Los Angeles is located in Southern California on the Pacific Coast.
This City of Angels was established by the Spaniards 1781.
The Golden Gate Bridge, a San Francisco icon, is 1.7 miles long and frames the Bay.
Los Angeles was merely a ranch town when the US appropriated it from Mexico in 1846.
But by the 20th century the film industry shone a spotlight on L.A.
The city of 3.5 million sprawls across 467 square miles of desert basin, mountain canyons, and coastal beaches. If there was one word to describe Los Angles it would have to be diverse; for diversity is not only a characteristic of Los Angeles' geography, but it also describes the approximate 11 million people who call it home. The largest population of Pacific Islanders in the nation lives here, as well as the world's third-largest Hispanic population.
Los Angeles is home to people from over 140 countries speaking 96 different languages. Attractions in this city are numerous and varied. There are more than 2,000 museums, galleries, theaters and other attractions in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles features itself as a great hostess providing its visitors with activities such as museums, beaches, restaurants, performing arts, people watching and sports. The Mann's Chinese Theater provides for an interesting outing, while Rodeo Drive showcases the latest trends.
No matter where you travel in the Los Angeles area, there's something exciting to do or see The Los Angeles area also features dozens of annual events, from parades, to sporting meets to festivals.
Los Angeles has drawn the attention of people from all over the US and the world, making it the entertainment capitol of the world. L.A. has not only played a major role in the development of television, music, fashion and art, but it has also been a central figure in creating a diverse center of pop and traditional 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 Pavilion, The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center and Venice Boardwalk.
The city is divided into many neighborhoods, many of which were towns that were annexed by the growing city.
There are also several independent cities in and around Los Angeles, but they are popularly grouped with the city of Los Angeles, either due to being completely engulfed as enclaves by Los Angeles, or lying within its immediate vicinity.
Generally, the city is divided into the following areas: Downtown Los Angeles, the Eastside, South Los Angeles, the Harbor Area, Hollywood, Wilshire, the Westside, and the San Fernando and Crescenta Valleys.
Some well-known communities of Los Angeles include Watts, Venice Beach, the Downtown Financial District, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Hollywood, Hancock Park, Koreatown, Westwood and the more affluent areas of Bel-Air, Benedict Canyon, Hollywood Hills, Pacific Palisades, and Brentwood.
The Los Angeles area is rich in native plant species due in part to a diversity in habitats, including beaches, wetlands, and mountains.
The most prevalent botanical environment is coastal sage scrub, which covers the hillsides in combustible chaparral. Native plants include: California poppy, matilija poppy, toyon, coast live oak, and giant wild rye grass.
Many of these native species, such as the Los Angeles sunflower, have become so rare as to be considered endangered. Though they are not native to the area, the official tree of Los Angeles is the tropical Coral Tree and the official flower of Los Angeles is the Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia reginae.
HOTELS:Los Angeles hotels classified by price and by geographical location
*Need accommodations outside the Los Angeles area? To upgrade your vacation experience without increasing the overall cost of your trip, consider renting California timeshare. Timeshare suites are more impressive than comparably priced hotel rooms, offering extra dining and living space as well as full kitchens. If you vacation in California annually, you can also buy timeshares here to secure luxurious prepaid, week-long accommodations for the life of your contract.
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