Los Angeles, California

The city of Los Angeles (also known simply as L.A., and nicknamed the "City of Angels") is the most populous city in California. Located on a broad basin in Southern California, the city is surrounded by vast mountain ranges, valleys, forests, beautiful beaches along the Pacific Ocean, and nearby desert.

The city enjoys a sub-arid climate. The warmest, sunniest and driest part of the year is from summer through fall (late June-early December), when temperatures reach usual highs of 75-85F, and occasionally hotter. There is little humidity, but can often be smog. Nighttime lows during sumer and fall are anywhere from 55-65F. Winter and spring (late December-early June) are milder and wetter, with nights generally around 45F, and days usually around 63F. Though rain is rare, most of it falls in the winter, whereas spring gets more fog than rain (May Gray and June Gloom).

Los Angeles is well-known for its diverse and unique shopping traditions and destinations. Shopping malls will dominate your shopping trip as they are nearly inescapable in many of your destinations. For example, the Hollywood & Highland mall is a popular meeting point for those gazing at the Walk of Fame and Mann's Chinese Theater. Other significant malls frequented by tourists are the Grove (next to the Farmers' Market), Westfield Century City, Westside Pavilion, and the Beverly Center, which is quite unlike other shopping malls as it is multilevel with a nice view of Los Angeles from its food court patio.

Most tourist destinations within Los Angeles area tend to be fairly safe, including Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Westwood, and West L.A. However, walking at night in some areas of the city (and some suburban cities as well) should be conducted with caution; and depending on the area, in groups. If traveling by car there is little threat of being harassed day or night, provided you avoid driving around neighborhoods with blatant signs of gang activity as mentioned below.