Los Angeles is one of the most famous cities in the world. For most tourists, the first thing that comes on their minds when they think of the city is Hollywood, celebrity culture, luxury travel, sunbathed beaches, visually luxurious cars, American cinematic arts, etc. At the same time, it is reasonably said about Los Angeles that it is very expensive, overcrowded, overrated, and not as exciting as it appears in the movies. So, for the Philippine traveler who visits the city for the first time, the most natural question is, “What is Los Angeles like?”
The journey starts in the Philippine capital, where the flight from Manila to Los Angeles lasts an incredible 14hours. With Philippine Airlines in the business class, the experience is quite comfortable, as the seat becomes a very comfortable flat bed. However, considering the long-distance flight, a big screen comes in handy for the traveler, although it might be positioned too high to see it without difficulties.
Traveling by Plane from Manila to Los Angeles
A long-distance flight typically provides a variety of meals for the passengers. There is an appetizer first and then a main course. Although normally it does not really like fish and seafood very much, this seafood dish turned out to be very pleasing. The first meal includes bread, tea, and desserts.
One of the most entertaining aspects of the trip is the fact of changing time zones. After passing the International Date Line, the traveler technically goes back in time. Although it seems as if late afternoon or night in Manila to the body, it is already dark according to the local time in the Pacific Ocean.
The second great meal is served early in the morning according to the time in the plane destination. Tapsilog, one of the most popular Filipino dishes, will be enjoyed before coming to the United States. Eventually, the aircraft comes to Los Angeles faster than it was expected in about twelve and a half hours instead of fourteen hours.
In general, the business-class experience on board the Philippine Airlines is viewed very positively, especially given the length of the journey.
Initial Impressions of Los Angeles Airport
Upon landing at Los Angeles International Airport, feelings are mixed with excitement and anxiety. Recent reports in the press regarding the harsh immigration policies in the USA made the traveler unsure of what to expect at the border.
The process of going through immigration is much more complicated than expected. Even though there are around ten people ahead in the queue, it still takes over thirty minutes to complete the checks. Apart from the usual questions like the purpose of the visit, the duration of stay, accommodation, and the name of the employer, the immigration official also wants to know about the traveler’s activity on YouTube.
Nevertheless, the process of getting into the USA is smooth. The traveler is able to enter the country as a German citizen under the 90-day visa-free regime.
A useful find is the Mobile Passport Control app. By filling in personal information on the app before reaching the immigration control, it is possible to use a special line that is shorter than the regular one
Transporting From LAX to the Hotel
Next, there’s the slightly peculiar predicament of how to get from LAX, which is somewhat simple in theory but notoriously complicated in practice, especially when it comes to finding an ATM and figuring out thy transportation once we arrive there.
In contrast to most of the airports in Southeast Asia, it appeared that locating an ATM in the arrivals was unexpectedly difficult. Eventually, we managed to locate an ATM somewhere in the departures area, and took out two hundred dollars in cash, but with a three-dollar fee.
We are now faced with the challenge of how to get around Los Angeles, which gives an immediate sense of the incredible cost of living in the city. The hotel is only a couple of minutes away from the airport, but there was still a little shuttle bus ride to the area where rideshare pick-up point was located.
The shuttle ride cost us about $35, and it felt awfully shocking after years in much cheaper parts of Asia. We eventually decided to take a taxi instead, but even the five-minute ride with the tip ended up costing about 35 dollars again.
Stopping at LAX
Residence Inn by Marriott near the Los Angeles International Airport is the ideal place to stay, but getting there at about 10:30 am means the room will not be available for check-in yet.
In the meantime, a quick visit to Starbucks seems like a good way to kill some time. An iced latte is about $6.50, which seems rather high compared to the prices in Southeast Asia.
Later on, the hotel room is large and comfortable, and one of the best features is the mini kitchen that will make staying longer much easier. The price is about $200 for the night, including breakfast.
Considering that this is one of the most expensive cities in the USA for accommodation, the room is not so bad even if the prices are going up quickly.
First American Meal: In-N-Out Burger
One of the things that people look forward to when arriving in Los Angeles is eating their first meal and this is at In-N-Out Burger.
The well-known chain offers a pretty simple menu with not too many different items. Instead of hundreds of varieties of burgers, they mainly serve hamburgers, cheeseburgers, Double-Double, fries, and drinks.
A local patron suggests the Double-Double burger with Animal Style fries, making it easier for the first-time customer to decide on a menu from the outset.
