Transportation Links
LA Metropolitan Transportation Authority
LA Dept. of Transportation
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Los Angeles World Airports
City of LA Taxi Services
Airport Shuttle Bus
Amtrak
Foothill Transit
Greyhound

Night Life
Club Violaine
The Ultimate LA Guide
LA Nightlife

Tourist Attractions
California Science Centre
The Getty Museum
The Hollywood Entertainment Museum
La Brea Tar Pits
The Museum of Television & Radio
The Museum of Contemporary Art

Record Stores
Aron's Records
Amoeba Music
Bleeker Bob's
Rock Away Records
LA Record Store Guide

Dining
LA Restaurant Guide

News & Media
LA Times Newspaper
LA Weekly Magazine
LA Radio Guide
LA Radio List

Areas of Interest
Downtown
Although downtown LA is the heart of the area, it tends to become a ghost town after office workers leave. However, downtown is on the cusp of an urban renaissance of sorts with many lofts and small art gallerys opening in cool old buildings from the 1920s/1930s. Easy access to the rail lines also make it a good base operations. Olvera Street is the oldest part of downtown and is a small, touristy area of Mexican food booths and shops. Nearby in Little Tokyo you will find neat little sushi bars and boutiques. Bunker Hill is the financial district (where I work) and is where MOCA, Walt Disney Hall, and the tall skyscrapers are. Downtown LA news is a good guide for the area.

Hollywood
Hollywood is not a city unto itself, but actually a subdivision of LA city and lies west of downtown. The main drags of Sunset Blvd and Hollywood Blvd are very popular with tourists, and you will find the usual tacky souvenir shops, but also some very cool and hip bars and clubs tucked into side streets. Hollywood is also undergoing a small renaissance of sorts as for many years the place became blighted and run down much to the disappointment of visitors eager for some Hollywood glamor. The big megamall-ish Hollywood and Highland complex is the anchor for the new redevelopment. Melrose Avenue runs through the southern portion of Hollywood and is a famous street full of funky boutiques, music stores, and eateries.

The West Side
Going further west of Hollywood are the cities of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. West Hollywood is a primarily gay neighborhood with many bars and clubs lining Santa Monica Blvd. Further west past West Hollywood is glamorous Beverly Hills. Going further west of Beverly Hills is the West LA/Santa Monica area. Santa Monica is nice beach side town, with a large central promenade filled with shops and restaurants.

Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley/The East Side
Pasadena is northeast of downtown and a nice place for a day trip. It has a more genteel/East Coast feel to it, and the shops and restaurants along the "Old Town" portion off Colorado Blvd are popular with tourists. Pasadena is part of the San Gabriel Valley, which comprises most of the eastern cities of LA County. These are mainly suburban and blue collar cities, but you will find some of the best Asian and Mexican food in the U.S. in the city of Monterey Park and East Los Angeles area, respectively.

Beaches
LA is famous for its beaches, and this is a good guide. In LA County, I like Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach the best. However, I think the best beaches lie further south in Orange County like Sean mentioned. The most beautiful beach I have been to in Orange County is in beautiful South Laguna, but that is a ~50-mile drive.