When people think of Los Angeles, most think of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Hollywood sign and perhaps Universal Studios. While these are all worthwhile sites to see and experience, they are far from everything that defines Los Angeles. I found myself in Los Angeles on a 24-hour layover after my international flight had been cancelled. I wasn’t planning on being here and really wasn’t sure what to do when I got the news. I didn’t want to just sit in an airport hotel and watch television, so I decided to make a day and night of it.
Fortunately, I have the HotelTonight app and was able to find something that fit exactly what I was looking for almost immediately. Within a few minutes I was all set. I packed my luggage into my rental car and off I went to the hotel, thinking about how I could possibly tackle Los Angeles in 24 hours. I broke it down and decided to see it in sections in no particular order.
Many people may think that Venice is actually the community known as Venice Beach, but Venice Beach is actually a part of the Venice community in Los Angeles. Yes, Venice Beach is iconic and everyone should see it. From what I hear, it is particularly fun on the weekends when the Drum Circle gets going, and people dance the days and nights away. While checking it out, I also found out why this area is known as Venice. There are beautiful canals that line the landscape and give the area a type of beauty that’s hard to describe, but worth the drive to see.
One of the reasons that I decided to see the city in no particular order was because I wanted to make sure I drove around on the PCH, or Pacific Coast Highway, between stops. I did so and was happy to have experienced it. I saw views that were not only incredible, but that were so beautiful that it was almost difficult to keep my eyes on the road. I stopped and snapped a few photos, knowing that the pictures would never do these in-person views justice.
One of the more revitalized areas in any city in the United States is downtown Los Angeles. Massive investments by groups and individuals have transformed this area into a vibrant community of its own with locals milling about and doing their thing. You can stop and find a great local bite to eat, which I did before heading in for the evening. My hotel was nearby, and I had a big day to follow, so I enjoyed my local flavor as the perfect end to an interesting day.
Is there a seaside community more well known in the world than Santa Monica? I decided to, as I prefer to do anyway, live as a local here if only for a short amount of time. I strolled down Main Street and had a small bite to eat at a lovely cafe. I kept going and decided to get active. I hiked along the coast on a very nice path and before I knew it, I was hungry again. I decided to feed that hunger with a feast on my next stop.
Koreatown is one of those areas in Los Angeles that most tourists don’t have time to see. That’s too bad for them, as this is a unique area that really does make you feel like you’re seeing something special. Before long you’ll most likely be smelling something special as well, as this is an area that’s famous with locals for its cuisine. I decide to sit down and have a scrumptious and extremely filling Korean barbecue lunch before heading back to the airport.
As I neared the airport, I took a minute to remind myself to be thankful for the opportunity to see Los Angeles. Did I see the entire city? Of course not, as it’s simply too big to do in one day. I did get a small slice of what it’s like to live as a local, though, and for me that’s extremely important. I was able to focus on that because of the help provided by HotelTonight. You should do the same if you ever find yourself with a travel opportunity.
