Los Angeles, California a city where the sun is always shining and the stars are always out is a phenomenal place to go to for vacation. However, it can be quite intimidating to visit, as there is a vast amount of spots to see from restaurants to plazas to iconic Hollywood destinations. The impending question for tourists always seems to be, which place to go to?
As a fellow tourist myself, I had a long list in my head of the places I wanted to visit when in the city of angels. However, being on a school trip, I was only able to visit my top choices. The places I got to see during the tour not only embodied the cool California lifestyle, but they were also definite musts for anyone that has not ventured to the west coast.
Whether you have known all your life that you were born to be a Florida Seminole or a Gator, a scheduled tour of the University of Southern California Campus is still fun and delightful to go on. USC’s central campus, a beautiful landscape familiar to the movie screen, has been featured in films such as “Legally Blonde”, “Forrest Gump”, “The Graduate”, and “The Social Network.”
On the tour, student guides will take you through the enormous bookstore, historic buildings, football field, sports hall, and art campuses. The last stop on our tour was the infamous statue of Tommy Trojan, an emblem of school pride across the university. A visit to USC is completely worth it as you get to see its beautiful campus filled with students and faculty that hold nothing but gratification and appreciation for their loved school.
Another great a pit stop when in LA is the Santa Monica Pier, known for being a fun and festive carnival located right on the coast of the Pacific ocean. The pier holds a boatload of entertaining activities such as rides in the Pacific Park, small shops, live music, restaurants, and more. To top off the fun aesthetic of the boardwalk is the giant Ferris wheel in the middle that overlooks the entire pier, as well as the coast.
If you’re more up for viewing the luxurious side of town, then Beverly Hills is where you want to be. Beverly Hills is a beautiful area known as “the hang-out area” where the rich and famous dine and shop. Streets such as the famous Rodeo Drive are filled with chic stores of well-known designers: Chanel, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Cartier, Valentino and much more that the average teenage shopping budget does not comply with.
However, don’t let the expansive brand names turn you off to visiting, as there are still classic sites to see such as the Beverly Hills Hotel and sign, along with multiple trendy restaurants like Urth Café.
Finally, for those looking for an atypical, true Hollywood experience, a trip to Hollywood boulevard is the best destination. Filled with iconic sentiments to Hollywood’s long lasting legacy, the area holds fun tourist attractions for many to see. The first spot I recommend to visit is the Chinese theater, where multiple movie premieres have been hosted, in addition to the fellow handprints, footprints, and signatures of elite and famous celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Tom Hanks, and the Harry Potter Cast.
Not to mention the theater is right alongside the Hollywood Walk of Fame that consists of multiple stars of famous celebrities. A more recent visit to the LA area will allow you to see the graffiti covering Donald Trump’s star along with a graffiti styled one for musician, Prince, who recently passed away.
These destinations cover only a few of the wonderful and exciting places Los Angeles has to offer.
