Los Angeles has a stunning and recognizable skyline and is a great spot to see Hollywood’s A-listers, but is also known for sprawl and smog. L.A. is home to nearly 10 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (2008 figures).
Plenty of dreamers head to Los Angeles to make it big. If you go, the trick is not to get lost in the sprawl.
The East Pavilion at the Getty Center is pictured in L.A. “The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks to further knowledge of the visual arts and to nurture critical seeing by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of art of the highest quality,” according to The Getty’s Web site.
Venice Beach has the boardwalk, Muscle Beach, volleyball courts, a bike trail and many other attractions that have been luring people for decades. “Venice has always been known as a hangout for the creative and the artistic,” boasts.
If you’re a nut about pumping iron, you’ll want to one very specific part of Venice Beach. “Muscle Beach is a special area where fanatic bodybuilders pump iron in a public show of strength,” according to L.A.’s Department of Recreation & Parks. This photo shows Larry Pollock striking a pose in the finals of the annual Venice Classic bodybuilding competition at Venice Beach back in 2003.
Two women walk past businesses that cater to high-end luxury item consumers along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. “The famed shopping street is known throughout the world as the epicenter of luxury fashion,” claims Rodeo Drive’s official Web site.
Looking for stars in L.A.? You need not look beyond The Griffith Observatory. OK, maybe these aren’t the stars you had in mind, but the observatory overlooks Los Angeles from atop the Hollywood Hills.
Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland is the centerpiece of Fantasyland, and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.
Disneyland has delivered smiles and thrills since it opened in 1955, and its success has spawned parks across the globe.
Visitors raft through realistic looking hot springs and geysers on the ”Grizzly River Rapids” ride at Disney’s California Adventure theme park in Anaheim, Calif. The 55-acre park next to Disneyland is based on California themes, and opened to the public in 2001.
A Cownose Ray glides past as divers feed tropical fish in the Tropical Pacific Gallery at the Aquarium of the Pacific. The Aquarium features a shark lagoon and three main viewing galleries where visitors can learn about ocean issues and conservation.
A simulated “Jaws” shark attack is just one of the attractions that draws in visitors to Universal Studios Hollywood. Park rides include Revenge of the Mummy, Shrek 4-D, Jurassic Park, The Blues Brother, The Simpsons, and more.
The Hollywood Sign was refurbished in 2005. The sign is one of the better-known landmarks in America, and sits atop Mount Lee in the Santa Monica Mountains.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is best known for the Oscars, an annual telecast set to run for the 82nd time. “More than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema” make up the Academy’s membership, according to oscars.
The Galleria Studio Hollywood sells merchandise along the Walk of Fame, where Hollywood’s icons are immortalized.
Stars have left their hand and foot prints in concrete for more than eight decades at the original Graumans Chinese Theatre forecourt.
Dodger Stadium, opened in 1962, has seen more than 125 million fans come through its gates. Baseball fans can purchase a famed Dodger Dog and a beer, soak up some sun, take in a breathtaking view of downtown L.A., look for celebrities — oh, and watch America’s favorite pasttime.
The Museum of Contemporary Art houses more than 500 pieces of art created by more than 200 artists. MOCA was founded in 1979 and “is the only museum in Los Angeles devoted exclusively to contemporary art,” its Web site says. Commercial Loan Workout.
