http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26537 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26537 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26251 Watching the sun go down after a long day or before a long night is a great way to break up the pace of this city and see it at its most beautiful.
Sunset Blvd is the vein that flows from Hollywood down through Beverly Hills onto the Pacific Coast Highway. Driving down here anytime of day is fun.
Take a trip north up PCH 1 to Malibu for sunset on Zuma Beach. Tackle point Dume, Dolphins and Pelicans may turn up and it is a stunning beach.
Before the beach off PCH 1 Topanga, or Malibu Creek State Parks are both wonderful spots to watch the sun go down. Get up high to see the city, canyons, sea, simply amazing. Get down fast'ish as it gets dark out there!
Anywhere on the beach can be great for sunsets.
The chic suburb of Manhattan Beach has a romantic pier nicely lit with a small aquarium, stroll on the beach, or head on down the stylish beach side broad-walk to Hermosa for the most laid back beach scene in LA.
Santa Monica pier to Venice Beach. Walk, (hire) blades or bikes. Soak it all up. Get back into the canals of Venice and the Albert Kenny Blvd area for an a different perspective of Venice.
Away from the beach the Yamashiro in the Hollywood Hills is a super cool Japanese restaurant with an amazing view especially for sunset and night views.
No need to damage the budget either, hit the bar room for refreshments. Drink up the views and their delicious cocktails. Mia Tia and the Zombie, I can taste them now ... Zombie = don't drive.
Saunter down into Hollywood after and hit a dive bar and hustle some pool. Or go into West Hollywood and watch the people go by (in Lamborghini's) from the numerous establishments on Sunset Blvd.

The vibrancy of this city and variety of places and things to do is too immense a task for quick tip.
LA is well worth a long flight and pricy hotels.
So many hotels good and otherwise I can't scrape the surface.
Hostels are also hit and miss but some are no good altogether.
Try
USA Hostels in Hollywood - clean, friendly
YHA in Santa Monica.
Clean, central
Surf City in Hermosa. Fun, friendly on the beach.
Camping is available at Malibu Creek SP and is one of the coolest ways to get cheap accommodation in the LA vicinity.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26251 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20281
All the main attractions, from the theatres to Chinatown are easily reached from here too!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20281 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20280 Head down weekdays between 4.30pm-6pm to take advantage of the discounts…]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20280 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20279 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20279 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20276 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20276 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20275 The steaks are as awesome as the atmosphere, coming in at a reasonable $25 with sides in the evening but even cheaper at lunch with the specials.

Try the cocktails too if you have any cash left in the budget!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20275 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9223
Cost?
Varies but allow USD$40-$50 return

Why go?
Tijuana is a paradise for bargain shoppers! Browse for leather goods, clothing, jewellery, pottery & more.

Note - a multiple-entry visa and passport are required for non-U.S. or non-Canadian citizens.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9223 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9182 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9182 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9179
Old fashioned cafe with minimal decor that looks like a cinema set for a b-grade movie. Even the cashier is behind a wired cage! Be warned - no credit cards.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9179 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9178 www.mta.net).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9178 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9174
(Sitting in a hire car in heavy traffic on a freeway rapidly loses its gloss. Think "M25 with poor quality concrete surface"!)]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9174 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9161 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9161 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9147 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9147 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/139 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/139 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/137 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/137 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/136 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/136 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9180
The downtown art deco and Broadway theater tours get you exclusive access into now privately owned and/or disused beacons of the city's gloriously ostentatious 1920s, 30s and 40s.

The Angeleno Heights tour is a relaxed stroll around the city's first middle class suburb, several streets of charming Victorian wood-framed houses perched above the freeways and steel monoliths of downtown. Other tours take in San Pedro, USC, and downtown at night. Book via the conservancy's website at www.laconservancy.org]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9180 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9177 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9177 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9110 Lovely own brew ale as well as great prices and very efficient service, but gets busy on weekends.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9110