must. And if you don’t come across a star in Hollywood, you can catch up on what you missed by visiting the Hollywood Wax Museum or Madame Tussauds Hollywood.

Theme and amusement park fans:

If you love roller coasters and giant wheels, and best of all in front of a Disney or Hollywood backdrop, you won’t find a better city in the world than Los Angeles. Here you will find Disneyland Park, the mother of all Disney parks worldwide. Right next door there is another huge Disney entertainment complex, the Disney California Advenutre Park. And the Universal Studios Hollywood are a fantastic experience for everyone who likes to combine fun and action with Hollywood.

Car drivers:

With its endless roads and multi-lane highways, Los Angeles is a true paradise for all motorists (apart from the insane traffic density). If you really want to experience LA, you have to discover it by car and drive along some of the most legendary, interesting and beautiful roads in the world, such as Hollywood Boulevard, Melrose Avenue, Mulholland Drive, Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard.

Entertainment addicts:

Besides New York City, Los Angeles is the entertainment metropolis of the USA. Whether classical music in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, comedy clubs on Melrose Avenue, a visit to the TCL Chinese Theatre of live music on Sunset Strip – LA definitely has a suitable offer for every entertainment taste.

Shopaholics:

Los Angeles is a paradise for shoppers. It doesn’t matter which wallet you used to get into the City of Angels – from here nobody returns home with empty suitcases. From shopping in the expensive luxury boutiques on Rodeo Drive to the countless gigantic shopping malls to bargain hunting in various outlets – LA has the right shopping opportunity for every taste and every booth.

Sunbathers and beach lovers:

Whoever worships the sun and shuns rain will love Los Angeles. The city guarantees seven to eleven hours of sunshine every day with a maximum of four rainy days per month. No wonder the Angelenos are beach lovers. On the many beautiful beaches, such as the famous Santa Monica State Beach, you can relax wonderfully and let the sun shine on your belly.

Fans of city panoramas:

With an area of over 10,000 square meters, Los Angeles County is probably the largest megacity in the world in terms of area. If you like city panoramas, you must have taken a look at LA’s endless sea of houses at least once in your life. From vantage points such as Mulholland Drive in the Santa Monica Mountains or the OUE Skyspace in downtown LA, a breathtaking panoramic view opens up over the city of angels.

Families and children:

Los Angeles is also one of the best city breaks in the world for families with children. There are fantastic amusement parks like Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, exciting movie studios like Universal Studios Hollywood and Warner Bros. Studios, interesting zoos like Aquarium of the Pacific and Los Angeles Zoo and great beaches like Santa Monica State Beach.

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Los Angeles is one of the cities in the world that treats its residents and visitors to a wonderfully pleasant climate all year round. For twelve months, the daily maximum temperature hovers in a range of about 18 to 30 degrees. In addition, there are seven to eleven hours of sunshine every day and a maximum of four rainy days per month. What more could you want. If you like it a little warmer, you should travel to Los Angeles in the summer months (from June to September). Then the daytime temperatures are between 25 and 30 degrees, with nine to eleven hours of sunshine and an almost zero percent chance of rain. Even on hotter days, LA is usually quite bearable, as the city often has a fresh breeze blowing in from the Pacific. Those who prefer somewhat more moderate temperatures should travel to Los Angeles in spring or fall. The only climatic downer of LA is the water temperature. Due to the cool ocean currents off the coast of California, the water off LA’s beaches never gets warmer than 20 degrees.

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Getting there

By car:

Los Angeles is the largest transportation hub in California. The megacity is very easy to reach by car from all directions.

By train:

For an American city, Los Angeles is better than average connected to the rail network. Commuter trains run from Union Station in downtown LA to many of LA’s suburbs, and there are even long-distance trains to some of the other states in the USA.

By plane:

Los Angeles has one of the largest international airports in the USA. From Germany, LA is served daily by Lufthansa from Frankfurt/Main and Munich. In addition, Swiss flies daily from Zurich to LA and there is a daily flight connection with Austrian from Vienna.

