Overall

Take it from a SoCal native and L.A. resident like me...I've lived and grown up in Los Angeles all my life from the 1970s to present. I've looked all over the U.S. to see where I wanted to move to if I ever had to leave L.A. Few cities come close: Vegas, NYC, Chicago, and Miami are my choices, but they all don't come close enough to L.A. in terms of the amount of things you can do. Most visitors go home disgusted or bedazzled about L.A. - It may not be for everyone and it can be just an acquired taste. You can go camping within a half hour drive behind Mount Wilson, go skiing at Mt Baldy in the winter if all the other ski resorts are too far, Go to Disneyland/Magic Mountain/Universal Studios/Knotts Berry Farm, go to any of our beaches, be in the desert in about an hour, be in Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear Lake within an hour, see our L.A. River or go to the Colorado River within 4 hrs drive, people watch in Beverly Hills/Hollywood, go dancing at the Roxy or any of the clubs in Hollywood/West Hollywood, dine on Sunset Blvd. or try Chinatown, L.A. DOES have a downtown, YOU choose: Downtown L.A., Century City, Hollywood (get famous), West Hollywood (where you can be happy and gay), Pasadena (college town and New Year's Rose Parade Home), Glendale (shop at the Galleria), Universal City (Universal Studios - totally), Santa Monica (Muscle Beach and SM pier is a great walk. Want to see some history? Go to Museum Row in the Wilshire District or visit Pueblo de Los Angeles or see the San Gabriel/San Fernando/Santa Barbara Missions - whew! Too much to list! Traffic I can say IS attrocious and I put L.A. 2nd after Tokyo and before Manila. Best time to see L.A. is during the spring months when the weather is just crystal clear or in the winter if you don't mind the rain or at times the freezing temps. Summer is always HOT but cooler along the coasts or head to the mountains in the summer to get fresher air or shade under the pine trees (not palm trees). Public transportation is a nuisance and for the first timer, rent a car and remember the mountains are always north of the city (when you're not in the San Fernando Valley). We want you to come to Los Angeles that's why we have 5 airports to serve you: LAX, Long Beach, John Wayne, Burbank/Pasadena, and Ontario. Have Fun!

Atmosphere

Convenience

Safety

Value

5 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

You have found this review helpful.