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You can't blame amateur travelers to want to see the famous Los Angeles. It sounds glamorous, until you see it and realise there is no glamour at all. Put times in museums aside, LA practically takes ONE day to see it all.
Actually, those are not travelers. They just tourists, like a bunch of sheep, only interested in visiting places they think will impress others.
Honestly, why does anyone need to see the Hollywood sign? It is nothing! iconic, yes, but why bother?
Malibu? What's there? beaches and expensive house? I can name 100 places just like that, most with far superior views.
This is sunset blvd. I thought it was some sort of fifth ave before I went study in LA, and it turns out to be just an underwhelming suburban like street.
He can use a little smoothening around the edges lol but I do agree with him. L.A isn't exactly an exceptionally interesting looking place to visit. I have zero interest in visiting it myself. Someone said its the second most interesting city in the Americas after NYC and for those that have travelled extensively it does leave us scratching our heads saying for touristic appeal - what really sets L.A apart. I wouldn't even put it in the top 15. My top three in N.A to visit would probably be M.C, NYC and Buenos Aires. L.A - Not so much but if I was on an extended trip to California i'd take a look.
The main thing against it for me is its DT core looks completely underwhelming for a city its size. It doesn't look very urban or interesting/vibrant. Cities much smaller have more dense and interesting urban cores and they have my attention a lot more like S.F, BOS, PHL etc.
And you will be a notable exception. LA is known throughout the world as a huge tourist hub; Toronto has no such reputation.
The average person on the street worldwide doesn't know anything about Toronto besides "it's a big city in North America". Many won't even be sure if it's in Canada or the U.S.
L.A is certainly more well known in the world connected to Hollywood and American movies/television sure - so what. Doesn't make it the better city.
It also has the most underwhelming DT core for a large city I can think of. You can have it i'll take Toronto over L.A every single day even in the winter.
La kind of reminds me of toronto given that there is so much suburbs and your pretty much need a car to go anywhere.
That being said. LA has everything toronto wants. The tourists. The weather. The iconic reputation. Hollywood. The cool factor. Downtown is not that great but who goes downtown there? Everyone is at a beach in la county. Even tourists. Of local want to wild out they go to Vegas.
I mean if an outsider had to pick between la and toronto as a vacation o permenant living. 99 times out of 100 I'm sure they would go to LA if finances were equal.
LA is what it is becuase the people make it that way. Sure it's not technically the best city. But go anywhere and people are impressed you are from Los Angeles. It has a rich culture and a very influential one that you cannot replace because another city ranks higher on some random list.
LA has that wow factor that only new york really has.
La kind of reminds me of toronto given that there is so much suburbs and your pretty much need a car to go anywhere.
That being said. LA has everything toronto wants. The tourists. The weather. The iconic reputation. Hollywood. The cool factor. Downtown is not that great but who goes downtown there? Everyone is at a beach in la county. Even tourists. Of local want to wild out they go to Vegas.
I mean if an outsider had to pick between la and toronto as a vacation o permenant living. 99 times out of 100 I'm sure they would go to LA if finances were equal.
LA is what it is becuase the people make it that way. Sure it's not technically the best city. But go anywhere and people are impressed you are from Los Angeles. It has a rich culture and a very influential one that you cannot replace because another city ranks higher on some random list.
LA has that wow factor that only new york really has.
An 'iconic' reputation? Really that makes something interesting.. I guess it depends on the person and what they find is cool and interesting.. It certainly has better weather than Toronto that is for sure. It certainly doesn't have an impressive DT core. I mean what N.A city that has 17 million people in its metro and has a DT core that isn't even as impressive as Chicago or Toronto. I seriously think Seattle has a more impressive DT core than L.A.. Chicago has its issues with growth and as another poster said, its too bad because at least it has beautiful skyscraper architecture and is stately. It feels like a real city and that is primarily because it has a substantive and vibrant DT.