The combo comprises a vanilla milkshake, fries, and a Double-Double burger with milkshakes being thick, bursting with flavor, and going down great with the nice, soft fries.
The Double-Double burger is comprised of two lean beef patties topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and served in a bun of amazing consistency. The result is rather good considering the low standards of fast-food burgers and gets a rough score of around 8 out of 10.
It’s safe to say that it’s not going to be the best burger eaten in a lifetime, but it certainly makes a much better impression than an average McDonald’s burger.
The Trip to Venice Beach
The journey continues toward Venice Beach after an almost 24-hour wakefulness.
The journey by Uber from the hotel to Venice takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes and costs about $43. The area creates a different atmosphere with numerous shops and restaurants, street vendors, attractions, and beaches lining the Pacific Ocean.
For someone from a country where they have grown up watching films and television series from Hollywood, the notion of visiting those locations is something extraordinary. It transforms the city from a mere filming location into an actual location.
Chinese Massage at Venice Beach
Among the various surprises Venice Beach reveals, the most unexpected one is the presence of a Chinese massage parlor.
After a long flight, a massage seems like a great idea, and so a short 12-minute session is booked. The focus of the massage is mainly on the back and shoulders, and the session turns out to be pretty intense. The pressure is so strong that it is close to being painful, but after the session, the traveler decides it was worth it and gives a tip to the masseur.
The whole experience shows that Los Angeles is very multicultural. Even in a well-known American area, tourists can see the rich variety of different businesses and backgrounds.
Walking from Venice Beach to Santa Monica
The walk from Venice Beach to Santa Monica is one of the best parts of the trip.
The beach area is vast, where one can see soft sand covering the shoreline. Even if the weather is slightly cooler than usual, the place still feels pleasant. The traveler can picture how it would be very busy when summer arrives.
An interesting fact that the traveler noticed is the way car drivers treat pedestrians while crossing the road. At the crosswalks, drivers stop for pedestrians crossing—such behavior differs from the experience of the traveler in Southeast Asia.
What also adds to a positive first impression of the place is friendly interaction with locals. People do not seem to be annoyed with the camera and engage in positive conversations.
Fresh Fruit Sampling on the Beach
One of the street vendors sells a big cup of fresh-cut fruit, including mango, cantaloupe, oranges, watermelon, and cucumber.
The mango is sweeter than other varieties but does not have that strong and sweet flavor of mangoes usually consumed in Thailand. Still, the mango makes a refreshment for the walk.
The street food option mentioned also enriches the experience. Los Angeles is not only about high-end restaurants and well-known American chains, but there are many informal food vendors, as well.
Santa Monica Pier is the end point of the walk.
People who play games such as GTA V and GTA: San Andreas would find the location somewhat familiar because some of the parts of Los Angeles presented in those games are from real life. There is an interesting relationship between entertainment and travel.
The pier has restaurants, amusement facilities, street food sellers, and souvenir shops. Additionally, the place is also related to the western part of Route 66, one of the most famous roads in American history.
The Route 66 sign is situated at the ending point of this road, which makes Santa Monica’s location significant for those who are into road trips.
It becomes an interesting thought to drive down this path one day.
A Unique Souvenir from Santa Monica Pier
One of the most original souvenirs bought during the trip is just a name written on a tiny piece of rice.
A local souvenir seller writes Lisa’s name in a tiny piece of rice and puts it into a small glass bottle. They also draw a small heart on the bottle to give it to the traveler’s girlfriend.
According to the seller, the craft has been established in Santa Monica for over three decades and is a family enterprise.
Available at a mere price of $10, this small memento becomes one of those remarkable items purchased on this trip due to its peculiar nature.
On the Road to Hollywood
The next stop planned is Hollywood, but before reaching it, there is a chance to see Beverly Hills.
It is curious that the cheapest car that Uber offers is not a regular vehicle but a luxury one, which turns the trip into an extra ordinary ride.
The neighborhood of Beverly Hills appears different from all other parts of Los Angeles. The massive homes, palm trees, luxurious cars, and stunning atmosphere justify the reputation of this part of the city as one of the richest areas.
According to the driver of the car, some houses here are worth about 10 million dollars and more. In addition, Beverly Hills is known for being the place where many celebrities live but in fact, going for such tours may not be the best option for those who actually live here and have to see all those extravagant houses every day.
Hollywood Boulevard and Walk of Fame
Hollywood Boulevard brings to mind one of the most iconic images of Los Angeles.
