Are you new to L.A. and wanting to get a handle on where to go and how to get there?

Are you a tourist in L.A. and needing to know the best way to get around to the best places?

Have you lived in L.A. for a while and seeking new or off the radar venues to delve into?

This is your official “One Stop Shop” for attractions, activities, walking tours, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and hotels. Listed sections like Historic Districts and Walking Tours save you time and allow you to concentrate on areas of most interest to you. With over 250 listings of what to see and where to go, from the historical (world's oldest movie palace district) to the hysterical (comedy clubs), from the hectic (Hollywood Blvd.) to the rustic (Santa Monica Mountain trails), from the iconic (Beverly Hills) to the eclectic (fairy tale styled houses), there is plenty for EVERYONE to enjoy here!

Master architect/designer Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.” Starry-eyed dreamers, enterprising schemers, rebel misfits, and creative eccentrics will always find a welcome mat upon their arrival in L.A.

If you're drawn to an artsy bohemian beach community vibe, then explore Venice, and enjoy the walking tour described in the guide. Relish the beach, but want a little more upscale city ambiance? Santa Monica is a better choice. Are you a film history fanatic and/or live theater buff, one who thrives in hectic, flamboyant surroundings? Plant yourself in Hollywood. Lean toward less hectic, more upscale with some film history of its own? Culver City has Sony Pictures, Culver Studios, and the Culver Hotel. Love the modern state of the art concert halls and arenas, with other close subway distance cultural attractions like Chinatown, Little Tokyo? Downtown L.A. is the way. Prefer a university atmosphere, close to some top museums? Westwood or Brentwood may be a better fit. Or, want to wrap yourself in posh Southern California celebrity chic? Perhaps Beverly Hills is your place. Then again, if you want a central location to everything and a stone's throw to Museum Row plus CBS television studios, try the Fairfax/Mid-City district.

Deciding how and what you're going to see in L.A. is crucial. It can easily take 1 1/2 hours or more to drive from the northern city limits to the southern fringe. If you have a car, options are expanded and you can more readily cover distances. For example, if you're an ethnic neighborhood enthusiast, you can more easily visit Westwood (Little Tehran), Fairfax District (Jewish, Ethiopian enclaves), Hollywood (Thai Town, Little Armenia), Koreatown, and Downtown (Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Olvera Street). If you are planning to use public transportation, focus more on your interests in specific districts. Consider staying near a Metro Rail station (Culver City, Downtown, Koreatown, Hollywood, Universal City) if your curiosities gravitate to these parts of the city.

Depending on whether you are visiting for a few days or living here, it will likely be necessary to edit your choices and decide if you want to consume L.A. in combinations, or a la carte. Let “L.A. Made Easy” be your guide, and you can accomplish either or both!

Terry Braverman

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