Atmosphere

L.A, short for Los Angeles, is different than other big cities located in the United States. The city is the entertainment capital of the world, and most people come here to find fame and stardom in Hollywood. However, the city has so much more to offer than just a hope of stardom. Los Angeles is also known for its excellent sunny weather, relaxed vibe, ethnic diversity, and its access to great beaches.

The city is a major tourist magnet, with Hollywood, its celebrity residents, Universal Studios, Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, and so much more. In 2015, the city was the destination for around 45.6 million visitors, a mix of domestic and international visitors, a new record for the city. In the same year, 40.6 billion was spent by visitors in Los Angeles, making tourism a big factor for growth.

Like any big city, the number of different cuisines you’ll find here are endless. While you might think that L.A only got great tacos, think again. Los Angeles impresses visitors and residents with their great selection in Mexican-American, Ramen, Thai, burgers, you name it! Anything that could please your palate you’ll find here. And don’t forget the enticing street cars with smells you could only dream of.

History

The history of Los Angeles started in 1542 when Los Angeles was claimed for Spain alongside the rest of what would become Alta California. However, the city wasn’t officially founded until 1781, and it became a part of Mexico in 1821. Los Angeles didn’t become a part of the United States until the end of the Mexican-American War, in 1848.

The growth of the city was due to the discovery of oil in the 1890s and the completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1931, which was to deliver water from Eastern California. Today, some of the major sectors influencing the city’s growth is the entertainment industry, agriculture, manufacturing, banking and financing, and tourism. As of today, Los Angeles holds one of the biggest economies in the United States.

Los Angeles isn’t know for their high rise construction, but there still are some high buildings located throughout Los Angeles. The rental market in L.A is also known as difficult to approach, like New York, but it is absolutely not impossible. Almost 50% of city’s housing units are occupied by renters, and even though rents might be high at the moment, vacancy rates are low.

Getting Around

Being that Los Angeles is the second most populated city in the country, and also a big tourist attraction, it would be irresponsible to not have a public transportation system in place. Luckily, Los Angeles got the public transportation system down, and getting around the city is pretty easy. But here’s the different mode of transportation options anyway.

Car: Most of the city’s residents drive in Los Angeles. Traffic can be pretty bad at times, but that doesn’t stop the residents from hitting the breaks. Parking however, can be a downside to driving. Parking around downtown Los Angeles can quickly become a frustrating affair, as on street parking is hard to come by and parking garages are often highly priced.

Los Angeles Metro Rail: The Los Angeles Metro Rail is a great option instead of driving. It’s cheaper and it’s faster, a regular base fare being $1.75. The LA Metro Rail consists of six lines, serving 93 stations. The red and purple lines are the heavy lines, which often is referred to as the lines with the highest volume of traffic/passengers. The Los Angeles Metro Rail is the ninth busiest in the country.

Bus: The city’s bus system is the second busiest in the entire country. With the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the bus systems, and the metro rail, there’s really no need to be driving anywhere in Los Angeles.

Universities Nearby

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Southern California

University of California, Berkeley

Golden Gate University

California State University, Los Angeles

Check it Out

Los Angeles is a well known city by most people, and therefore the attractions we mention here might not be surprising recommendations. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check them out!

When you’re in Los Angeles you need to check out the celebrities. If you can’t spot them in real life you have so many other options for seeing some stars. Like going to Hollywood Walk of Fame and getting your picture taken next to the brass star embedded in the sidewalk of your favorite celebrity. Another option is hopping on a bus for a Hollywood sightseeing tour. These tours take you through known L.A. streets, the Hollywood Sign, and they’ll point out some of the homes of famous people.

Other things you can check out in L.A. is Universal Studios Hollywood, one of the oldest and most well known film studios that is still in use today. You won’t regret taking a studio tour. Also, don’t forget to visit the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk and Santa Monica Pier.