The largest city in the American West, Los Angeles covers a staggering area and is home to a vast array of cultural institutions. The entertainment industry—film, TV and music—still provides a big slice of the city’s economy. But LA is also a magnet for writers, artists, musicians and entrepreneurs of all kinds, a new wave of gentrifiers who are adding layers of texture to the city’s culture.
The city is divided into 77 distinct neighborhoods, many of them once independent towns that were annexed by the rapidly growing metropolis. The city proper is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and encompasses a broad basin that includes the Santa Monica Mountains, the San Fernando Valley, and parts of the San Gabriel and Simi valleys.
There are a number of ways to experience the history of Los Angeles, from museums that house treasures and artifacts to historical markers that help explain how a hamlet became a metropolis. One of the most popular is to drive the section of Highway 1 known as the Big Sur, which offers stunning views and a chance to see how this part of California has changed over time.
For a more contemporary view of Los Angeles, head to the Museum of Contemporary Art. This venerable institution has been a leader in the city’s cultural scene since it opened in 1990 and is famed for its progressive, fearless approach to contemporary art as well as a wide-ranging cultural programme.
The LA County Museum https://losangeles323.blob.core.windows.net/medical/los-angeles-iv-therapy.html of Natural History is another of the most popular places to visit to learn more about the city’s history. Its dinosaur hall, with its 20 complete subjects and over 350 fossils is one of the most impressive in the world.
Other historic sites include the Hollywood Sign, which is a symbol of Tinseltown and the movie business. This iconic landmark is easily spotted from the Griffith Observatory, Lake Hollywood Park and the Hollywood and Highland Center shopping mall. Located nearby is the La Brea Tar Pits, where excavations have revealed an amazing treasure trove of Ice Age fossils.
Those looking for an adrenaline rush should head to Universal Studios Hollywood, which offers behind-the-scenes tours of the film and television studios that make movies. If rides aren’t your thing, try the new D-BOX experience—reclining lounge seats that provide customizable motion perfectly synced to the action onscreen.
Literary historians should take a look at the work of Raymond Chandler, whose hard-boiled detective stories were set in pre- and post-war LA. Ross Macdonald carried on the tradition into the 1950s, and later writers such as Walter Mosley and James Ellroy blended it with themes of classical tragedy. Science fiction authors Ray Bradbury and Nathanael West also honed their craft in LA. Other notable LA authors include Carrie Fisher, who came to prominence after moving to the city in the early 1970s.