Los Angeles

Renowned for its trendy hang-outs and movie-star status, Los Angeles oozes glitz, glamour and true Hollywood style.

Getting around

Several of the city's districts are best explored on foot, though sprawling Los Angeles is very difficult to traverse without a car - just try to avoid driving during rush hours. LA has a comprehensive Metro rail service which provides good coverage of the city.There are fast express buses that cover the whole of the city, from downtown to the coast, and they run more or less every 15 minutes.

Must sees

• Hollywood sign
• Grauman's Chinese Theatre/Hollywood Walk of Fame
• Venice Beach
• Sunset Boulevard
• Homes of the stars in Beverly Hills
• Universal Studios HollywoodSM

Must buys

From big department stores to the more exclusive boutiques, shopping in LA is fantastic - keep your eyes peeled for celebs wherever you go. Explore one of the massive malls, such as the Beverly Center, browse LA's most famous shopping street, Rodeo Drive, and enjoy the fun flavour of characterful Venice.

Must tries

Gastronomic treats include Italian, Indian, French, Mexican, Chinese and many more, while restaurants range from the expensive to those with happy hours where food costs the same as a drink. LA also has lots of celebrity-owned joints, such as Steven Spielberg's Sandwich Store Dive. If you want to combine dining with star-spotting, head for the West Hollywood area. LA's nightlife is somewhat trendier than in most of our other featured cities - Sunset Strip in West Hollywood and the Roxy Club entertain many celebrities. Clubs and pubs in LA range from jazz to Latino salsa, but for original American music, head to the House of Blues.Trizec Hahn's Hollywood and Highland® offers high profile entertainment, shopping and dining all located on Hollywood Boulevard. For a different kind of entertainment, try one of the area's theme parks.

*Please note
If you are travelling to the USA on or after 12^th January 2009, we have very important information from US passport control regarding new entry requirements that you MUST read.  See our USA - Electronic System for Travel Authorisation web page for more details.