In this blog
we’ll discuss all you need to know before traveling to Los Angeles like, what’s the best time to visit, how to get around the city and avoid traffic jams, the best apps to use in LA, and other practical information.
With four million people, Los Angeles is the largest city in California and the world center of film and television industry.
Here are our tips on what to know before traveling to this amazing city.
NUMBER 16: LOS ANGELES AREA
Los Angeles metropolitan area is the second-largest metropolitan area in the US after New York.
In practice, it is impossible to tell where Los Angeles starts or ends because most of its neighboring areas just seem like one big city.
So let’s take a look at the map of Los Angeles and its surroundings so you can get a sense of where the famous attractions are located.
Malibu, famous for its beautiful beach and surfing is located Northwest. While still popular with tourists, this is a predominantly residential area with beautiful beach houses.
Westside includes Santa Monica Pier, the historic end of Route 66, Venice Beach, Beverly Hills, and, for example, the Getty Center. Downtown is the central area, where most of the high rises, including the famous US Bank Tower, is located. Hollywood is located in the west and northwest of downtown. Here is where you’ll find the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood sign, followed by San Fernando Valley, commonly referred to as just The Valley, here you will find Universal Studios.
If you drive Southeast, there is Long Beach, and if you continue Southeast, you enter Orange County, another palace known for beautiful beaches and home to Disneyland.
Attractions in Los Angeles are spread out just as the city is, so driving from one side of LA to another will probably be your daily routine.
NUMBER 15: TRAFFIC
Los Angeles is known for its slow traffic. Since the city covers everything from the beaches in the West to East LA and spreads in all other directions, you can travel almost 50 miles and never leave the city.
So, expect delays everywhere you go. Some roads have tolls, so use your Google Maps, Waze, or similar apps to check if there are tolls on your route as well as to see your ETA according to the latest traffic situation.
The best way to beat the LA traffic during the week is to travel when there is less traffic on the road like between 10 AM and 3 PM during the day and after 9 PM in the evening. Of course, rush hours can stretch either way and there are no guarantees. It is also good to stay away from I-405.
Also, don’t forget to use Carpool lanes if you are not traveling alone.
NUMBER 14: SAFETY
Los Angeles has both greatly safe as well as extremely unsafe areas. There is some pickpocketing but mostly on places like the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Alike to tourist scams, so don’t purchase your tickets on the streets.
NUMBER 13: WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Los Angeles has a Mediterranean atmosphere, mild-to-hot, and frequently dry all year. The warmest months are from July to September and the medium temperature in August is 84 °F (29 °C). However, if you’re thinking to swim in the ocean, the water temperature is relatively low even in the summer, usually around 20°C.
The climate in Spring and Fall is dry, the only difference is winter months, which tend to be wetter, especially in February. The medium-high temperature in the winter is around 20 °C with the lows around 9 °C throughout the day.
Unluckily, smog is also a very familiar phenomenon in Los Angeles.
NUMBER 12: BEST TIME TO TRAVEL
The best period to visit Los Angeles is from March to May and between September and November, when there are fewer crowds, average temperatures range between 21°C and 29°C throughout the day, and the air is also breathable, which makes visiting Los Angeles excellent for both outdoor and indoor activities.
NUMBER 11: WHERE TO STAY
Discovering good, budget accommodation in Los Angeles can be tricky. A normal three-star hotel costs around $150 per night, but you can get some opportunities for under $100 per night. When it comes to luxury hotels, Los Angeles allows lots of options.
Since tourist attractions are spread out, there is no ideal place in terms of being close to the main sights. So, we recommend that you pick an area that you usually like so you can, for example, take a go to the beach if you like the ocean. Some of the best places to stay are Santa Monica, Downtown, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Venice, Beverly Grove, Westwood, and West Hollywood.
NUMBER 10: TRANSPORTATION
From and to the airport, The main airport in Los Angeles is LAX, located 18 miles (30 km) southwest of Downtown Los Angeles. There are several options to travel from and to LAX, including renting a car, an Airport FlyAway Bus, a shuttle service that provides non-stop transportation between LAX and assigned bus stops in five LA areas, Uber or Lyft, and taxies.
If you plan on renting a car, it is wise to do so in advance as you can get much better opportunities this way. Going around the city Los Angeles is spread out and public transport is not efficient and arranged in other cities such as New York or San Francisco.
