Los Angeles - Further Afield
Hearst Castle is an amazing building high on the California coast, built for newspaper magnate William Randolf Hearst as a place to house his art collection. Check out the stunning artworks and beautiful gardens at this mountaintop mansion.
Disneyland, Los Angeles, is the Magic Kingdom, California-style, complete with thrill rides, stunningly realised 'themed' lands, excellent restaurants, bars and gaming arcades in Downtown Disney, and, of course, the nightly parade of all your favourite Disney characters along Mainstreet USA. Don't miss the live action-meets-animation nightly show of Fantasmic, or a ride on Space Mountain, two Disney treats that never fail to amaze. The park is in Anaheim, 25 miles north of the city.
Take a trip down the coast to the attractive port city of San Diego where you can visit the popular San Diego Zoo. A short distance from Los Angeles you’ll also find Santa Barbara, a pretty coastal town with great beaches, a museum and attractive harbour.
Culver City is a handsome town, with a nice smattering of galleries, shops and eateries. It's home to the MGM Studios complex, and has a stunning viewpoint at Baldwin Hills. Also in town, there's a couple of diverting attractions: the Star Eco Station's fun environmental and wildlife centre, and the Museum of Jurassic Technology's batty collection of fact-meets-fiction, offering a weird take on history.
Santa Monica is an arty enclave. This city by the sea features upscale art galleries, bookshops made for browsing, a laid-back surfers' community (complete with great, good value eating options, beachwear stores and cool pubs), and, at Santa Monica Pier a fabulous old-fashioned fun fair on the boardwalk.