Travel Guide

Full Name

Los Angeles

Former Name

Government Type

Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Area Size

Los Angeles has a total area of 1,290.6 km², comprising 1,214.9 km² of land and 75.7 km² of water. This makes it the 14th largest city in land area in the United States.

Time Zone

UTC/GMT -8 hours

Climate

The city is situated in a Mediterranean climate zone, experiencing mild, somewhat wet winters and warm to hot summers. Temperatures in the summer can get well over 32 °C, but average summer daytime highs in downtown are 27 °C, with overnight lows of 17 °C. Winter daytime high temperatures will get up to around 18 °C, on average, with overnight lows of 10 °C and during this season rain is common. The warmest month is July, followed by August and then September. This somewhat large case of seasonal lag is caused by Los Angeles' proximity to the ocean and its latitude of 34° north.

Geography

Los Angeles is located along the southern coast of the State of California. The City is 468 square miles and has an irregular shape with the most expansive areas being in the northern part of the city and tapering down to a strip in the southern portion.

Languages

English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

Culture

The people of Los Angeles are known as Angelenos. Nighttime hot spots include places such as Downtown Los Angeles, Silver Lake, Hollywood, and West Hollywood, which is the home of the world-famous Sunset Strip. Some well-known shopping areas are the Hollywood and Highland complex, the Beverly Center, Melrose Avenue, Robertson Boulevard, Rodeo Drive, 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica, The Grove, Westside Pavillion, The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center and Venice Boardwalk.

History

The Los Angeles coastal area was first settled by the Tongva and Chumash Native American tribes thousands of years ago. The first Europeans arrived in 1542 under Joao Cabrilho, a Portuguese explorer who claimed the area as the City of God for the Spanish Empire but continued with his voyage and did not establish a settlement. The next contact would not come until 227 years later when Gaspar de Portola, together with Franciscan missionary Juan Crespi, reached the present site of Los Angeles on August 2, 1769. Crespi noted that the site had the potential to be developed into a large settlement. In 1771, Franciscan friar Junipero Serra had the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel built near Whittier Narrows in what is now called San Gabriel Valley. In 1777, the new governor of California, Felipe de Neve, recommended to the viceroy of New Spain that the site previously recommended by Juan Crespi be developed into a pueblo. The town was founded on September 4, 1781 by a group of 44 settlers and was named "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula," ("The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels on the River Porciúncula"). These settlers were of Filipino, Native American, African, and Spanish ancestry, with two-thirds being mestizo or mulatto; a majority of the settlers had at least partial African ancestry. The settlement remained a small ranch town for decades, but by 1820 the population had increased to about 650 residents, making it the largest civilian (non-mission) community in Spanish California. Today, the look and feel of the pueblo is preserved in a historic monument called Olvera Street, the oldest part of Los Angeles.

Travel Information

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Located on Santa Monica Bay, 24km from the city centre, LAX is the world's fifth-busiest airport. Facilities include foreign exchange and banking services, ATMs, baggage storage, medical and first aid, language assistance and a variety of shops and restaurants. Car hire is available from all the major operators. Ontario International Airport (ONT). Located 56km east of Downtown Los Angeles, Ontario International is the city's newest airport (opened 1998). Facilities include information kiosks, ATMs, foreign exchange, and a variety of shops and restaurants. Car hire is available from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz and National. There is no business centre at the airport. Bob Hope Airport (Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport) (BUR). Bob Hope Airport is served by six domestic airlines only. It is the closest airport to Downtown LA (20km away), Hollywood and the Valley. Facilities include shops and restaurants, ATMs and tourist information. Car hire is provided by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz and National. There are no business facilities at the airport. John Wayne Airport (Santa Ana, Orange County). Located about 67km south of downtown Los Angeles. Facilities include shops and restaurants,ATMs and tourist information. On-site car hire is provided by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. There are no business facilities at the airport. The majority of cruise ships head south towards Mexico, although Los Angeles is a stop on sailings to Alaska and other international destinations. The Los Angeles terminal is situated at the western end of major routes across the southern Rockies and is also the southern terminus of the West Coast line to Seattle (Washington). Frequent services go to stations as far south as San Diego. Five main Amtrak trains serve Los Angeles: the Coast Starlight which begins in Seattle; the Pacific Surfliner - San Luis Obispo - Los Angeles - San Diego; Southwest Chief from Chicago; Sunset Limited from Orlando via New Orleans to Los Angeles and the Texas Eagle from Chicago via San Antonio. Road travel in California is excellent, with good roads connecting Los Angeles to San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey and San Francisco.

