Does anyone else think LA is overrated as a tourist destination? (Los Angeles: crime, hotels)
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Tons of stuff to do in L.A. Pacific Coast Highway, and other scenic overlooks. The Getty Museum. The Petersen Automotive Museum. Hollywood Park for horse racing. In-n-Out, Pinks, El Cholo. Venice Beach. Cheesy but fun celebrity sightseeing tours. Westwood Village Memorial Park, the final resting place of what seems to be a zillion stars. If you have a particular star that you love, there's places you can visit that they've been to, or resided at, or died at, or was buried at. Or visit their star on the Walk of Fame. Infamous eateries like El Coyote or Vitello's. If you aren't into any of that, maybe you should go to SanFran instead.
Wait.. The Sunset Strip! Think of all the 60's bands that played there. Also, if you don't think you'd be interested in going to the Petersen Car Museum, didja know they've got the Batmobile from the 60'sTV show? Gotta see the Batmobile!
Last edited by paulapoo; 06-18-2011 at 02:14 AM..
Reason: Just added a few more things
We are currently touring the United States and we have just came back from Los Angeles and i have to say we are very dissapointed with the city. I was so hyped up and so was my wife. Everything is so spread out and most of the attractions sucked. Most of the people were all full of themselves and snoby. Universal Studios in LA has to the worst in the world, there are no fun rides, its all for children. Hollywood was just one street full of homeless people and terrible museums. Also the traffic in LA is terrible... We spent a week there and we are glad to continue our US tour and we are currently in Atlanta, GA which is a nice city. Don't get me wrong, we love America but i don't have anything good to say about Los Angeles
Universal Studios in LA is not just for children. In fact, compared to Disneyland, the rides are way more targeted towards teens and adults as they are so much more thrilling. So I disagree that you say it is "all for children". You can also do the studio tour, which is pretty amazing. There are other special effect shows you can see there also. There is not only rides. The CityWalk is also a fun place to hang out.
In any city, in any part of the world, you will come across some friendly, and some not friendly people. I was last in LA during April and a majority of the people were really nice and helpful. The hole snobbish, superficial thing is a load of rubbish. Not everyone is a celebrity. Not everyone is a billionaire. Not everyone thinks they are 'above' others because they live in LA. It's only a minority of people who are those things. Go to New York and you'll realise that the people in LA are really friendly compared to elsewhere.
Yeah, it's spread out. But it's a massive city. It offers so much. There's a lot to do. You just have to know where to go. The traffic can get bad. I agree with you on that. But despite the thousands of cars on the road, the traffic seems to flow really well. Maybe an American would disagree though. But where I live, the roads get clogged easier because there aren't as many lanes. The freeways are relatively smaller.
LA has its downsides but overall I think it's a great city. It's so much fun.
But it all depends what you're after.
I don't mind crowds, i don't mind traffic, but if your going to be stuck in a car for up to an hour or two and then go to somewhere that completely sucks then that doesn't ring my bell.
You have hypocritical statements all over your post:
"The only thing i hate about it is that it is insanely overcrowded"
then:
"I don't mind crowds"
"the traffic in LA is terrible"
then:
"i don't mind traffic"
And if you did any research at all you'd find that Hollywood is nothing more than a filty dirty area of town, filled with souvenir and t-shirt shops and tour buses. Sorry, but its not one of the "main attractions of the world". But this gives us a pretty good idea of what kind of traveler you are, especially based on the other "world famous" attractions you're visiting (World of Coca Cola??)
Good luck in San Fransisco - hopefully you dont stick to famous landmarks like the Ghiradelli chocolate shop, Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum and Bubba Gumps while wearing your "I got Crabs at Fishermas Wharf" t-shirt
Also the locals are very friendly to tourists unlike most in LA. Much better than LA if you ask me. I would never in my whole life go back to LA. And a few locals we spoke to in LA were shocked that we even traveled all the way from Ireland to go there.
