A dream come true for people who love Hollywood would be to visit Los Angeles, the Southern California city. The iconic Hollywood sign and famous studios (Paramount Pictures, Universal and Warner Brothers) are the biggest highlights of this city. From the beaches to the wondrous sites, LA is truly worth visiting.
Here is my experience in this Californian city of dreams…
I was landing at LAX, Los Angeles international airport, a long-awaited dream was coming true. My cousin was there at the gate to meet me. We drove to his home in Lomita, it was too dark to see much, yet, knowing that I was in LA was more than enough to get me excited.
Day 1: Beaches and seafood!
The next morning he took me to Redondo Beach, 7 miles away. People having a good time on the beach, the blue of the Pacific Ocean was a very gleeful experience. Lots of lovely cafes and restaurants on the beach and it was worth taking a walk on the pier and absorbing the ambience.
There are 8 more beaches near Lomita which I didn’t have time to see as I was not visiting LA for a long time.
I had a hearty lunch at one of the cafes and I must say the seafood on Redondo Beach was great!
Day 2: Universal Studios in Los Angeles
The next day I was off to see Universal Studios. A wonderful experience in totality. From the universal studio revolving globe, Hogwarts castle, Hogsmeade village and roller coaster, Harry Potter souvenir shops, The Mummy themed section, Jurassic Park Ride down the waterfall, the Velociraptor animatronic robot, Despicable Me characters, the walking dead scary experience, all those Shrek characters and numerous others I don’t even know….phew! So many experiences in one day.
I saw the lake where the movie “jaws” was shot, and experienced a truck crashing into a train, a flood, a high-speed car chase, virtual reality! Also saw numerous movie cars, like the “Jurassic Park” jeep, etc. It was a delightful experience and I definitely recommend spending a lot of time over here.
Day 3: Griffith Park
The next day my cousin took me to Griffith Observatory, in Griffith Park. A lot of tourists were around as it was summer. We saw the various science exhibits and peered through the telescopes. We also looked through the Zeiss telescope. There are amazing views of Los Angeles from this place, it was featured in the Jim Carrey movie “Yes Man”, among others.
Griffith Park is the largest park in California and it is very scenic and contains a golf course, tennis courses, a planetarium, the Los Angeles Zoo and a riding centre.
Day 4: Time for some Hollywood!
The next day I was off to Hollywood!!! Walking down Hollywood Boulevard was thrilling, reading the names of the stars on the walk of Fame. It brought back memories of movies I’ve seen all my life. The hillside iconic Hollywood sign was visible from there, also the Capitol records building.
The Chinese Theatre, home to so many Oscar ceremonies was interesting to see. And the actors outside, in the get up of icons like Marilyn Monroe!
Next, I went to see Santa Monica beach and pier. It was fun. The tourists, the beach crowd, the street musicians, the cafes, the seafood, the surfers, the skateboarders…a beautiful day.
Other places I visited included the Getty Centre (museum/art gallery), Natural History Museum, the California Science Centre, The Broad (museum/cultural centre), The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).
It was one of the most memorable visits of my life and I believe all travel enthusiasts must visit LA once in their lifetime if not again and again…!
From here I went to spend a night in Las Vegas, the desert city with the most happening nightlife. Read about it here.