So, Check is your destination spread by public transportation? (check by using apps like Google Maps, where you can easily see public transportation options and how much time it takes to arrive at your destination). Some areas are still well covered by either metro trains or buses. If you want to use public transportation, you can buy a reusable TAP card. Available from TAP vending machines at Metro stations with a $1 surcharge, the cards allow you to add preset cash value or day passes.
The regular base fare is $1.75 per boarding or $7 for a day pass with unlimited rides. A more useful method of moving for tourists in Los Angeles are car rentals or Uber and Lyft. You can also easily hire a car per hour.
NUMBER 9: BEST APPS TO USE IN LA
Your smartphone can be your best buddy in Los Angeles. Here are some of the best apps to use: Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, or any other app with current traffic and public transportation information. And, as mentioned, Uber and Lyft if you prefer a ride. ParkMe, BestParking, or ParkWhiz, if you are looking for the best and most affordable parking GasBuddy if you want to find the cheapest gas prices since gas in California is expensive, compared to other US states.
L.A Weekly, a resource to discover events, restaurants, and activities in the city. 5 EVERY DAY, which suggests five interesting things to do in LA every day. Airbnb, where you can book experiences and tours with locals. Eatwith, where you can book a dinner or a cooking class at someone’s home. Lime or Bird, where you can rent an electric scooter and explore the city this way.
NUMBER 8: LINES ARE EVERYWHERE
Since Los Angeles is usually a crowded place, you can expect lines not only on the road but also at the restaurants and all major attractions.
NUMBER 7: FOOD
Food in Los Angeles is not cheapest, but it is recognized for its quality. If you visit Grand Central Market in downtown LA, you can experience pure food from all over the world in one place. An average meal at a cheap restaurant requires around $14. You can find less-expensive alternatives with short research on TripAdvisor or Yelp.
NUMBER 6: FOR TOURISTS COMING FROM OUTSIDE US
If you are not from the United States, and especially if you are arriving directly to Los Angeles, there are a couple of things to know:
Tipping:
You should always tip in bars and restaurants in the United States, and therefore Los Angeles. The average rate is within 15% and 20% pre-tax for restaurants, or 15% to 20% of the bar tab. You should remember that servers in the US are normally paid minimum wage or less and rely massively on tips.
Power Plugs:
There is a chance you will need a special US power adaptor to charge your phone and other devices. This is what the US power plug looks like. We recommend purchasing a power adaptor before traveling to Los Angeles. It is worth buying an adapter for the entire world so you can use it in other countries too.
NUMBER 5: DRINKING WATER
Despite the public perception that tap water is not fit for drinking, the Los Angeles Department of Water ensures that their tap water is as clean as bottled water. It might not taste as good as bottled water, but it may save you some money.
NUMBER 4: DISCOUNTS AND COUPONS
There are many things you can do in Los Angeles, from shows, standups to sports events, whale watching, and many more. It is worth searching on Groupon, LivingSocial, and other similar coupon sites for money-saving deals.
NUMBER 3: SAVE ON ATTRACTIONS
Some of the popular attractions in Los Angeles are very expensive, for example, a daily ticket to Universal Studios is about $100. If you want to visit more attractions, we suggest buying a Go Los Angeles® Card to visit multiple LA attractions for a discounted price.
Or buy SoCal City Pass if you think to visit several entertainment parks in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego and want to save some capital. Entertainment parks include Universal Studios, Disneyland, Sea World San Diego, and others.
On the other hand, there are some great attractions in Los Angeles that are completely free, and you only have to pay for parking, for example, the Getty Museum, or Griffith Observatory.
NUMBER 2: WI-FI
Especially if you are an international traveler, access to free Wi-Fi is very important. You’ll find free Wi-Fi in many places in and around Los Angeles. Download Wifi Finder, an app that downloads WiFi map so you can Search for nearby WiFi even when you’re offline, or use Wiman that helps you find all the Free WiFi hotspots available in your travel destination.
You can also buy a local sim card and get online that way. Some of the best providers for cheap sim cards when it comes to value for money are prepaid cards from T-Mobile and Mint.
NUMBER 1: BEST VIEWS OF THE CITY
For the best and marvelous free views of Los Angeles, you can go to Griffith Observatory, Echo Park, Hollywood sign, Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, Mount Wilson Observatory, City Hall, etc.
But you can also pay and see the city from different perspectives from OUE Skyspace LA, the tallest view deck in California and ride on their SkySlide stretching directly over downtown Los Angeles.
Do you have a suggestion on what you need to know before traveling to Los Angeles?
What’s your experience? Do you have a question about LA? Share it in the comments below.
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