Los Angeles is a city that has so many advantages, that trying to make a listing of them is just an illusion. Therefore,...here is an "overview" of these advantages.


In Los Angeles, the areas are that different from one to each other, that it's really easy (and often disconcerting) to "change air", without leaving the town !
Those who live there know that, and the visitors quickly notice that's a fact of life.
With an enormous and performant highway system, the City Of The Angels allows changes of scenery, before, after working hours,...on weekends or on vacation. And, despite strong ideas, (except the daily usual rush hours traffic), these freeways are very easy to use, to get from one point to another.

Areas are vast, distances are long...It's called "The Greater L.A." ! Each one can find the place he/she wants to.


Those who like a mountainous landscape with a dry climate, prefer the North of L.A.. Ventura County is ideal; Thousand Oaks is a great town where it's good to live in...Those who also love this similar climate but who don't want to be seperated from the big areas, and the big movie or TV industries, choose the North-East part of L.A., called "The Valley"; That is where you can find the Burbank and Glendale areas,...famous borrows since they are the places of the headquarters of the Universal Studios, Warner Bros, and NBC network...
In fact, close to the Mojave desert, (so very near to the Death Valley), this Valley is divided into three parts : San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley and San Gabriel Valley,...all of them seperated from Los Angeles by the Santa Monica mountains.
And, for the people fond of Nature, there is nothing better than the Griffith Park (1620 ha), or the Zoo, located North of the park, and featuring more than 400 animal species.

The tourists usualy ignore those terrific areas, and prefer going to some other famous places having international recognition...Though Hollywood is not as "beatifull" as in its early days, there are many great things to visit up there : for example, the Mann's Chineese Theatre, in front of witch you find the famous Walk of Fame, with its Stars' fingers/footips...
As for the very first big Studio, Paramount,...it's still there, on Melrose...

Westwood, is the borrow where the movies can be seen before they spread the World. Santa Monica, and its beach (the largest of all...). Orange County, located in the South, still atracts millions of people thanks to its 67 kms of beautiful beaches, but, most of all, because it's the place where you can enjoy two special parks : Disneyland (that was created in 1955 and that features 8 "themes countries") and Knott's Berry Farm (a park that contains 6 different themes; The idea of creating this Park was, at the begining, very simple : Walter and Cornelia Knott wanted to sell their "boysenberries" dishes.
You can also visit the Crystal Cathedral in Orange; It's a very special cathedral, and is made with "1000 pieces of glass" !

If you go South Orange County, you'll notice beaches become more beatifull again...; Laguna Beach, at the border of canyons and little hills, is pure magic.
Southern down, after Santa Ana, you can see the San Juan Capistrano Mission; Built in 1776, it's funny to notice that the swallows are still back on the St. Joseph day (Spring).

Tourists love the islands too...They are 8, along the Los Angeles coast; You can visit Catalina Island, taking some ferries from San Pedro, Long Beach or Newport Beach. Catalina Island doesn't accept any car and if you want to camp, you'll need to ask for a special permit. Avalon is the only town,...climate is ideal, air is pure and fresh...While traveling through the mountains, you may see some American Buffalos !


At last, Downtown L.A. can be very interesting too (thanks to its history); Olvera Street, Old Plaza Church, Union Station (built in 1939, in the Spanish Mission Syle) and the very first house of Los Angeles, the Avila Adobe are monuments we shouldn't miss at all.


In Los Angeles, the mountains are just 2 H by car from the center, taking the "Rim of The World Drive"...Swimming, or skiing,...here, nothing is impossible.