Hotels in Los Angeles

Los Angeles: Pacific Coast Sprawl and Celluloid History

Los Angeles sits along 75 miles of Southern California coastline, anchored by downtown's cluster of glass towers roughly 15 miles inland from Santa Monica Pier. Founded as a Spanish colonial settlement in 1781, the city grew into the seat of the global film industry after the first Hollywood studios opened in the 1910s. Today, 13 million people live across LA County, spreading from the San Fernando Valley in the north to Long Beach in the south.

Visitors orient around distinct neighborhoods rather than a single centre. Santa Monica and Venice Beach draw coastal crowds; Silver Lake and Echo Park attract design and music scenes; Koreatown on Wilshire Boulevard offers some of the city's densest restaurant options around the clock. The Getty Center, perched above the 405 freeway in Brentwood, holds one of the largest art endowments in the world. Griffith Observatory, 1,134 feet above sea level, frames the Hollywood Sign 1.6 miles to the northwest.

Practical Tips

• Getting around: Rent a car or use the Metro B Line (Red) connecting Union Station to North Hollywood in about 30 minutes.
• Climate: Coastal neighborhoods average 10°F cooler than the inland valleys — pack a layer for evenings in Santa Monica even in July.
• Airport: LAX sits 16 miles southwest of downtown; allow 45–90 minutes by road depending on traffic.