The Walk of Fame is a boulevard filled with stars representing popular celebrities from the entertainment industry including actors, singers, and directors. Names that pop out include Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Steve Spielberg, Jamie Foxx, and Martin Scorsese.
For a visitor going through this place for the first time, just walking through the area provides one with the impression of having experienced decades of films and popular culture.
TCL Chinese Theatre and Dolby Theatre add to the cinematic allure of the area which is also populated with vendors, food stalls, tourists, street performers, and businesses aimed at the visitors.
As much as Hollywood is popular, reality is more complicated than it seems to be in films.
The Other Side of Hollywood
One of the most surprising things is how many homeless people the tourist sees while walking around Venice, Santa Monica, and Hollywood.
According to this traveler, he decided not to film those on the streets but he still points out the issue of homelessness as an obvious problem that people can witness in some of the regions in Los Angeles.
The experience shows that big tourist destinations can include very diverse realities within them. Opposite neighborhoods like rich Beverly Hills exist quite near the ones which have serious problems with society.
Another surprising fact is a growing number of self-driving cars. The cars drive independently with no drivers sitting behind the wheel, becoming an example of how transportation in the U.S. cities can look like.
Tasting the Original Hot Dog
Hollywood is also famous for providing the chance to have a taste of another typica American dish, street hot dog.
The dish consists of a large piece of sausage in bacon with onion, pepper, tomato, relish and guacamole.
The mix of flavors creates a combination of smoky and salty hot taste with freshness as well as slight spiciness. The seller seems to be of Latino origin underlining another fact about LA, its close connection with the Latin American society.
The hot dog is rated approximately by 7.5 points from the highest score of 10.
Is It True That Los Angeles is Overrated?
After spending two days visiting various famous places around Los Angeles, one is faced with the question: is this city overrated?
In reality, it is hard to give a single answer since two days is hardly enough time to fully experience a city that is home to almost four million people.
At the same time, the trip leaves someone feeling really positive about the experience.
Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, and the also famous Santa Monica Pier form the Impression that the traveler is likely to remember because he or she has already seen those places in different movies, TV shows, and video games.
Meeting the local people adds more positive impressions to the journey. According to the traveler, American people met during the trip are really kind and hospitable.
All in all, rather than saying that Los Angeles is either completely wonderful or so overrated that one should not waste time visiting it, one can say that the city is worth a visit, especially for those who associate it with their favorite American movies.
How Much Does It Cost to Be a Tourist in LA?
Transportation has made the biggest impact. Uber and cab fares from the airport to the hotel total about $326 for the entirety of the trip.
In total, the two-day trip to Los Angeles costs nearly $840 including accommodation, meals, drinks, transportation, souvenirs, and activities.
These costs seem to be enormous to someone who has been mostly traveling in Southeast Asia. In particular, the cost of transportation makes renting a car seem like a more cost-efficient option for people traveling for more than a couple of days.
Visiting the Hollywood sign
The most impressive tourist attraction is the Hollywood sign.
From a park on the hills behind Hollywood, the sign is apparent and visible.
After numerous years of seeing the Hollywood sign only in movies and pictures, being able to be right there next to it is an unforgettable travel experience. It is an illustration of what is worth experiencing while traveling as being able to see something familiar with your own eyes.
One may say that it is the ultimate experience in Los Angeles.
Final Opinions regarding the First-Time Visit to Los Angeles
Los Angeles is costly. This is not in doubt, particularly when we consider the travel. Short Uber rides can be surprisingly expensive, and food and beverages are also noticeably pricier than in many Southeast Asian countries.
But the cost is not the only thing that matters.
Los Angeles is perhaps the most interesting mix of entertainment history, beaches, rich neighborhoods, multicultural communities, street food, science fiction transport, landmarks, and the life of a major American metropolis.
A first-time visitor should walk along the beach of Venice, get to the Santa Monica pier, visit Beverly Hills, explore the Hollywood Boulevard, enjoy In-N-Out burger, try the street dog, and see the Hollywood Sign.
So, is LA worth a visit?
For this writer, the answer is a definite yes. Two days are but a trifle in order to realize everything that Los Angeles has to offer, but they are enough to uncover the reasons why this place is visited by millions of tourists. The glamorous Hollywood image may not convey the entire truth, and Los Angeles has lots of drawbacks, but visiting its popular spots can bring positive experience.
Los Angeles may not be perfect, cheap or like in movies, but for people who want to see one of the most famous cities in the USA, it is still a destination worth visiting.