I always love it when someone comes on here and labels a whole town as either rude,snobby unfriendly after a few encounters. There are over 11 million people in LA. Are you trying to tell us you talked to everyone of them to come to your conclusion? If you did, I certainly don't remember talking to you.
Guys, guys its obvious this guy is a troll and probably has never set foot in LA, why is everyone wasting their time responding to the OP? He/she is probably someone who hates LA and has taken all the negatives that he/she has gathered from this site and thinks they know what our city is all about, anyone who has ever really set foot in our city can never say that they found it uninteresting just for the fact that there is no other city in this world that is like LA, so you heard it here first this guy is an imposter and a phony.
Guys, guys its obvious this guy is a troll and probably has never set foot in LA, why is everyone wasting their time responding to the OP? He/she is probably someone who hates LA and has taken all the negatives that he/she has gathered from this site and thinks they know what our city is all about, anyone who has ever really set foot in our city can never say that they found it uninteresting just for the fact that there is no other city in this world that is like LA, so you heard it here first this guy is an imposter and a phony.
i agree with you, maybe some guy from NY or something just coming to our forum and trash talking our great city
Guys, guys its obvious this guy is a troll and probably has never set foot in LA, why is everyone wasting their time responding to the OP? He/she is probably someone who hates LA and has taken all the negatives that he/she has gathered from this site and thinks they know what our city is all about, anyone who has ever really set foot in our city can never say that they found it uninteresting just for the fact that there is no other city in this world that is like LA, so you heard it here first this guy is an imposter and a phony.
Why get thick over it? And i have plenty of pictures to prove I was in LA. When I'm back from my American trip, I will post pictures on here and maybe its you, never stepped outside of California ae?
I don't think it is LA's fault that Hollywood is hyped as a major attraction. People come to LA with the expectation that Hollywood is full of mystique and tons of celebs walk around. Back in the 1920s and 1950s maybe, but no longer. As another poster wrote, it is a filthy area of the city (except for Hollywood/Vine---still questionable) with dozens of t shirt shops intermixed with tourist traps and who knows what else. The restaurants along the Blvd. are pretty historical, but I doubt tourists come to LA to eat at them.
People outside the US and even within the US have a hard time separating Hollywood from the Hollywood scene. Problem is there isn't much to do as a tourist in the "real Hollywood scene" in Westwood, Beverly Hills (other than Rodeo Drive) and Brentwood. Santa Monica Pier is pretty cool in the summer similar to Navy Pier and Coney Island, I've never been to Brighton (I've been to London) so I can't compare it to there.
I've heard out of towners say they are afraid to drive in LA. Not many places in the world have highways like this. Even the world's biggest cities don't and if they do, they are restricted access.
There are a lot of attractions for everyone in Los Angeles and greater Los Angeles, they are far apart. Obviously some cities like Philly, Boston, DC, Chicago, NYC are better tourist spots because better public transit and more attractions within walking distance or short cab ride away.
People come to LA and expect the same situation as back East or in Chicago but with a lot more celebrities and papparazzi hanging around. If the expectations weren't there, people wouldn't leave LA disappointed and would judge it on its own attractions like the Getty, the Pier, Rodeo Drive, etc.
We are currently touring the United States and we have just came back from Los Angeles and i have to say we are very dissapointed with the city. I was so hyped up and so was my wife. Everything is so spread out and most of the attractions sucked. Most of the people were all full of themselves and snoby. Universal Studios in LA has to the worst in the world, there are no fun rides, its all for children. Hollywood was just one street full of homeless people and terrible museums. Also the traffic in LA is terrible... We spent a week there and we are glad to continue our US tour and we are currently in Atlanta, GA which is a nice city. Don't get me wrong, we love America but i don't have anything good to say about Los Angeles
Yes, I think it's way overrated. When i've had friends who said they were coming to L.A. for vacation I always ask them , "Why?". There is so little to see and do, IMO. After we've done Universal, Grauman's Chinese, The Hollywood sign and Venice Beach, it's done! I can't show them anything they don't have at home. I guess, they mostly want to see celebrities...
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