Los Angeles, popularly known as LA (as we will refer to it sometimes during this travel guide) is the second most populous city in the United States and the largest and most populous in the state of California.

This city has about 3.8 million inhabitants, and is considered one of the key cities in the world for its great economy and scientific advances, and for being one of the most important cultural and entertainment venues in the world.

Its geographical location makes Los Angeles be a city prone to the suffering of earthquakes, although most of them are of such a low intensity that not even tremors are perceived on the surface.

The climate of LA is very stable, with an average of 325 sunny days per year. The temperature is about 27ºC during the summer months and about 18ºC during the winter months. During the spring and autumn it is normal for heavy rains to occur, although nothing so serious as to spoil a vacation.

How to get to Los Angeles 

The main airport in Los Angeles is the Los Angeles International Airport, also known as LAX. This airport is the fourth busiest in the world, with more than 61 millions of people traveling through it annually.

The best way to get to Los Angeles if you are at enough distance, is by transport to this airport. Not in vain, the LAX handles the 70% of passengers traveling to the city per year.

To go from the LAX to Los Angeles it is necessary to travel by car or public transport. The different airport car parks allow many travelers to leave their car at the airport, even when the trip is long.

From the terminals of the LAX, it is necessary to take a free shuttle bus that connects them with car park C. In car park C is the bus terminal that connects the airport with Los Angeles.

Thanks to the shuttle, you can also access the different light rail lines of the city, so it is quite easy to get from the center to the airport and vice versa.

How to get around the city 

Los Angeles has a complete highway system. Many of the inhabitants of the city move from one neighborhood to another by car on the highways, and that is that Los Angeles is a city that has grown in width and not on top, so the distances between neighborhoods are remarkable.

We also find that the city has a more than acceptable number of ways to travel thanks to public transport. In Los Angeles, public transportation is provided by train, metro and bus.

The bus offers transport during the 24 hours of the day and, although it is very punctual, there are lines where the regularity is of approximately a bus each 40 or 45 minutes, reason why it is advisable to be attentive at the time of going to take this service.

In downtown, Downtown, there is an extra transportation option, the Dash, which offers very cheap transportation through the center of the city. It is advisable to use this method of transport or the bus in the case where we are going to make relatively short journeys. If instead we want to move between the different neighborhoods of the city, we recommend using the Metrolink, a rail system that connects the outskirts of Los Angeles with the city center.

The price of public transportation in Los Angeles is quite affordable, with a fixed price of $ 1.50 per trip (approximately). There is also the possibility to buy valid tickets for more than one trip, and the price is as follows (approximate prices and subject to change):

• Regular trip -> $ 1.50
• Day pass -> $ 6
• Weekly pass -> $ 20
• Monthly pass -> $ 75 

For more detailed information on public transportation in Los Angeles, it is recommended to visit the website www.metro.net.

What to see / activities 

In Los Angeles we find many things that can be done. A good example of this is the difference of cultures between neighborhoods. LA is home to a good number of movie stars, so it is common for much of the city's activity to revolve around the cinema.

The neighborhoods of Los Angeles are the following (ordered alphabetically):

• Beach Cities / LAX
• Beverly Hills
• Downtown / LA Metro
• Hollywood
• Neighbor Regions
• Pasadena
• Santa Monica
• The Valley
• West Hollywood
• Westside 

The names of some of them speak for themselves, and it is well known that Hollywood It is the current Mecca of Western cinema. Directly related to Hollywood is Beverly Hills, home to a number of movie stars.

The best way to get to know Los Angeles is to rent a car and visit the city without haste and without any ties. Each neighborhood has something special, and the most beautiful thing is what can not be seen at a glance.

It is worth going through the Ruta 66 through Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Strip Street.

If you prefer to visit the coast of Los Angeles, you have several areas that are a "must-see". Santa Monica has a beautiful beach that is worth visiting, since the atmosphere is very nice, with bars and outdoor cafes and street artists on every corner.

Also Venice Beach, within the neighborhood of Santa Monica, which is famous for having a somewhat independent culture. In Venice Beach all kinds of people and entertainment meet, with shops of all kinds, outdoor gym and a large sidewalk where people go to skate throughout the day.

If you prefer something less crowded, you can go to the Malibu, Pacific Palisades or Laguna area. These beaches have a lower influx of tourists and they breathe a more relaxed atmosphere.

It is worth remembering that in Los Angeles you are Disneyland, the Disney amusement park in the United States and an essential place to go if you go with children. In this great theme park (which is not the only one of the city by the way), your children can spend the day entertained by the hand of their favorite Disney characters. Also, being located in the Anaheim area, south of Los Angeles, a visit to Disneyland You can end up with a walk through the Anaheim area, which is mainly residential and has several beaches at 20 minutes from it.

Documentation needed to go to Los Angeles

If you want to travel to Los Angeles as a tourist from outside the United States, you must take into account that time limits apply to foreigners who do not have any kind of close family in the country.

To enter the United States it is necessary to be in possession of an unexpired passport and a tourist visa. To obtain one of these visas, it is best to contact the US embassy or consulate located in your country.

The visa allows a stay of up to 6 months in the United States as a tourist, and allows travel between states without any problem.

Some countries have the good fortune of not needing a visa to travel to the United States, as is the case in Canada, so you should do a little research before going to find out if your country is qualified as one in need of a visa. travel to the United States or not.