"Los Angeles" a Los Angeles Travel Page by Dabs

I've been to Los Angeles quite a few times over the years, I was born in nearby Inglewood and lived there until the tender age of 3, returned when I was in grade school, again in junior high when I made my poor grandfather go to Disneyland AND ride Space Mountain, everyone was jealous of my spiffy orange QT tan when I got back to cold Chicago and once for a half day when we flew in to watch a Bears Game. By my count, I've been there another 10 times since graduating from college to visit friends, take my nieces to Disneyland, hang out with my husband but mainly to visit my Grandma who lives in nearby Inglewood. Grandma, who turned 100 in October 2008, still lives on her own and can pack away desserts like no one I know! And every trip I've taken in the last few years I've managed to squeeze in a side trip or at least a visit with one of my best VT buds, Kat (keida84).

I cursed at my parents when I was younger, what were they thinking, moving us from the warm beaches of California to the brutally cold winters and dripping hot humid summers in Chicago? I dreamed of moving back and even dreamt up a scheme to establish residency and attend college there but fate stepped in, I ended up at Indiana University where I met my husband.

A recent article said that Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, was the second most visited city by foreign visitors behind the US's largest city, New York.

Of the major cities in the US, I find Los Angeles to be the least tourist friendly, attractions are very spread out and public transportation options are limited so most people find that they need to rent a car which unfortunately means you will get stuck in a traffic jam (or 2 or 3....) if you take any of the freeways.

And I think the Los Angeles that draws all those visitors is a bit of a myth, Hollywood is not the glamorous place that existed in Hollywood's heyday with movie stars spilling out of limousines in their expensive furs and jewels at movie premieres, celebrity close encounters are much rarer than you'd think and I've yet to encounter anyone who looks like Pamela Anderson jogging in slow motion down any of the beaches.

But then again, I'm not really looking for any of that...

Over the course of my last few visits, I've been digging a little deeper into Los Angeles and spending more time in the core of Los Angeles rather than the tourist attractions that draw most visitors here. Downtown LA is not for everyone, although revitalizing, parts of it are rough around the edges. But if you do have some interest about Los Angeles' past and some of the architectural gems that have survived, I'd highly recommend taking a tour with the folks from the LA Conservancy

And if you find yourself with several days in the Los Angeles area, make sure that in addition to seeing Hollywood and checking out the premier tourist attractions of Disneyland and Universal Studios that you include a drive along the coast and stop by some of the special little towns along the coastline. I finally did that in October 2006 stopping by Cambia, Solvang, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obisbo and San Simeon and it was probably the most enjoyable trip I've had to Los Angeles area.