Los Angeles

Sun, Sand, Surf...
Lights, Camera, Action....
Los Angeles has it all!
Here are my top 5 places to visit.

Universal Studios
You can't go all the way to LA and not spend the day at
Universal Studios, Beat the line up and and head straight
to the Backlot Studio Tour. You will board a tram and travel
through movie sets like War Of The Worlds, Jaws, Psycho
and Jurassic Park, As well as getting to witness explosive
special effects from films such as Fast And The Furious &
King Kong. You will also visit Wisteria Lane- the real television
set of Desperate Housewives.

Another major attraction is Water World, a live action stunt show.
It goes for sixteen minutes and runs several times a day.

But if it's more action you need than check out
The Revenge Of The Mummy, The Jurassic Park water ride and
the new Simpson's ride, with is a virtual roller coaster
with a 3D film!

Whilst at Universal Studios you will bump into some familiar
characters like Shrek and Scooby Doo. Other attractions include
a Special Effect show and Animal Actors, an insight to how
the animals are trained for the big screen!

Disneyland
Located in Anaheim, which is about a one hour drive from Downtown L.A
is the happiest place on earth, Disneyland! Before going i have heard alot
of people say that Disneyland is so big and there is so much to do there,
you will need atleast two days to do it all. With that said i spend one full
day at Disneyland, did i fit everything in? no but would i have gone back the
next day to do more? no. I think like any big attraction you just do and see
what interests you the most.

Don't get me wrong i was super excited to go to Disneyland and i had fun!
Our first stop was the Sleeping Beauty Castle, followed by Toontown
and inside the Mickey Mouse house to meet the man himself. We went up
inside the Tarzan tree house and checked out the famous spinning teacups.

Unfortunately at Splash Mountain, the line was very long so i did skip that
but went on the Haunted Maison ride and the Indiana Jones adventure,
That was cool! You can get a pass a Fastpass for an extra cost that allows
you to skip to the front of the Que if your super keen.

Wondering around the park you are likely to bump into many Disney
characters including Princess Jasmin and Goofy. I would strongly
recommend hanging around to see the parade at the end of the day.
When i was there the theme was "Celebrate, a street party" but it
changes every year. This was the perfect way to end a Disney day!

I then went over to California Adventure Park which is directly
opposite Disneyland, This is more for big kids, age 15 and up and has
more adventures rides like The Tower Of Terror and The California Screamin'
roller coaster. There was also characters and a parade here too.

Santa Monica
Santa Monica has become a backdrop for many Movies and TV shows.
It's most recognizable landmark would have to be the Santa Monica Pier.
It is now over 100 years old and as well as being a popular hangout for
locals and tourist it also features restaurant, shops and a theme park
with a roller coaster and a Ferris wheel. Another draw card is the beautiful
beach with the beautiful people and if it's shopping you like best than head
over to Third St Promenade, it's a pedestrian street with a mix of cool cafes
and high end shops, it also attracts a few talented street performers.

Venice Beach
So much than just a beach, Venice Beach is a mixing pot of people,
culture, art and freaks! But it's one of those cool places that you won't
ever forget. It features a picture perfect beach and a very familiar
lifeguard tower, as seen around the world on Baywatch.

Stroll along the boardwalk and you almost feel as if your at the circus,
It has become a hangout to artist, musicians and the very wacky but that's
what makes Venice beach so unique!

Along the water front you will see restaurants, Tattoo parlors and even
a two headed turtle! If you have time check out the Venice Beach
Freak show, or if you don't want to pay to see freaks just head to
Muscle beach. An outdoor gym for bodybuilders that love the attention!
You may also notice the basketball court that features in the film,
White man can't jump!

Rodeo Drive
Last but not least take a stroll along Rodeo Drive!
If you have any money left after Disneyland and Universal studios
you won't have for long, This is where the mega rich and famous shop!
You can find all the high end fashion stores including Christian Dior,
Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, Ralph Lauren and Versace to name a few.
There is one store on Rodeo Dr you must make an appointment just to
shop in. Rememeber to keep an eye out for celebrities while your
window shopping, while i was there i spotted Joan Rivers! haha
You may even recognize the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel
which was used in the movie, Pretty Woman.