Tickets for two jc: Los Angeles- The city of dreams

This was our first trip together and we picked the city of dreams- Los Angeles. It lived up to all that we had imagined it to be..and more! With such a vibrant city, you need to plan your schedule ahead, just so that you do not miss out on anything. Of course unplanned days have their own element of surprise, but with a city like L.A, you do not want to have any regrets of that sort.

Landing at L.A after a really long flight (we were travelling from Asia, so flights from here are no less than 15-17 hours long), we were grateful for the hotel pick up from the airport. Most hotels, especially those located closer to the airport, provide shuttle service, so do check for the same before you arrive.

Commuting within the city:

This was made very simple for us by the hop on hop off buses (HOHO bus) and the Big blue bus. We chose these are our main mode of transport since the bus stops were conveniently located just a stone's throw away from the hotel we stayed at. The HOHO buses in L.A. follow different routes (green, yellow, purple and so on) that gives tourists a choice of famous sites to visit. Always on time and providing audio commentary in a host of languages, these buses are your best bet on your first visit to L.A. You may opt to rent a car or take a cab around too, but we wanted to enjoy touring the city on an open roof-top bus. (It also helped to click pics from a higher view with no obstructions)

The upperdeck on the HOHO bus. Love the trees!!Characteristic L.A.

Hollywood sign, as seen from the upperdeck of the bus

What we visited at L.A.:

Los Angeles is a vast city to actually cover in just a few days although, as mentioned, if you plan ahead, you can make the best of your stay here. Although we saw most of the "must see" sites through the hop on and hop off, we did get off at certain places to spend more time there or just to shop and eat!

Hollywood Boulevard: As a tourist, you should definitely visit this place. Hollywood walk of fame, TCL Chinese theatre, Madam Tussaud's, Ripley's believe it or not are just few of the many attractions here. You can also view the Hollywood sign in the distance from here. We landed up staying in this area for around 2-3 hours; lots of entertainment, good place for shopping.

At Madam Tussaud's

Hollywood walk of fame by evening- when the 'superheroes' came out to play!

Santa Monica Bay/ Venice Beach: You can plan a half day or an entire day trip to this beach, depending on the availability of time. There are a lot of restaurants and cafes close to the beach. We rented cycles, hung out at the pier and lounged by the sea side before trying out the choice of fast food available there at the far end of the beach. There are also street performers and small shops, eateries in this area.

Cycling at Santa Monica Beach

Street entertainment with shops and eateries around at the end of the beach

Fisherman's village at Marina Del Rey: Fisherman's Village is a waterfront mall, commercial boat anchorage and tourist attraction located in Marina del Rey. The waterfront offers panoramic views of the harbor and the brightly painted lighthouse and attractive set up catches the eye. Tourist attractions include live music concerts, restaurant and café dining, harbor and fishing cruises, boat and bicycle rentals and souvenir shops. You may also find water sports being done here; it does not hurt to inquire about the same. Do carry swimwear if you intend to go for it. We also loved the place for the lovely background it provided for photos.

Fisherman's Village

Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Strip, China Town are other places we had a chance to visit with the HOHO bus. Good for shopping/ window-shopping and just enjoying the pulsating atmosphere at these places in general. We also made it a point to go to farmer's market to try out the various yummy eateries there. Must try for foodies!! You get a wide choice of different cuisines from various countries here.

L.A is the place for celebrity spotting, so have your camera handy at all times! We didn't have any such luck, but who knows, you may! We did manage to click a whole lot of photos which contribute to the amazing memories we hold of the beautiful city.