As for tourists - I'm fairly certain that yes L.A gets more than Toronto - it should its a much larger city but a city that gets 40 million visitors isn't 'wanting' for much and as the city grows so will its visitation and prominence. I could only imagine the number of visitors Toronto will get when its metro is 17 million and I can only imagine what the DT core will be like. Who doesn't go to a DT core? I mean that is like saying why go to Manhattan lol. That is one of the best parts about visiting a city, going to the core of the city. Having vibrant areas in close proximity to the core makes the core interesting but you need a core.
An 'iconic' reputation? Really that makes something interesting.. I guess it depends on the person and what they find is cool.. It certainly has better weather than Toronto that is for sure. It certainly doesn't have an impressive DT core. I mean what N.A city that has 17 million people in its metro and has a DT core that isn't even as impressive as Chicago or Toronto. I seriously think Seattle has a more impressive DT core than L.A lol.. Chicago has its issues with growth and as another poster said, its too bad because at least it has beautiful skyscraper architecture and is stately. It feels like a real city and that is primarily because it has a substantive and vibrant DT.
As for tourists - I'm fairly certain that yes L.A gets more than Toronto - it should its a much larger city but a city that gets 40 million visitors isn't 'wanting' for much and as the city grows so will its visitation and prominence. I could only imagine the number of visitors Toronto will get when its metro is 17 million and I can only imagine what the DT core will be like. Who doesn't go to a DT core? Really lol - that is one of the best parts about visiting a city. Going to a core and vibrant area of the city. I mean that is like saying why go to Manhattan lol.
Yes reputation means a lot. Don't know why your being dense. And people go to LA for stuff around it. Like Disneyland. Hikes in la. Hollywood tours. Countless beaches. Shopping. That alone will eat up a week. When I go I don't even go downtown. If you are looking for architecture no la is not it. But if you want to go to one of the most famous cities in the most famous country. Than la is a good place to visit. Someone mentioned they didn't have good Chinese food. Probably not. But what about their Mexican food?
LA proves you don't need a core to get tourists and people to love your city. You simply need a cool reputation. It's simple and basic. And clearly works.
That big said torontos core is not that great either.better than la yeah. But compared to a lot of big cities. It's pretty generic.
Yes reputation means a lot. Don't know why your being dense. And people go to LA for stuff around it. Like Disneyland. Hikes in la. Hollywood tours. Countless beaches. Shopping. That alone will eat up a week. When I go I don't even go downtown. If you are looking for architecture no la is not it. But if you want to go to one of the most famous cities in the most famous country. Than la is a good place to visit. Someone mentioned they didn't have good Chinese food. Probably not. But what about their Mexican food?
LA proves you don't need a core to get tourists and people to love your city. You simply need a cool reputation. It's simple and basic. And clearly works.
I think it depends on what a person finds interesting. L.A actually doesn't have much more impressive numbers vs Toronto as you think. It has 27 million overnight visitors and 45 million total visitors. Toronto has 14.3 million overnight and 40 million total visitors. So yes, no doubt credit where due L.A is more visited, has greater global stature and is a larger economy but for a city that is so much more substantially larger than Toronto and so much more iconic the numbers n'tthat impressive relatively speaking.
I'd much rather visit a real cultural powerhouse of a city like Mexico City or London than L.A. L.A has its appeals for some no doubt and if you're into Hollywood glam and Rodeo drive stuff no doubt it kicks Toronto's but. That said, as far as being an interesting urban destination I just don't see it. In California, I think S.F offers a more compelling draw in terms of urbanity and things to do. Inside the city and especially driving outside of it. I'll give you Disneyland though - its a big draw for families and kids though if I were straight i'd just take them to Disneyworld - its much larger and more well Disney!
I think it depends on what a person finds interesting. L.A actually doesn't have much more impressive numbers vs Toronto as you think. It has 27 million overnight visitors and 45 million total visitors. Toronto has 14.3 million overnight and 40 million total visitors. So yes, no doubt credit where due L.A is more visited, has greater global stature and is a larger economy but for a city that is so much more substantially larger than Toronto and so much more iconic the numbers are that impressive relatively speaking.
