Shopping and Eating in Los Angeles, California
Shopping
Many tourists to sunny Los Angeles are not attracted by the golden beaches and exciting rides of the Universal studio. Their main target is numerous boutiques, shopping centers, vintage items and jewelry stores. Fortunately, there are many of those on the streets of the Californian city, and shopaholics have something to profit from. Each district has at least two large shopping centers.
For clothes and shoes from world luxury brands, you should go to Beverly Hills. There, on Rodeo Drive and several streets adjacent to it, there are branded stores of Hugo Boss, Prada, Chanel and other pillars of the fashion industry. However, there are also boutiques of less expensive local brands (Guess, Bebe and others). A huge selection of jeans at fairly affordable prices is on Melrose Avenue and La Brea Avenue. Some stores have promotions, and you can buy any item for only 1 USD. Spring and summer are the season of sales, the benefits can be very tangible. See citypopulationreview for state facts, symbols and history of California.
The Tax free trade tax refund system will help you save a lot on shopping. You can get part of the money spent back at the airport. When paying for purchases, do not forget to ask for a special return receipt.
Many tourists bring iPhone and other Apple equipment from LA. They are actually much cheaper there. There are branded stores in every district of the city.
Memorable souvenirs and gifts for friends should be looked for in specialized shops in Hollywood. All of them are somehow connected with cinema – miniature Oscar figurines, clothes and interior items with portraits of stars and the inscription Hollywood.
What to try
The diversity of nationalities and cultures in Los Angeles also gives rise to a huge selection of delicacies prepared in the traditions of different peoples of the world. However, some dishes must be tried here.
Hot dogs, french fries, onion rings and other fast food are traditional food for residents of the States. And although in most countries of the world you will not surprise anyone with these not quite healthy delicacies, their taste in Europe or Asia is very different. Eating like this every day, of course, is not worth it, but trying a real American burger is quite.
The diametrical opposite of unhealthy fast food is vegan cuisine. The city has many eco-restaurants and cafes offering visitors healthy dishes. In one of these establishments, you can taste very unusual sushi – with pumpkin or burdock root.
For fresh vegetables and fruits from American farmers, you should go to the famous market located near Grove Drive. It has been here since the 1930s. and still retains the atmosphere of that time.
Cafes and restaurants in Los Angeles
In gastronomic terms, Los Angeles is able to satisfy even the most sophisticated gourmet. The choice of establishments is truly huge – from small eateries with fast food and national cuisine of different peoples of the world to luxurious restaurants – happy owners of Michelin stars. Dinner in the latter can cost a tidy sum (about 100 USD ).
At the same time, there are a lot of small family restaurants with home cooking in the city. You can dine in them for 30-40 USD. A meal in one of the many ethnic cafes will cost about the same amount. To try the best dishes of Armenian, Chinese or Korean cuisine, you should go to the national regions – Little Armenia, Chinatown or Koreatown.
You can have breakfast or a hearty snack in one of the small and fairly democratic cafes, which are full on the streets of the city. They serve quite decent sandwiches, pastries and coffee. A meal will cost no more than 10-20 USD. For those in a hurry, there are street food trucks offering to satisfy your hunger for only 5-10 USD.
Los Angeles Hotels
Los Angeles is a huge city, and sometimes it takes a lot of time to get from one area to another. Therefore, when choosing a hotel, you should definitely take into account which sights and entertainments are in priority.
For shopping tours, downtown hotels are suitable. Accommodation in many of them costs a lot – from 150 to 400 USD. However, there are more budget options (from 50 USD per night), but there are not many of them. More hotels at reasonable prices can be found in Westside, and the area itself is much more suitable for tourist recreation than the business center of the city.
If the main purpose of the trip is a beach holiday, it is better to choose the appropriate areas, for example, Santa Monica or Malibu. There are many hotels here, accommodation options for every budget. However, prices per day start from the same 50 USD. Tourists with children should pay attention to hotels in the vicinity of Disneyland. A night in one of them will cost an average of 80-100 USD.
