Los Angeles is a dream of young and ambitious people who come there for big money and recognition. This is a city of celebrities, total luxury and well-being. Over the years, Los Angeles has created a special atmosphere of an easy life under the bright Californian sun. Beaches, prestigious hotels, night clubs, parties, fashionable shops – all the gigantic entertainment industry works in the city at full power.
For tourists, a trip to the City of Angels is an opportunity to see the residence of Hollywood celebrities, while van rental Los Angeles is a great way to explore the local magic of the film industry by taking a ride through the most elite areas of the city…
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a glamorous city, which is not related to Los Angeles, but from all sides surrounded by its districts. Hollywood actors prefer to live there. Actors and other celebrities began to come there at the beginning of the XX century. Now such celebrities as Mick Jagger, Kim Kardashian, Ashton Kutcher, Eddie Murphy, Mickey Rourke, Steven Spielberg, Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis live in Beverly Hills.
Beverly Hills features over a hundred boutiques, including shops on the famous Rodeo Drive. Also, there are many famous five-star restaurants, including Bouchon, Scarpetta, Spago and Cut.
On the territory of residential complexes there are parking lots, where you can leave your car for 1-2 hours absolutely for free. Despite the name ‘Beverly Hills’, most of the territory is plain. The houses, located in the hilly part north of Sunset Boulevard, are much more expensive than the average in the city, because they provide beautiful views from the height.
Bel Air
Bel-Air is a prestigious area of Los Angeles with a high status and beautiful landscapes. Its main characteristics are privacy and exclusivity.
(photo by Lei Han)
Many gardens, parks and forests attract the fans of outdoor recreation. There are plenty of restaurants and shops, but Bel Air is mostly residential, rather than a shopping area. The three main neighborhoods are East Gate Old Bel Air, West Gate and Upper Bel Air. The airport is located about half an hour from Bel Air.
There are no apartment buildings, and all the locals live in mansions there. Building types range from modest ranch-style houses to large estates. Architectural masterpieces with marble staircases and two-level kitchens are not uncommon in Bel Air.
Brentwood
(photo by kmcgee01)
Brentwood is an elite district of Los Angeles, located at the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains. Similarly to Beverly Hills and Bel Air, it attracts celebrities. The beach is not far from there: the coast can be reached in about 15 minutes by car.
Brentwood is good for families and offers good schools. There are many restaurants and shops. Every Sunday there’s a market that sells fresh producs from local farmers – vegetables, fruits, honey, eggs, cheese, and bread.
Brentwood Hills offer beautiful views of downtown Los Angeles. At various times, many famous personalities lived in Brentwood, including Marilyn Monroe, James Belushi, Monica Lewinsky, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gisele Bündchen and others. Along with Beverly Hills and Bel Air, Brentwood is one of the most expensive areas of Los Angeles in terms of the cost of housing.
Venice
Venice is a trendy and lively coastal area of Los Angeles with a rich nightlife and plenty of entertainment. It’s great for young people.
The area was founded in 1900 by tobacco magnate and amateur Italian Venice Abbot Kinney. The entrepreneur recreated a copy of the Venetian canal system with gondolas on the coast. True, the designers didn’t take into account that there are strong tides in the area, so later some of the channels were filled up.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Venice has attracted bohemian people, and there are still many artists’ studios in the city today. Bright facades made Venice a popular place for filming. This is the area of modern art: many facades are painted with picturesque graffiti, which can only be called real paintings.
Venice always has a festive atmosphere. The streets are filled with artists, fortunetellers and souvenir sellers. Abbot Kinney Boulevard is one of the busiest streets in Los Angeles, with many democratic restaurants and bars, as well as shops. In 2012, GQ magazine recognized Abbot Kinney Boulevard the coolest block of America.
Venice Beach is a world tourist center, attracting millions of visitors every year. Unlike other places on the coast of Los Angeles, this beach is wide and parallel to the embankment. In the vicinity there are many playgrounds for playing handball and volleyball, as well as tennis courts. Also, Venice Beach is perfect for surfing.
Hollywood
As the actor Denzel Washington said, everyone is a star in Los Angeles. In this case, Hollywood is the most ‘starred’ area among all districts of the city. Traditionally, Hollywood is associated with the American film industry, since there are many film studios operate and many famous actors live there. Celebrities, tourists and nightlife – this is how Hollywood can be described in a few words.
In addition to cinemas and other businesses associated with the film industry, Hollywood has many art galleries, nightclubs, restaurants and shopping centers. It also regularly organizes a Sunday market with farm products – a real gift for the fans of healthy food.
