Before starting a new journey, and discover new places, all the useful information must be collected. Information on the place (in this case the city of Los Angeles), the best time to go, how to get there… but also more personal practical information. For example, how to pack a proper suitcase. Or what documents might they ask you for? In the case of Los Angeles, we are in the United States. And here some things work differently than in Europe. Here’s how to get ready.
Travel documents
When you enter the United States from abroad you shall show at your arrival a valid passport and a mandatory electronic tourist visa, which will allow you to stay for a short period. You can fill in and obtain this online. Do not forget to add a good (very good!) travel medical insurance which is highly recommended, especially for the USA. All the papers will be checked at the arrival airport, that is LAX or Ontario Airport (ONT) as for Los Angeles city!
What to pack for your trip to Los Angeles
Surely you will need an adapter, because the electrical outlets and the watts power in America are totally different compared to Europe. Don’t even try to use your devices if you don’t have these precious items in your suitcase! As for clothing, the solution is simpler than expected.
Los Angeles is a large and warm city. So you will have to walk a lot (even just to chase the various means of transport between one neighborhood and another!) while remaining cool and light. The ideal is to pack comfortable clothes, preferably in cotton or linen, with short sleeves. Prefer trousers to skirts, if you are a woman, and shorts to long trousers in any case. It would be great to bring a fanny pack with you. This in order to always carry important objects with you (money, keys, cell phones, cameras) while remaining as free and light as possible. Of course, you better prefer sporty shoes rather than uncomfortable elegant ones!
However, we recommend packing some heavier clothes too: some long-sleeved shirts, long trousers and jackets (preferably waterproof, like a k-way). Often in the evening cold breezes descend over Los Angeles, and they can take you by surprise especially if you are on the beach!
What to do and NOT to do in Los Angeles
What to do in Los Angeles? Enjoying the sun and the sea on the beaches, that is obvious and indisputable! But lying in the sand all day doesn’t make sense when you’re in one of the most interesting cities in the world. Explore as much as possible of the most attractive neighborhoods of “L.A.”, such as Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Downtown, Santa Monica, Mulholland. The ranches and hillside villas are also very beautiful to see, where VIPs often live hidden behind lush gardens! There is no shortage of fun, with Universal Studios, Disneyland, many disco clubs, the national parks in the area, the coastal towns (nearby Santa Barbara for example).
What should you absolutely AVOID instead? Don’t trust the first person who promises to take you on a “tour of VIP homes”. If you really want to do this, ask your hotel about reputable and safe tour operators. It seems silly to say it but … don’t be “smart” tourists and try things on your own. That is, do respect the signs: if smoking is prohibited, do not smoke; if it is forbidden to cross or enter a place, do not do it. In Los Angeles the police is on the prowl all the time, and imposes heavy fines even if you “just think” to cross out of the crosswalk!
If you have to go shopping, absolutely avoid Santa Monica, where everything is super expensive and finding parking is practically impossible.
In order not to risk your wallet or even your life… avoid, especially at night, places like Skid Row, Compton, West Adams, Hyde Park, South Central.