Sophistication and fun!

In this post, you’ll see some more must-see spots, as well as some cities in Los Angeles County. Let’s check it out!!

Venice: founded in 1905 by Tobacco tycoon Abbot Kinney with the intention of creating the “Venice of the United States”. Venice is a city belonging to Los Angeles County and is considered an area of fashion, creativity and cultural diversity. Today, the city attracts thousands of tourists with its many attractions, such as the renowned Venice Beach, Ocean Front Walk (boardwalk with several shops), Abbot Kinney Boulevard (open-air shopping), the most famous skate park in the world Venice Beach Skate Park, and Binocular Building (an eccentric building, which is now Google’s headquarters). In addition to apperaring in numerous films and music videos, it has been home to numerous poets, Beat artists, actors, singers and other famous people, such as Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Morrison, and Simpson Creator Matt Groening. If you want to know more, visit the website.

Santa Monica: Founded in 1886, Santa Monica is a city that also belongs to Los Angeles County, and is a favorite Destination for tourists, due to its beachy atmosphere and for having been the setting for several films and television programs. The city has several independent artists, theaters, outdoor exhibitions and more than 100 museums (such as the Museum of Flying, dedicated to aeronautics, containing, for example, planes from the 2nd World War), galleries (Bergamot Station, considered the largest center of art and culture in Southern California, which contains work by local photographers, designers and artists) and public works of art. Santa Monica also has the Santa Monica Place (an upscale outdoor mall), its most famous street is the Third Street Promenade, which houses a multitude of stores (such as Nike, GAP, H&M, Guess, Sephora, among others), restaurants and cinemas. In addition to all this, the beaches are a highlight of the city, which earn the highest marks in the ‘Heal the Bay Resort Card’ (a weekly report made on more than 650 beaches on the west coast of the country to guarantee the quality of the water). Its main postcard is the Santa Monica Pier, opened in 1909, which is the end point of U.S Route 66, and has Pacific Park, which houses the old sustainable Ferris wheel powered by solar energy, the famous carousel (American National Historic Heritage, built in 1922), among other attractions, and also the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, an aquarium that brings together more than 100 species of marine animals. To learn more, visit the website.

Beverly Hills: originally founded in 1868 as a Spanish ranch and lima bean farm, it was only in 1914 that it became a city belonging to the County of Los Angeles. Well known for being the scene of several movies, for its luxurious mansions and for being home to several celebrities, such as Michael Jackson, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Aniston, Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Justin Bieber and others. Often referred to as “90210” after its famous zip code, Beverly Hills is home to the finest restaurants and luxury hotels, in addition to Rodeo Drive (considered the ‘most expensive street in the world”, containing several national and international stores, such as Chanel, Dior, Tiffany, Hugo Boss and Guess), the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (provides exhibitions and film screenings), Beverly Garden Park (a park with admirable landscapes), Beverly Center (one of the main malls in the region), and the Civic Center (in a single area where you will find the city hall, public library, police department, fire department, among others). Want to know more, visit the website.

Malibu: Considered a city in 1991, Malibu belongs to Los Angeles County, it is one of the most popular destinations for celebrities due to its proximity to Hollywood, the setting for several films and a completely scenic look. Its name derives from “Humaliwo”, the name given to the region by the Native Americans. In the past, there was much demand for its nudist beaches (now ilegal in Los Angeles County), among the city’s beaches is Malibu Beach (official city beach), Zauma Beach, Paradise Cove, Point Dume, The Surfrider (named after the first World Surfing Reserve) and El Matador Beach. It is possible to find in the city the Malibu Country Mart and Malibu Lumber Yard (two Luxury malls with national and international stores), Malibu Lagoon Museum, Pepperdine University, Malibu Library (Branch library of the Los Angeles Public Library, opened in 1970) and parks such as Malibu Bluffs Park, Trancas Canyon Park, Las Flores Creek Park and Legacy Park, in addition to its Pier located in Malibu Beach, which has several restaurants, shops, fishing and much more, and is also a point of meeting between locals and tourists. Affectionately nicknamed “Bu”, it has endured multiple wildfires (in 2018, the fire lasted 14 days and burned 96,946 acres) and intense coastal storms (in 2008 it was considered the first hurricane to hit the coast of Malibu). To learn more, visit the website.