Accommodation

LA is a mecca for unique hotels. Poolside hotel bars serve fashionable little umbrellas, rooted in succulent slices of tropical fruit, to keep the ice in your cocktail cool. Hibiscus flowers flank Mission-style hotels where the roar of the ocean is a barefoot walk away. Regal, ornate buildings with prime Downtown locations are so rich in Hollywood history that you can almost smell Rita Hayworth’s perfume. From of-the-moment, hip boutique hotels to sprawling hilltop castles, you need only use your imagination and your checkbook to dream up the perfect place to stay in Los Angeles.

Visa Requirements

Visas not required by nationals of the EU, Australia and Canada except the following: nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa. Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. Nationals of countries not referred to above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time. Apply to Embassy or consulate. Valid passport required by all nationals of countries referred to above; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy. For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program, passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry. All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa. Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page. New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced as early as 1 January 2008.

Getting Around

Despite LA being one of the most car-oriented cities in the USA, public transport is good and swift. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority actually operates one of the largest fleets in the nation - 200 Metro Bus lines as well as four Metro Rail lines. Due to the size of the city, buses can be time- consuming and may involve changing, but if the subway stops where required, it is a very good option. Downtown Los Angeles also has its own bus system called DASH. Maps and schedules are available on the bus or from a hotel concierge and signs are posted throughout the Downtown area. Although taxis are readily available, the size of Los Angeles makes them expensive and impractical for cross-town journeys. They are more useful for night journeys within one area. There are 10 franchise taxi operators in the city. Visitors should look for the official Los Angeles Taxicab Seal before getting in. All official taxis charge the same rates. The distances between LA's various points can seem intimidating at first, but it is relatively easy to get around the city in a car. All the major car hire companies have offices around the LA area. Hollywood Pro Bicycles is one of a few stores that rents road and mountain bikes. Perry's Beach Cafe, 2400 and 2600 Oceanfront Walk, has bike and skate rentals and easy access to the bike paths either side of Santa Monica Pier. Bikestation, which links to public transportation and 53km of scenic bike paths, has quality bike rentals. EagleRider Motorcycle Rental is located close to LAX Airport and has motorcycle rentals, including Harley Davidsons, as well as motorcycle guided tours.

Health & Safety

There are no specific health risks associated with travel within the USA. Medical facilities are excellent, but expensive. Only emergencies are treated without prior payment and treatment can be refused without evidence of insurance or proof of funds. Good medical insurance is essential. Travel within the United States is generally trouble-free, however travellers should be aware that the US shares with the rest of the world an increased threat from terrorist incidents. Travellers should also be alert to the dangers of car and street crime in cities and should use common sense and take basic precautions. Forecasting teams in the USA have predicted an increase in hurricane activity in the Atlantic for 2007, between June and November, putting the southern USA, including the Gulf Coast and the eastern US, at higher risk than usual.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 15 Jan - Martin Luther King Day. 19 Feb - Presidents’ Day. 28 May - Memorial Day. 4 Jul - Independence Day. 3 Sep - Labor Day. 8 Oct - Columbus Day. 12 Nov - Veterans' Day. 22 Nov - Thanksgiving Day. 25 Dec - Christmas Day.

Currency

US Dollar (USD)

Electricity

110 volts, 60Hz

Working Hours

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9.00am - 5.30pm.

Emergency Numbers

911