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Shopping

Together with New York City, Los Angeles is the biggest shopping El Dorado in the USA. In La La Land, there is actually nothing that does not exist. In contrast to NYC, however, there are no real shopping districts in LA through which one can stroll leisurely. In the Californian megacity, the shopping experience takes place primarily in shopping malls, and the city truly has enough of them. To list the malls of Los Angeles, one would have to write a separate travel guide, which is why only some of the more unusual examples will be mentioned here. By the way, the range of stores is almost identical in many malls. So if you are looking for certain stores or brands, you should find out online in advance in which mall you will find what you are looking for.

The most famous shopping mall among tourists is probably the Hollywood and Highland Center. This is not so much because of the size or the special offer of the mall, but because of its prominent location on Hollywood Boulevard in the center of Hollywood. The Hollywood and Highland Center is not just an ordinary shopping mall, but a true entertainment complex. It is home to the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars are held every year, and the TCL Chinese Theatre, probably the most famous movie theater in Los Angeles. You can also dine at some of LA’s best restaurants in the center and party in nightclubs until late at night.

The Grove shopping mall also stands out among Los Angeles malls. Located right next to the Farmers Market, the open-air mall is quite a welcome change from LA’s often monotonous mall blocks with its charming little storefronts that look like a small European town. The beautiful store decorations and small cafes also add a lot to the pleasant atmosphere of The Grove, which makes you want to go on a relaxed shopping spree.

Not far from The Grove is another of LA’s most popular and interesting shopping malls: The Beverly Center. Especially for fashionistas with a well-filled wallet, the mall in Beverly Hills is definitely worth a visit. Here you will find the stores of Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Yves Saint-Laurent, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tiffany, Versace and many other luxury brands. In addition, the Beverly Center proves all those liars who believe that you can’t eat well in a shopping mall. The center is home to the gourmet food hall of a Michelin-starred chef.

People who like to go shopping in pedestrian zones traditionally have a hard time in the car city of Los Angeles. The Third Street Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica is a pleasant exception. The shopping zone extends over three blocks, culminating in the Santa Monica Place shopping center designed by star architect Frank Gehry.

Those looking for typical LA souvenirs such as T-shirts or movie posters should look along the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard between Gower Street and La Brea Avenue. For things like T-shirts and sunglasses, the Ocean Front Walk on Venice Beach is also a good shopping destination. And for those who like a Mexican souvenir or traditional silver or leather goods on their shopping list, should head to historic Olvera Street in Downtown LA.

Those looking to fill their suitcases with clothing should definitely pay a visit to the so-called “Fashion District.” In Downtown LA between 9th Street and Pico Boulevard as well as Maple and Los Angeles Streets, fashionistas can stock up on affordable fashion and the collections of unknown (young) designers in a wild jumble of more than 1,000 small stores.

And last but not least, there are two shopping streets that shopaholics in Los Angeles should definitely visit. The first is Melrose Avenue, which once made a name for itself as the home of many alternative and independent retailers. Even today, many of them can still be found on Melrose Avenue. In addition, the street is also known as a place of very exclusive posh boutiques.

When it comes to exclusivity, however, there is one street in LA that no other can even come close to matching: Rodeo Drive. The legendary shopping mile in posh Beverly Hills is the place to be for all people who like to spend their savings on luxury fashion, watches and jewelry. On Rodeo Drive, the who’s who of the international luxury brand world is represented with beautiful flagship stores. It is also home to The Rodeo Collection and Two Rodeo, two of the most expensive shopping malls in the world. And the shopping experience on Rodeo Drive becomes perfect when, with a little luck, you catch a glimpse of a shopping Hollywood star.

Food and drink

Anyone who thinks that the gastronomic offerings of Los Angeles consist mainly of fast-food restaurants at freeway exits and shopping malls is very much mistaken. Hardly any other city in the U.S. has such a wide-ranging and diverse gastronomic scene as LA. This is primarily due to the multi-ethnic population structure of the City of Angels, where tens of thousands of people from Asia, Europe and Central and South America have settled over the decades.

