| Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Malibu. Partly out of its | | | | The speed limit is 90 km per hour on the |
| own imagination, a city never did much posing as | | | | highways of Los Angeles and its suburbs, and 105 |
| Los Angeles (LA) in magazines and TV screens. | | | | km per hour outside this area. Most motorists roll |
| Birthplace of the American dream, the city is as | | | | 15 km per hour faster than the speed limit, |
| no other, with its 22 suburbs in search of a | | | | beyond that you might be arrested by the police |
| center, and it is a patchwork city, where the | | | | of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). |
| traveler thinks that it is difficult to conquer. Judged | | | | North of Santa Monica Bay, the beach lovers will |
| as fascinating or artificial, Los Angeles cannot be | | | | be delighted by all the activities it offers: hiking on |
| ignored. | | | | the coast, swimming, surfing, diving, and fishing. |
| The Los Angeles International Airport, generally | | | | The cliffs of Point Dume are ideal for climbing, |
| known by three letters of the code (LAX) is the | | | | while Escondido Beach is the best dive site in the |
| third busiest airport in terms of traffic. You will | | | | bay. |
| see that it is very easy to find a flight or a | | | | A platform for whale watching has been installed |
| connection to the rest of the United States. | | | | near Westward Beach and a path leads to Zuma |
| Greyhound buses serve Los Angeles from all the | | | | Beach County Park, a few kilometers north. Zuma |
| towns in the north. The main bus station in LA is | | | | is the largest sandy beach open to the public in |
| located east of the center and south of Little | | | | the county of Los Angeles and it is a popular |
| Tokyo. You can also stop in Hollywood, Santa | | | | surfing spot. |
| Monica and Anaheim. | | | | The best ski slope is Big Bear in the San |
| Amtrak, the national railway, has a line connecting | | | | Bernardino Mountains, 90 minutes drive east of |
| the northern and southern California coast. Trains | | | | Los Angeles. The season runs from |
| arrive at Union Station in downtown LA. The | | | | mid-December to March or April. Big Bear is |
| Coast Starlight makes rejoinder from Seattle and | | | | especially enjoyable for its weather: sunshine and |
| San Francisco several times a week. There is also | | | | maximum temperatures set to tee shirt in the |
| a regular service from Los Angeles to Phoenix, | | | | spring. |
| New Orleans and beyond. In addition, several daily | | | | The surrounding mountains are ideal for day hikes. |
| services are serving San Diego. | | | | Try the steep paths of the Santa Monica |
| Los Angeles has a number of highways and roads. | | | | Mountains or Topanga State Park, both in the |
| If you have a vehicle, you will have plenty of | | | | interior, starting from Malibu, or Griffith Park, a |
| routes. Since the San Francisco Bay Area, | | | | few miles northwest of downtown. |
| Interstate 5 is headed south through the | | | | Although smog (pollution cloud) of LA is not really |
| spectacular scenery of the San Joaquin Valley. | | | | recommended for cyclists, the county has more |
| More circuitous but more picturesque, the U.S. 101 | | | | than 300 km of cycle paths. The best of all is the |
| along the coast and joined the I-5 at the center | | | | South Bay Bicycle Trail, which runs 35 km from |
| of LA. I-5 is required if coming from San Diego or | | | | Santa Monica to Torrance Beach. |
| Mexico. | | | | |