Shopping and eating may well be two of LA's most popular pastimes, but the city's parks, arts, historic enclaves and shiny new entertainment complexes are all crowd-pleasers. And this old diva is never one to rest on her laurels. 2008 saw the opening of the impressive Broad Contemporary Art Museum, the renovation and expansion of the historic Griffith Park observatory and the creation of the thrilling Simpsons ride at Universal Studios.

The sights of Los Angeles are spread throughout five counties. At off-peak times, the freeways are quick and convenient and it is easy to get around.

Downtown LA comprises the financial district with skyscrapers that seem all the more surprising because the rest of the city is so flat. It is also home to lively local communities with markets (there's the fabled, indoor Grand Central Market for local produce) and shops.

Here are Chinatown, Little Tokyo, the Hispanic centre around Olvera Street (the historic district where the city was founded) with landmarks from the city's early 20th-century heyday, as well as cultural institutions like the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Museum of Contemporary Art.

The LA Philharmonic's dramatic Walt Disney Concert Hall is one of the most striking recent additions to the city's cultural and architectural landscape, and is reminiscent of Frank Gehry's other masterpiece, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

East of Downtown, the city of Pasadena, in the San Gabriel Valley, has a historic centre and two outstanding museums - the Norton Simon and the Huntington. To the west of Downtown is Hollywood, although the actual Hollywood sign is located high above Hollywood Boulevard up in the hills near Griffith Park.

The famous sign is situated on a steep incline, which means that it cannot be visited but the extensive Griffith Park is great for a wander and fantastic panoramas of the whole city. It contains the famous 1935 art deco Griffith Observatory.

Down below in actual Hollywood, the streets and boulevards are less glamorous than their name might suggest and the Hollywood Walk of Fame is fascinating but hardly high class.

There have been successful attempts to upgrade areas, such as Hollywood and Vine, and there is a string of small museums, mostly connected to films; the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre; some notable if occasionally rundown art deco buildings and, on its northern edge, the popular Universal Studios.

The Westside encompasses trendy, fashionable and primarily gay West Hollywood, rich and handsome Beverly Hills, Miracle Mile, Century City, Westwood Village (where UCLA is situated) and Brentwood. Each has its own atmosphere and attractions. West Hollywood has a glitzy stretch of Sunset Boulevard, with its enormous hand-painted billboards on the sides of buildings, while Rodeo Drive is Beverly Hills' most famous street.

Stretching along the Pacific coast are the Beach Cities, including Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and Marina Del Rey, as well as Malibu to the north and Long Beach, which lies south of Downtown on San Pedro Bay.

Southeast of Downtown is Orange County, home of Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm theme parks. To the north is the wide San Fernando Valley, a largely residential area with several film and TV studios.

Tourist Information

Downtown Los Angeles Visitor Information Center
685 South Figueroa Street, between Wilshire Boulevard and Seventh Street
Tel: (213) 689 8822.
Website: www.discoverlosangeles.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1700.

Hollywood Visitor Information Center
6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Tel: (323) 467 6412.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-2200.

These are the two walk-in visitor information centres in the city. The organisations below also provide information online or by telephone.

Beverly Hills Visitors Bureau
239 South Beverly Drive
Tel: 1 800 345 2210.
Website: www.beverlyhillscvb.com
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1700.

West Hollywood Convention and Visitors Bureau
8687 Melrose Avenue, Suite M-38 West
Tel: (310) 289 2525 or 1 800 368 6020.
Website: www.visitwesthollywood.com
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1800.

Passes

The CityPass (tel: 1 888 330 5008; website: www.citypass.com) allows admission (with a total saving of 50%) to four Hollywood attractions: Starline Movie Star Homes Tours of Hollywood, Red Line Behind-the-Scenes Walking Tours, Hollywood Wax Museum, and a choice of either Kodak Theatre Guided Tour or the Hollywood Museum. It is valid for 30 days from the first use and can be purchased online or from any of the attractions listed. Go LA Card (tel: 617 671 1001 or 866 652 3053; website: www.golosangelescard.com) offers a one to multi-day card for admissions (with a saving of up to 35%) to over 35 attractions.

© 2006 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer

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