Many flights go through Los Angeles, especially on the way to or from Australia and New Zealand, as well as Asia. Well rather than just passing through LAX airport, how about stopping for a couple of days and checking out Los Angeles?
What to Do in Los Angeles
Most people have some idea of what they would like to do in Los Angeles from watching movies and television. But you are not going to have time to see everything in two short days so prioritization is required.
Here are some suggestions:
Visit the Getty Center
Built atop a hill overlooking Los Angeles, the Getty Center (there is also a Getty Villa in Los Angeles) opened in 1998. The art museum is a collection of European art works from the private collection of J. Paul Getty, one of America’s wealth oil barons.
The gardens are worth strolling through and the views of Los Angeles are spectacular. Admission to the museum is free and it includes a free audio tour.
Walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame
What could be more Los Angeles than Hollywood? You can stroll down the Hollywood Walk of Fame looking for the stars of your favorite actors, musicians and directors. The walk is 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) long and there is an app for your phone or tablet you can download to help you find the exact location of the “star”.
Walk through Downtown Los Angeles
In recent years, considerable investment has been made in downtown Los Angeles revitalizing the area and creating an arts precinct. There are a number of historic buildings, many from the art deco era. Explore the Walt Disney Center Concert Hall, designed by architect Frank Gehry on your own or on the free 90-minute guided tour. However, to see the inside of the concert hall buy tickets for a show!
The Broad Museum, a contemporary art museum which open in late 2015 is next door and admission is free.
Visit Los Angeles Grand Central Market
An indoor market in operation since 1917, The Grand Central Market is a microcosm of Los Angeles. Featuring deli’s, butchers, bakers, fresh produce and prepared food stalls, it is a great place for a casual lunch or dinner. Vendors serve prepared food representing cuisines from all over the world.
Where to Stay
If you are only making a short stop, 2-3 days, select a hotel near what you want to do. There are options for all budgets but do some research and check the exact location and reviews of fellow travelers. Also, have a think about what you want to do while you are there, as finding a hotel closer to your must-see activities will save you a lot of transport time. Los Angeles is a huge city, the traffic is legendary and travel times can be long!
Getting Around
Los Angeles personifies America’s love affair with the automobile and driving. To experience it first-hand rent a car. For our visit, Mazda and Drive Shop provided a brand-new Mazda CX-5. This was perfect for Los Angeles. Roomy enough to fit all our luggage (we were traveling internationally), comfortable for sitting in traffic and a great sound system and GPS to help us navigate the Los Angeles highways.
Our car was provided courtesy of MazdaUSA and Drive Shop As always, all opinions are our own.
This is one of a series of posts about great cities to plan a stopover or short break in your travels, other posts in this series include New York and London. Each month we feature a new stopover city.
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