"LA - Not What We Expec ..." a Los Angeles Travel Page by Chris_Louise

We think the movies have given a false impression of what to expect from LA. We were expecting all the glitz and glamour that years of TV have showed us about Hollywood and LA in general.

We expected a really clean looking place. New. Fresh. Maybe its because we are from Sydney and expected LA to out-do anything Sydney had to offer. But LA just didnt live up to expectations.

Dont get us wrong. We had a good time doing all of the typical tourist things like Universal Studios, Disneyland, Wax Museum and Hollywood Boulevarde. These attractions were fantastic in their own right.

I guess what you need to do is not expect as much as the movies have shown or as much as has been built up in your head. The best thing to do is read everything you can about LA before going. Know what to expect, know what to avoid and you will have a great time just enjoying the attractions and not trying to reach unrealistic expectations.

After the first night we adjusted to new expectations and enjoyed our stay.

Disneyland 9/10:

Busy even on a wet day. We'd go back if we have kids but seeing it once for us alone was enough. Make sure you go on the Pirates Of The Caribbean ride. Its by far the best that we managed to go on.

Universal Studios 9/10:

A great day. We are kids at heart and the rides were brilliant. Make sure you get here if in LA. Do the Back To The Future Ride.

Wax Museum 7/10:

This was more fun than we thought. Definately worth checking it out for the $15 or so it costs.

Hollywood Boulevarde 7/10:

A little disappointing but there is plenty to see and do. What it lacks in the expected glitz and glamour it makes up for in ways to fill the day.