I'd much rather visit a real cultural powerhouse of a city like Mexico City or London than L.A. L.A has its appeals for some no doubt and if you're into Hollywood glam and Rodeo drive stuff no doubt it kicks Toronto's but. That said, as far as being an interesting urban destination I just don't see it. In California, I think S.F offers a more compelling draw in terms of urbanity and things to do. Inside the city and especially driving outside of it. I'll give you Disneyland though - its a big draw for families and kids though if I were straight i'd just take them to Disneyworld - its much larger and more well Disney!
There are more things to do in socal than Orlando though. Plus most people would want to visit California over Florida even if it's just to say I been to California.
Plus I think Los Angeles knows it's identity. Itd not an urban mecca like new york. It's a sprawled city who's gained it's notoriety through entertainment.
Not every city is trying to be a the big Apple.
AND I do think hollywood is a bigger draw than silicon valley. I know San Francisco is a mecca for LGBT but you are still a minority.
There are more things to do in socal than Orlando though. Plus most people would want to visit California over Florida even if it's just to say I been to California.
Plus I think Los Angeles knows it's identity. Itd not an urban mecca like new york. It's a sprawled city who's gained it's notoriety through entertainment.
Not every city is trying to be a the big Apple.
AND I do think hollywood is a bigger draw than silicon valley. I know San Francisco is a mecca for LGBT but you are still a minority.
Actually S.F while a gay mecca isn't really visited primarily for that reason. I bet you 85 percent of the visitors aren't visiting S.F for its 'gayness'
I'm also not saying there is nothing to do in SoCal or even L.A. It just doesn't interest me. Some people say the same about Toronto and that is fair enough. I do think however, Toronto is just a more interesting looking city both from a DT core perspective but just in terms of walkability. I bet L.A is a much better party town but i'm not looking for that at this point in my life.
Btw you say at least its not trying to be the Big apple. I'm sure that is a slight against Toronto right? I don't think T.O is 'trying' to be the big Apple. People just use that as some sort of reference point to it being the largest city in Canada. I don't think anyone in Toronto is assuming the city is NYC or is trying to be it. Toronto is Toronto and I think we're all better off for it admitting what it is and what it is not. Also taking stock in what is good about it and what is not instead of constantly hammering it or anyone who speaks positively about it - gay or straight.
call me snob, doesn't matter. I am telling the truth.
Of course Los Angeles has far bigger name than Toronto. It is the capital of world entertainment, second largest city of the US. It will always have more tourists than LA. And as I said, I don't blame tourists for wanting to see it, or for being curious about it. However, at the end of the day, it doesn't change the fact that in terms of travel, LA hardly holds any more substance than a city like Toronto.
Someone mentions beaches and that "downtown doesn't matter". For Christ's sake, of course people travel for different reasons, but when you go to a city, you expect to see the city stuff, architecture, history, culture, vibrant streets, events, beaches are more of a side benefit you happen to have access to, and as I said, there are so many better beaches than those in Los Angeles county. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of visiting a city when you spend half of your time in cars and on freeways, and there are not even 3 streets for you to walk on.
LA has Hollywood, but tourists won't see Hollywood. What they see is the Hollywood Sign and Hollywood boulevard, a tacky street with nothing beautiful or exciting about it. And maybe some celebrity houses from half a mile away. If that gives tourists some sort of satisfaction and enables them to tell others "I have seen Hollywood", that's pretty pathetic.
It is like millions of people go to south France and end up visiting Cannes, instead far more interesting and beautiful cities such as Antibes and other towns. The locals shake their heads, telling me Cannes and Monaco are probably the least interesting cities on Cote d'azur, but what can you do, people still want to see famous cities, regardless of the substance. You can't ask a sheep not to be a sheep.
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