City of Angels

On landing into LAX (Los Angeles International Airport), I forgot how big this place was having been before about 7 years ago. I’d hired a car through SIXT rent a car and caught the shuttle that they put on to pick the car up no probs. You really do need a car to get around LA as it’s so sprawling! I was staying in West Hollywood which is about 40 minutes away north near the Hollywood Hills and stayed in the Ramada Hotel on Santa Monica Boulevard which is a great location although parking was still $33 a night, and the cheapest in the area!

West Hollywood is a great base from which to explore from and not far from the major freeways to go north or south. It has a great chilled vibe and the gay epicentre of LA so lots of cool restaurants, bars and a vibrant nightlife scene including Micky’s bar where some of the stars of Ru Paul’s Drag Race perform on a Monday night.

Day 1 I was up to grab a local breakfast, smoothie and then head into Hollywood itself which is about a 45 minute walk onto Sunset Boulevard and then Hollywood Boulevard. Firstly I walked past the famous Chateau Marmont where lots of celebrities hang out. It has a colourful past with many celebrities staying there due to their strict privacy policy. Then onto the start of the Hollywood Walk of Fame which goes right down this road on both sides. On the left hand side as you walk down is the famous Graumans Chinese Theatre which you can do tours around, and also the Dolby Theatre (previously Kodak Theatre) where the Oscars have been held. At the back of the Dolby Theatre as you walk through, you get to the see the Hollywood sign in the distance. Actual Hollywood is full of street performers, people trying to sell you things and gift shops. It has an odd charm but not as pretty or glamourous as the Beverly Hills or Bel Air areas. I opted for a ‘Stars homes’ tours…..why not, I’m in Hollywood! This was a 2 hour tour for $45 that took you all the way around Hollywood, up into the Hollywood Hills, all the way down the winding Mullholland Drive and back through Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. I mean if you can afford it, these areas of LA are absolutely beautiful!! Huge house, sweeping drives, manicured trees on either sides and very picturesque. Beverly Hills and West Hollywood are cities in their own right and have their own Mayor etc. The trip took us past the celeb homes of everyone from J-Lo, to Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani. It finished around Rodeo Drive which again is an uber expensive shopping area but nice to window shop!

On the second day I spent the day at the John Paul Getty museum which is close to Bel Air and perched on top of a hill with amazing panoramic views of the city. It is actually free to get in, you just pay $15 for the parking. You can walk up to the top but there is a cool driverless tram that takes guests up. The museum is a large collection of quirky exhibitions, paintings and artefacts from around the world in a modern and unconventional building in lovely gardens. It unites the entities of the Getty trust created by the oil tycoon J.P.Getty including the research and conservation institutes. When I was there, there was also an exclusive exhibition on David Hockney which was pretty cool. For a freebie, it’s definitely worth a few hours of your day to walk around and admire the views.

Later in the day I went in search for the closest spot I could get to see the Hollywood sign! You can’t get right up close and personal due to the area being protected around Mount Lee but there a few good secret opportunities. The best and closest I found was at Canyon Lake Drive, a winding road off Barnham Boulevard, but it’s worth the long winding drive as the road eventually opens up to a park where you can get a great view up close. Several others where there who also found it! Afterwards, I drove across to the famous Griffiths Park which is the largest urban park of it’s kind in the US. It’s basically 4000 acres of natural playground, canyons, parkland and hikes that tower over the whole of LA with amazing views. On the top of the park there is the Griffith Observatory & Planetarium which seats a planetarium theatre. The whole park is free, you just pay the $4 parking charge. A great way to spend a day mooching or hiking around.

LA for me wasn’t complete without a visit to a theme park, my favourite being Universal Studios! It’s not cheap at around $100 for a standard ticket but if you go off peak/off season you don’t have to queue much and can do all the rides and attractions within a day easily. The pass includes the 90 minute long studio backlot tour where they make a lot of the movies and it’s still a live active studio, there were films and TV shows being produced as I was there. The rides are just awesome, especially Jurrasic Park, The Mummy, Transformers and the Harry Potter World!

Although I had done Santa Monica Beach before, I had been told about Venice Beach so spent some time there too and for sunset. Venice Beach is a magnet for all the eccentrics and those who love to people watch. It’s very bohemian, quirky and full of markets, stalls and has a very relaxed vibe. There is street art everywhere on the buildings and it’s a great place to come and the end of the day to chill and watch the sunset. The day I was there was a beautiful purple sky! I had a cocktail from the rooftop at the Urwin Hotel and Bar which is a great spot to relax and see the sunset.

On my way back to the airport I stopped for lunch and shopping at the upmarket Grove Shopping Centre not far from West Hollywood. It’s a mock streetscape outdoor mall with fountains and an old style tram running through the middle. There is also a nice farmers market at one end selling lots of home cooked food.

LA was fun, varied and too much to cram into 5 days so I will be back! Plus September is a great time to visit, not a cloud in the sky each day and temperatures still around the 30 degree mark.