Photo by Ekaterina Chizhevskaya - Getty Images
Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.
Rollin’ down Imperial Highway with a big nasty redhead at my side,
Santa Ana winds blowin’ hot from the north, and we were born to ride.
I love L.A. -Randy Newman
Chances are if you have a mind to visit Los Angeles you don’t need the encouragement of L.A. native Randy Newman. With a metro area population hovering around 12.8 million, the century-long influence of the Hollywood subculture, and some of the most beautiful coastline vistas and beaches in the country, “The City of Angels” is the eternal playground of the mind.
Getting there may seem like no small feat, but new nonstop flights from Milwaukee are just around the corner. Starting May 8, hop on a Spirit Airlines nonstop from MKE to LAX and go from the Fresh Coast to the West Coast in just a few hours. Thursday and Sunday departures have you covered for a whirlwind weekend, or weeklong getaway.
Repeat visitors know that you don’t visit L.A. on a whim. There is far too much real estate to cover, attractions to visit, and mileage to drive to make the trip west without a plan. Know what you want to see and then plan accordingly. That will help you maximize your time and efforts to best experience the area. Let’s start with some basics.
Hooray for Hollywood
One of the area’s most evident calling cards, the Hollywood sign on Mount Lee, looms over the city like a cultural beacon. Few visitors know the original sign, erected in 1923, read “Hollywoodland” and was created to promote area real estate development. The last four letters were removed in 1949 and its structure strengthened making it a more permanent landmark.
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The Hollywood Walk of Fame, another fan favorite, stretches for 15 blocks along Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks on Vine Street. It’s home to more than 2,700 terrazzo and brass stars honoring entertainment industry elites. If you’re lucky enough to be there when a new star is unveiled, you may actually see the honoree in the crowd. If not, look for Donal Trump’s star, which was recently hacked to pieces by pick-ax-wielding vandals. In Hollywood, everyone’s a critic.
Entertainment abounds, as you might imagine, offering everything from celebrity homes tours and studio tours to theme parks and historic icons. Visit discoverlosangeles.com/events for more details.
The O.C.
Photo via Knott's Berry Farm - knotts.com
Calico Mine Ride at Knott's Berry Farm
Visitors enjoy the Calico Mine Ride at Knott's Berry Farm.
In a recent national poll, the communities in Orange County just to the south of L.A. proper, were one of the five most expensive areas to live in the United States. One quick visit will be enough to help you understand why.
The O.C., specifically Anaheim, is home to the original Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. The area also features Mission San Juan Capistrano (where the swallows eventually come back to, if you know the song), beautiful beaches like Crystal Cove and hiking areas like Limestone Canyon. Highway 1 travels along the Pacific shoreline and you can spend the day at water play at Laguna Beach or other stops further south. If you are young, or at least young at heart, visit Huntington Beach, the real “Surf City” immortalized in the 1963 pop hit by Jan & Dean. (“Two girls for every boy,” or so said the chorus.) Theres even a surfing museum there.
And Beyond
Travel further south and you will hit a string of colorful beach communities leading south to San Diego. North of L.A. you will find more upscale communities, including Pasadena, familiar to generations of college football fans as home to the Rose Bowl. And if the mood strikes you, continue driving north on Highway 1 for as far as it will take you. It’s considered the most picturesque drive in the U.S. and that’s saying something.
Fly nonstop from Mitchell International Airport (MKE) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Spirit Airlines beginning May 8. Flights will operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays.
