Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
IATA Code: LAXLocation: The airport is situated 15 miles (24km) southwest of Los Angeles.
Time: GMT -6 (GMT -5 from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November).
Contacts: Tel: +1 310 646 5252.
Transfer between terminals: A free shuttle bus takes passengers between the International and seven other terminals.
Transfer to the city: A free shuttle bus service runs to the Metro Rail Green Line Aviation Station from the lower level of each terminal. Another shuttle connects to the Bus Center, from where city buses serve the Los Angeles area. Prime Time Shuttle and Super Shuttle are both shared-ride van services; reservations are recommended. Some hotels also offer transport. There are taxis available outside the lower level of the airport and it costs about US$30 to the city centre, about 15miles (24km) away. Car rental is available and there is a free shuttle pick-up to reach the rental car sites.
Taxis: There are taxis available outside the lower level of the airport. Passengers receive a ticket stating the typical fare to major destinations, it costs about US$30 to the city centre which is about 15miles (24km) away. Airport authorized taxis display an official seal and passengers who use an unauthorized taxi service do so at their own risk.
Car rental: Car rental companies include Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz and Thrifty. Vehicle rental sites are located off the airport property, therefore many of these rental car companies provide phone links inside or near the baggage claim areas on the Lower/Arrival Level of the terminals; travellers can request a free shuttle pick-up to reach the rental car sites.
Facilities: Passenger services at the airport include ATMs and currency exchange, a business centre, baggage storage, shops, restaurants and bars. Internet kiosks are located throughout the airport as well as wireless Internet and the Travel Right Cafe in Terminal 4 has laptop connections. Cell phones can be rented in Arrivals. Facilities for the disabled are excellent.
Parking: There are eight central car parks offering long and short-term parking that are connected to the terminals by the LAX shuttle bus. There is also a Cell Phone Waiting Lot.
Departure tax: There is a passenger facility charge of $4.50.
Website: www.lawa.org
Bob Hope Airport
IATA Code: BURLocation: The airport is situated three miles (5km) from Burbank and 12 miles (20km) north of Los Angeles.
Time: GMT ?8 (GMT ?7 from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November).
Contacts: Tel: +1 818 840 8840.
Transfer to the city: The Metrolink and Amtrak train station is linked to the main terminal by a free shuttle service, but is only a short walk away, and serves downtown Los Angeles as well as other destinations. The airport is also on the MTA and Burbank Bus routes, which go to Burbank as well as downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. Taxis are available in front of the airport and car hire counters are located in Terminal B. The LA city centre is about 12 miles (20km) from the airport.
Taxis: Taxis available on the islands in front of the airport terminal include City Cab (818 848 1000), United Taxi (800 892 8294) and Yellow or Checker cabs (800 750 4400). It costs about US$70 for the 12-mile (20km) trip to the LA city centre.
Car rental: Car hire counters are available in Terminal B and include Alamo, Avis, Hertz and National.
Facilities: Facilities include a bank, ATMs, restaurants, wireless Internet access, shops and an information desk in Terminal A.
Parking: There are several parking options available at the airport. The parking structures are well-marked and easy to locate. Short-term parking is $3 for 30 minutes, $5 for an hour, and $13 for two hours. Long-term parking in economy lots A, B and C is $3 for one hour and $5 for two hours; with a daily maximum of $10.
Departure tax: None.
Website: www.burbankairport.com
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Los Angeles
Millions of visitors arrive each year in Los Angeles eager to experience for themselves the epitome of the American Dream: to find the self-indulgent living soap-opera lifestyles, experience firsthand the images that are strangely-familiar thanks to the 'big screen', and walk in the footsteps of the stars. The fantasy worlds of Disneyland and Hollywood, the famed extravagance of Beverley Hills and Malibu, and the sun-soaked beach culture are just some of the attractions within this 'City of Angels'.
Los Angeles is not really a city but rather a sprawling metropolis constituting more than 80 smaller city areas woven together by a daunting network of traffic-congested freeways without a clearly defined centre. LA is just one of these cities with Downtown at its heart, and lying outside the city limits is the surrounding conglomeration of cities that comprises LA County.
Los Angeles offers a dazzling variety of attractions and world-famous amusements. Downtown is a mixture of cultures and local communities: the traditional herbalists of Chinatown's Bamboo Lane; Little Tokyo with its sushi bars and Japanese gardens; and the narrow Latino-influenced Olvera Street. Los Angeles County is endowed with a rich diversity of backgrounds and is a mix-and-match of people from 140 countries speaking 96 different languages, of those who have left home to seek acceptance for ideas or unconventional lifestyles not tolerated in the more conservative parts of the country, and would-be stars with dreams of fame and fortune. West Hollywood is the focal point of gay and lesbian culture, and the posh beachside resort of Santa Monica and body-builders at Muscle Beach, as well as the childhood fantasy of Disneyland are all a part of the diversity, although not always a harmonious one. There are exciting museums, cinemas featuring every conceivable production, swanky boutiques with the latest fashions, comedy clubs, poetry readings and coffee house recitals, and music of every kind played in various venues throughout the city.
Underneath the huge 'Hollywood' sign on the crest of the Hollywood Hills, the high energy and pleasure-seeking atmosphere, bold billboards, sexy sun-bronzed people, bright lights and fancy cars are images of a city that everyone loves to hate; but whether one likes what one finds or not, Los Angeles must be experienced at least once in a lifetime.
