For British travellers, nowhere really sums up the American Dream better than the city of Los Angeles. It’s a great place to visit, but there is so much to see and do there that it can be difficult to know where to start. We’re putting together a series of posts about the city to give you some ideas, and in this post, we’ll be giving you an brief overview of the city and some tips on how to start planning a holiday in L.A.
Los Angeles is situated in the State of California, on the West Coast of the USA. Nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles’ most famous area is Hollywood, the home of the movie business and an area known for its celebrity hangouts. Other famous areas of Los Angeles include Beverly Hills and Bel-Air (where you can see the homes of the rich and famous), and the adjoining beach cities of Santa Monica, Venice and Malibu.
L.A. is a truly diverse city, with attractions to suit everyone, so it’s a great place to visit. You can stroll on the beach in the Californian sun, visit museums and famous landmarks, shop until you drop in designer or stores and eclectic boutiques, visit the world-famous theme parks located just outside of the city, or enjoy a night out at one of the fantastic clubs and bars.
Airlines including Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and American Airlines operate flights between London’s Heathrow Airport and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The flight takes about ten hours and will cost in the region of £400 – £500 per person.
When you are planning your trip to Los Angeles, remember that your passport must be valid for at least six months after your travel date and, in order to enter the USA, UK residents now need to apply for authorisation in advance as part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). You can apply for this online via the US Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) website. It’s easy to do and is free of charge.
When planning your trip, it’s a good idea to work out which attractions you’d particularly like to visit and find out exactly where they are. As Los Angeles is so big, it’s worth considering breaking up your holiday by staying in more than one area of the city, or even spending a few days in another location. You may want to spend a few days in West Hollywood or Beverly Hills, then head to Santa Monica for a few days. You might also want to head out of Los Angeles spend some time in the city of Anaheim (home of the Disneyland Resort) or experience a different aspect of California with a stay at Big Bear Mountain.
In later posts, we’ll take an in-depth look at some of the things you can see and do in and around Los Angeles, and provide you with some hints and tips to help you to make the most of your stay.
Image by: Nserrano
Tags: American Airlines, Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Big Bear Mountain, British Airways, California, City of Angels, Disneyland Resort, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Los Angeles International Airport, Malibu, Santa Monica, USA, Venice Beach, Virgin Atlantic, Visa Waiver Program, West Coast, West Hollywood