Long Beach: considered a municipality in 1867 belonging to Los Angeles County, it is famous for being one of the most multicultural cities in the United States. Dubbed the ‘water capital of America’, it is a charter model city, in which it has relative autonomy and its own operating rules and is still linked to the country and the 7th most populous city in California. Among the sights there is The Pike (a small outlet, with stores like Nike, H&M and Forever 21), Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach Museum of Art, Los Cerritos Ranch House, Pive Avenue (considered one of the most beautiful and charming avenues in the city, containing several shops, cafes and restaurants), Aquarium of the Pacific (which contains more than 500 species of marine animals), RMS Queen Mary (a transatlantic liner, dating from 1936, which operated between Europe and the United States, was retired in 1967, and inside it, today, there is a hotel, restaurants and a museum, with personal items and heirlooms of the Princess’s Diana Family), Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden (located on the campus of California State University, and is inspired by the Imperial Gardens in Tokyo), Shoreline Village (the most beautiful area of Long Beach, with several shops and restaurants, which resembles a fishing village) and parks such as Silverado Park and the Point Vicente Light. Want to know more, visit the website.

Silver Lake: A residential and business district, founded in 1900, located in Downtown Los Angeles. Its name is due to the water reservoir in the neighborhood, which was named after Herman Silver, the politician who helped create it. Known as “Brooklyn of Los Angeles”, it was once home to a Latino Community and Walt Disney’s first major studio. Today, Silver Lake is one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods, which is diverse, eclectic and authentic, and is home to celebrities, creatives and diverse families. In addition to its modernist architecture, the neighborhood has public and private schools, street art, artisan coffee shops, vegan cafes, Asian restaurants, bars and fashion boutiques. Since the 1990s, Silver Lake has become the center of the Los Angeles independent and alternative rock scene, and film and television show backdrops.

Dodger Stadium: opened in 1962, Dodger Stadium is one of the most famous stadiums in the United States and is considered the 3rd oldest Stadium in the MLB (American Baseball League). It is home to the Los Angeles Dodger baseball team and has a capacity for 56,000 people. In addition to National League games. Dodger Stadium hosted concerts by artists such as Madonna, The Beatles, U2 and Kiss; hosted the 1987 Summer Olympics baseball competition and in 1987, Pope John Paul II’s mass. It offers guided tours, with the chance to visit restricted and VIP areas, such as its lawn, reserve benches, trophy room, among other spaces. To learn more about the tour, just visit the website.

El Pueblo de Los Angeles: a historic monument with more than 27 buildings over 100 years old, which marks the beginning of the city of Los Angeles in 1781. Among its works, it is possible to find the Old Fire Station (former fire station), Chinese American Museum (its entrance is free and there are three floors of exposition), The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (museum dedicated to Italian-American culture, located in a hall built in 1908 to serve as a meeting place for the Italian Community), Avila Adobe (oldest building in Los Angeles, dating from 1818, admission is free), LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes (an institution dedicated to the history of Mexicans and Latinos who helped, and still help in the formation of Los Angeles, with exhibitions, educational initiatives and public programming), America Tropical Interpretive Center (center dedicated to the life and legacy of David Alfaro Siqueiros, Mexican painter and protagonist of the Mexican Muralist Movement in Los Angeles) and Olivera St. (considered the oldest street in the city, it has several shops and restaurants dedicated to Mexican-American culture). Want to know more, visit the website.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels: opened in 2002, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, also called COLA, is named in honor of the Virgin Mary. It has historical importance, as it replaced the Cathedral of Santa Vibiana, destroyed in the Northridge earthquake in 1994. To learn more, visit the website.

Los Angeles Public Library: the Los Angeles Public Library is composed of a collection of 72 locations throughout the city, which won the National Medal for Museum and Library Service (highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community) and is overseen by the five-member Library Board appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles. Its headquarters and main library is the Richard J. Riodan Central Library, built in 1926 and located in Downtown L.A. Formerly called the Goodhue Building, it is considered the 3rd largest central library in the United States, was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and has more than ten million articles in its collection. The Central Library suffered two fires (both criminal) with great damage, being reopened in 1993 under the name of the mayor of the city during the reconstruction period. Today, the library marks Los Angeles old and modern, offers a free tour of its premises, has a coffee shop and gift shop. If you want to know more about this library and other places that make up the Los Angeles Public Library, visit the website.