Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
The Best of
Los Angeles
Like Las Vegas, the allure of L.A.—for better or for worse—is undeniable.
Angelenos know their city will never have the sophisticated style of Paris or the historical
riches of London, but they cheerfully lay claim to living in the most enter taining city in
the United States, if not the world. I t really is warm and sunny most days of the y ear,
movie stars actually do live and dine among the commoners, and y ou can't swing a cell-
phone without hitting a rollerblading blonde at the beach.
This part of the L.A. mystique—however exaggerated it may be—truly does exist, and
it's not hard to find. In fact, it's fitting that L.A. is home to the world 's first amusement
park because it r egularly feels like one, as the line betw een fantasy and r eality is often
obscured. From the unattainable, anachr onistic glamour of B everly Hills to the vibrant
street energy of the Venice Boardwalk, each of the city 's diverse neighborhoods is like a
mini-theme park, offering its own kind of unique adventure. Drive down Sunset Boule-
vard and you'll see what I mean: The billboards are racier, the fashions trendier, the cars
fancier, the bodies sexier, the sun brighter, and the energy higher than any place y ou've
ever been. Darlin', you ain't in Kansas anymore—you're in La-La Land. Let's go play.
1
THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE TRAVEL
EXPERIENCES
•
Cruising Along the Coast:
D riving
along the sunny coastline with the top
down and y our hair blo wing in the
warm wind is the quintessential S outh-
ern California experience—one that
Maroni's “haute dog,” buy some knock-
off sunglasses, and r ealize how patheti-
cally out of shape y ou are compared to
all the tan and trim locals—all while
enjoying the wide beach, blue sea, and
assorted per formers along the boar d-
walk. Can't skate? Co wards can r ent a
bicycle and pedal along the bike path.
See p. 156.
•
Basking at the Beach:
This is, after all,
L.A.—so get thy buttocks to a beach.
Watch a v olleyball tournament at H er-
mosa Beach, take sur f lessons at M an-
hattan B each, or gawk at the world 's
vainest w eight lifters pumping ir on at
Venice B each. S urfers ar e always spot-
ted at the M alibu beaches, and local
families prefer to pitch their umbr ellas
at Zuma Beach. See chapter 7.
never loses its appeal, ev en for locals.
Stop and visit whatev er interests you: a
Malibu cantina, the famous S anta
Monica pier, or a S outh Bay beach—a
casual cruise along the shoreline is good
for the soul (BY O M ustang conv ert-
ible). See chapter 11, “S ide Trips from
Los Angeles,” for destination ideas.
•
Visiting Venice Beach's O cean F ront
Walk:
You haven't visited L.A. properly
until you've rented some skates in Ven-
ice and embarrassed yourself in front of
thousands while taking in the human
carnival ar ound y ou. N osh on a J ody
