Los Angeles expresses everything that makes a city a
great place to visit. It has famous attractions, spectacular scenery, good
weather, beaches, culture and glamour. Best known as the home of the American
motion picture and television industries, Los Angeles is a symbol of modern
American Life.
In 1769, a party of Spanish explorers was developing a trail between San
Diego and San Francisco which became known as El Camino Real. A series of
missions would be established along this trail. The expedition of about 67 men
entered what is now Los Angeles by way of Elysian Park on August 2, 1769. They
entered a valley through which a river flowed, and named the river “El Rio de
Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula.” The governor of
California recommended to the viceroy in Mexico that the site was an ideal
place for a settlement. He drew up plans for the village, including a plaza,
fields, pastures, and royal lands. This may have been the first time a city had
been planned before the first settler arrived. By 1790 Los Angeles had 28 households
and a population of 139. The first non-Spanish settler did not arrive until
about 1820.
Today, Los Angeles is populated by the richest ethnic mix in the
country. The cultural mix has resulted in fusions of language, fashion, and
food, and is one of the reasons for the city’s huge variety of stage theater
and museums. The J. Paul Getty Center is one of the most popular museums in Los
Angeles. Opened in 1997 it is spectacular museum housed in six magnificent
buildings which are works of art in their own right. Set atop the foothills of
the Santa Monica Mountains, the cultural center offers important works of art,
variety of dinning choices, tranquil gardens, and panoramic views stretching from
the city skyline to the Pacific Ocean.
Universal Studio is not only one of the largest amusement parks. The
Studio Tour is a tram ride that takes you to the famous back-lot sets that
include many familiar scenes from the popular films. Universal Studios’ other
main attractions are its high-tech rides.
Griffith Park, covering more than 4,107 acres, is the largest city park
in America. A mountainous loop road provides views of the park, and various
entrances lead to the park’s many attractions, which include golfing, biking,
swimming, horseback riding and more.
The famous Hollywood sign, set in the Hollywood Hills, represents the
part of the city that is synonymous with the film industry. Hollywood Boulevard’s
Walk of Fame is famous for the stars lining the street that are dedicated to
actors. Located along the street is Mann’s Chinese Theater, with its array of
handprints and footprints in its sidewalk. There are several restored art-deco
theaters that still show movies along Hollywood Boulevard.
Known for its show-biz glamour, Los Angeles is the capital of the U.S.
film and television industry. Los Angeles is also the West Coast’s largest
metropolis. Visitors come for the city’s cultural diversity, the allure of
Hollywood, the great weather, and its miles of beaches and mountains. With a
metropolitan area more than twice the size of Switzerland, you can be sure
there is plenty to see and so.
