One of America's truly great cities, Los Angeles is famous for being the glamorous home of the Hollywood film industry. Go celebrity spotting at trendy restaurants and cafés or soak up the relaxed Californian atmosphere at the beach. From cultural gems in the Wilshire neighbourhood to studio tours in the San Fernando Valley, the enormous city of Los Angeles is a marvel to be witnessed.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the main entry point to the city, with frequent flights from Dublin and Cork. The currency is the US dollar and the time is seven hours behind Ireland's and the UK's. The main language is, of course, English, and Spanish is also fairly widely spoken.
The weather is undeniably amazing in Los Angeles – it's officially classified as ‘Mediterranean’ and usually brings temperatures above 20°C, even in winter. You’ll rarely need more than a good jacket in LA, and after spring, it’s hard to find anyone not wearing shorts.
Los Angeles is one of the most culturally significant cities in America, and many of the top sights centre around the film industry. The LA Film Festival in June, LA Festival of Books in April and Hollywood Halloween Carnival are some of the annual highlights. Los Angeles city breaks are an exciting opportunity to see a legendary corner of the USA, whether you prefer to sit in the sun or take a taxi around each studio and landmark.
Among the most popular activities on Los Angeles package holidays are rollerskating and sunbathing at glitzy Venice Beach, taking movie studio tours and driving to downtown LA for some big-brand shopping. The scenery of Los Angeles is breathtaking, and you can take a balloon or even a helicopter tour over it to snap some enviable photos. If you’re hiring a car, which is a great way to make the most of Los Angeles weekends, then Palm Springs, Malibu and Las Vegas are within driving distance of Los Angeles.
With your Los Angeles flight and hotel booked, you may wonder what local delicacies await you in the City of Angels. Luckily, it's one of the very best places to find whatever kind of food you’re into. Choose from upscale restaurants, superb Mexican food, diners or unbeatable fast food joints such as local In-N-Out Burger and White Castle. There's a burger joint on practically every street corner in Los Angeles, so simply driving around and seeing what takes your fancy is a fun way to score dinner on a trip here.
LA is also famous for its sushi, with a few of its Japanese restaurants rightfully claiming to be among the world’s best. It’s also no surprise that Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine is beloved in California, – Los Angeles package holidays would be incomplete without having a few tacos or burritos. Health-conscious LA dwellers also love their vegetarian and vegan restaurants, which are never hard to find.
There are many symbols of the city you can look out for when shopping at the weekend in Los Angeles. Perhaps a memento from a movie studio, like a baseball cap, soft toy or T-shirt will do the trick? Oscar statuette keyrings and ‘I Love LA’ magnets also make cute mementoes of your holiday. If you’re looking for something a little more special, trendy Los Angeles citizens love their fashion, and designer handbags and other accessories make for luxurious gifts.
Los Angeles flight and hotel packages are perfect for those who love to shop for themselves as well as loved ones. There’s a huge range of independent boutiques to check out in town, and Grand Central Market is excellent for picking up food gifts or checking out the regular cultural events. Malls such as Hollywood & Highland are a great place to cool off with an iced coffee and find outfits for nights out during Los Angeles city breaks.