Los Angeles and Newport Beach
I flew into LA. Virgin Atlantic flies directly from Heathrow in 10.5 hours. There is no getting away from the long flight, and the eight hour time change. If you can allow yourself some relaxation time to get over the inevitable jetlag, I would do so, as it can be a real killer!
Once through passport control, I picked up a car from Alamo and drove for around 30 minutes to reach Beverly Hills. You can hire a car on a normal British licence so there is no need for extra paperwork. The cars are nearly all automatic and easy to drive...just remember that Americans drive on the wrong side of the road! Los Angeles is a collection of several towns and cities including Hollywood, Beverly Hills and several others. Beverly Hills is well placed to visit all the major attractions including the Hollywood sign, the Avenue of the Stars, the beaches and many other places.
I stayed at the Beverly Hilton hotel (where Whitney Houston passed away), which is very close to Rodeo Drive (where Julia Roberts famously shopped in "Pretty Woman"), and around ten minutes from Hollywood. You aren’t restricted to high end fashion and couture. There are plenty of department stores and cheaper shops, and you can pick up some real bargain. Just make sure you leave enough room in your suitcase to get it all home.
I took a trolley bus tour around the homes of the stars, and dined in some fantastic restaurants, where you can eat almost any cuisine from around the world. I also saw the Kodak Theatre (where they hold the Oscars), the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Avenue of the Stars.
Los Angeles is very well served with hotels, and as well as staying at the Beverly Hilton, I also visited the Avalon Hotel (where Marilyn Monroe stayed) and the new Montage Hotel, which is supreme luxury at its best! I visited Universal Studios while in Los Angeles, which is a must for any adrenalin junkies out there! There are loads of amazing rides to experience, and it’s well worth spending a little extra to "queue jump". This meant we never queued for longer than five minutes for any ride. Of course, Disneyland in Anaheim is also close, but sadly, time was against me.
From Los Angeles, I drove south for around one hour to reach the beautiful city of Newport Beach. I stayed at the Pelican Hills resort, which has amazing two, three and four bedroom houses, as well as rooms and suites. All of these surround fabulous facilities including two golf courses. Although the resort is not on the beach, you can reach the beach at Crystal Cove by car in around ten minutes. This town is spectacular, and is famous for being the location used for filming the beach scenes in the film "Beaches". I stayed in Pelican Hills for two nights, and spent my time whale watching, shopping, sightseeing and bird watching, all within an hour or so of Los Angeles.
All in all, I would recommend southern California to anyone looking for a great, unhurried and relaxing holiday. LA itself is so diverse, you can find something to keep any member of the family entertained, from theme parks to theatre, bird watching to celebrity watching...there is something for everyone. Prices are not expensive, and you can choose from hundreds of places to stay. Once you have done LA, there is so much more to explore on your doorstep. You could spend weeks seeing it all!
If my photos on the journal have whetted your appetite to explore the region, why not give me a call and I can recommend a fabulous trip for you, giving you hotel, flight and car hire tips. I can also give you ideas on how to save some money when you are out there, help you plan your time, and even suggest where to eat! So give me a call.....LA and southern California is just waiting to be explored.