Los Angeles

Hollywood

Crowds flock to Hollywood hoping to catch a glimpse of huge celebrities, but if you don't happen to spy any of them out and about, then the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard won't disappoint. The stars belonging to Oscar winners tend to be placed by the Kodak Theatre, where the annual awards take place. Grauman's Chinese Theatre is the top film premiere venue in the city and now a popular attraction in its own right, and outside reside the celebrity stars of the world-famous-mega-star variety. This is the place to see and be seen!

Beverley Hills

Known as the most prestigious district of Los Angeles and home to many a Hollywood celebrity, Beverley Hills is full of designer gear and Rodeo Drive is the ultimate in designer shopping. But it's not all parties and shopping, you can also get plenty of culture too with the LA County Museum of Art and the Getty Centre, home to one of the collections of the J Paul Getty Museum.

Downtown Los Angeles

At the heart of Los Angeles' urban sprawl is Downtown Los Angeles and the towering skyscrapers of the business district. Whilst downtown may be a little out of the way of the traditional Los Angeles tourist attractions it still makes a great place to stay. For one, Downtown has the best transport connections in the city, located as it is at the hub of the freeway network and the emerging metro system. But also Downtown Los Angeles holds a myriad of attractions of its own. Many Chinese and Japanese immigrants have settled in this area, creating the distinctive communities of China Town and Little Japan. Little Japan is also home to the internationally famous Japanese American National Museum, which champions the cultural history in America created by its immigrant populations, particularly the Japanese. Bunker Hill is the cultural core of Los Angeles; come here to explore the Museum of Contemporary Art and the huge Los Angeles Music Centre - which consists of several theatres and concert halls including the dramatic silver structures of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. You can often catch free performances at the Water Court at California Plaza. Just outside Downtown LA is the iconic Dodgers Stadium.

Santa Monica

Heading to the coast, Santa Monica Pier is a popular hangout for tourists and locals alike. Spend the day on Venice Beach, probably one of the best-known beaches in the world. It lives up to its reputation, complete with Muscle Beach, rollerbladers aplenty and street performers. Venturing a little inland and you can still find the original canals that gave Venice Beach its name. The other half of the Getty art collection resides at the Getty Villa which is located just outside Santa Monica.

Elsewhere

Further outside these areas are some of the main attractions, so you may want to think about where you're staying if you're planning on visiting them. Universal Studios Hollywood sits atop Griffin Park, whilst Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens sits on the edge of the park which lies just outside Hollywood. Disneyland Resort is in the Anaheim district in South LA and further out still are the Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor Theme Parks in Valencia.

Be aware that Los Angeles is a large sprawling city, designed for driving - and car hire is especially useful if you're planning on visiting these out of town attractions.