Due to the geographic proximity to Mexico and the many Mexicans living in Los Angeles, the influence of Mexican cuisine on LA’s food culture is probably the greatest. Countless restaurants and market stalls offer Mexican classics like burritos and enchiladas. For lovers of hearty and rather fatty cuisine a real treat. Often you will find restaurants in LA that offer so-called “Southwestern Cuisine”. This is the traditional cuisine of the southwest of the USA, which combines Indian and Mexican influences. The gastronomic landscape of Los Angeles also has a lot to offer in terms of Asian cuisine. Due to the many Chinese and Japanese immigrants who came to California in the 19th and 20th centuries, LA has an excellent scene of Asian restaurants.

And if you stumble across the term “California Cuisine,” you’re actually as smart afterwards as you were before, because it refers to a style of cooking that combines cooking styles and ingredients from different food cultures and emphasizes the use of fresh, seasonal ingredients from the region. In many cases, however, “California cuisine” simply refers to whatever is in at the moment.

Last but not least, three practical tips for eating out in Los Angeles: First, like everywhere else in the U.S., time is money in LA restaurants. The service is furiously fast and if you don’t order a dessert or coffee after the main course, you will promptly get the check on the table without being asked. Accordingly, tables become available quickly in most places. Waiting for a free table is almost always worth it. In most restaurants, you can pass the time with a drink at the bar. Second, a generous tip goes without saying. Even in LA, waiters only get a very low base wage and depend on tips. And third, Americans love large portions – this is no different in LA. So everywhere it is completely natural to have the leftovers on the plate packed in a so-called “doggie bag”.

Nightlife and entertainment

From Los Angeles, one of the world’s entertainment capitals, one naturally expects a nightlife that lives up to this high standard. And LA does not disappoint its visitors in this respect. Hardly any other city in the USA has such a diverse nightlife to offer. From classic concerts and blues, country and jazz clubs to live music venues and nightclubs to stylish cocktail bars and craft beer pubs, La La Land has something for just about every taste in drinks, music and partying.

Due to the gigantic size of Los Angeles, many locations are very far from each other. So if you want to go bar or club hopping, you’ll almost inevitably have to rely on your car in LA. It is better to limit yourself to one of the city districts where the number of nightlife options is greatest. These are primarily the “hipper” areas of Downtown LA, Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Hollywood. These neighborhoods have the highest density of bars and clubs.

The two hipster strongholds of Los Angeles are the Silver Lake and Los Feliz neighborhoods, which are located between Downtown LA and Hollywood. There are plenty of typical hipster venues to discover here, where you can stand by the pinball machine with a craft beer while listening to indie rock. By LA standards, Silver Lake and Los Feliz are also quite pedestrian-friendly and are therefore most likely to lend themselves to location hopping.

Probably the most famous nightlife area in Los Angeles is the Sunset Strip, a stretch of Sunset Boulevard between Havenhurst and Doheny Drive. Legends like Alice Cooper, Guns’n’roses and Led Zeppelin once rocked the stages here. After years of decay, the Sunset Strip is now once again home to many cool bars and clubs.

Visitors who prefer a more dignified evening and night program also get their money’s worth in LA. Lovers of classical music should definitely try to get tickets for a concert of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra during a trip to LA. The LA Phil is one of the best ensembles in the world and their home venue, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA, is an absolute highlight both acoustically and architecturally. And Los Angeles is also a very good place for comedy fans. There are countless comedy clubs in the city, where definitely no laughing muscle remains untrained. One of the focal points of the comedy scene is Melrose Avenue.

And last but not least, two important tips for nightlife in Los Angeles: First, compared to European standards, LA nights are short. They end at two o’clock on the dot, because alcohol is no longer allowed to be served in LA. So if you want to have a long party night, you should start early. And second, like everywhere else in the U.S., strict ID checks are carried out at just about every door in Los Angeles. So if you don’t have a wrinkled face and look like you’re over 40, you’d better have ID with you at all times. Otherwise, there is a great risk that you will not get past the bouncer.