If you're staying with us in the Downtown LA area and will be attending an event at the Hollywood Bowl, well lucky you!  The Hollywood Bowl is one of our favorite music venues, so you're in for a treat if it's your first time there.

Every year, we have guests stay with us who will be attending the Rose Parade in Pasadena. For those international guests unfamiliar with the Rose Parade, it is a popular parade that has been running annually on January 1st for more than 125 years. It travels a 5 1/2 mile stretch of spectators, showcasing floats made out of - you guessed it - ROSES, as well as marching bands, cultural dance performances and more.

The Los Angeles Fashion District is great for business travelers (buyers, designers, wholesalers), as well as leisure shoppers. Most transactions are wholesale but there are plenty of retail opportunities for every shopper.

Several of our guests invest in the GO CARD Los Angeles in order to save on sightseeing. It works great as long as you do some pre-planning and determine exactly what you want to see and do.  Just make sure you don't try to do too much in one day.  Since Los Angeles is huge and spread out, cramming too many activities into one day can rush you too much and ruin the experience.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA was designed by the great architect Frank Gehry and is home to the LA Philharmonic Orchestra.  The venue feels small and intimate, and the acoustics are hailed as one of the best in the world.

Free LA Tour provides free walking tours of Downtown Los Angeles.  They currently provide 2 different tours (Historic Core and Union Station to Pershing Square).  Each tour provides a great introduction to the downtown areas history, cool architecture and public art displays.

Grand Central Market in Downtown LA is a historic open air market that originally opened in 1917.  During the last two years, the market has been reinvigorated and new trendy gourmet stalls have opened and operate alongside the traditional produce, spices and taco spots.

If you are a modern art buff, you will have two great museum choices in Downtown Los Angeles thanks to The Broad Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).

Jerry's Motel is conveniently located approximately 2 miles from Dodger Stadium.  Although pretty close distance-wise, we do not recommend you walk to Dodger Stadium.  Unlike stadiums and arenas in other cities that are located in the thick of the city, Dodger Stadium is awkwardly tucked away within a park on a hill.  

The Griffith Park Observatory and its surrounding grounds are great for views of the city and the Hollywood sign.  One of the best times to visit is before sunset, so you get a day time plus a nice evening view of the lights of LA.

The Hollywood sign is a must see for most first-time LA visitors.  Although you cannot walk right up to the sign, you can get great views and pictures from a distance.  Here are some ideas on some of the best and easy to get to spots.

Shopping in Los Angeles is great.  Best of all, there is a place to shop for any budget.  So whether you are looking for high-end or bargain shopping, there is a place for everyone.

Another great option for bargain shopping in particular is the Beverly Connection shopping complex in Beverly Hills.  Located across the street from the upscale Beverly Center mall, Beverly Connection has stores like Nordstrom Rack, TJMaxx, Marshalls and Ross for bargain shoppers.  

Hop On, Hop Off Tours (or HOHO) are a great way to visit LA's most popular tourist destinations. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of figuring out what to see and makes trip planning a little easier.  These tours are especially great for visitors who will not be renting a car.  You can purchase a 1 day ($44), 2 day ($59) or 3 day ($74) pass.*

The cupcake revolution started in Los Angeles a few years ago, and transformed a traditional cupcake into an amazing gourmet treat.  

Sprinkles Cupcakes started it all with their first cupcake bakery in Beverly Hills.  Since then, they have opened locations across the country, and one conveniently located near us at FIGat7th in downtown Los Angeles. 

Santa Monica and Venice are conveniently located close to one another.  You can either:

1)  Take a nice walk from one location to the other (2 miles, approximately 30 minutes walking).

2)  Take the short bus ride outlined below.  This bus ride will take about 15-20 minutes and is on the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus. 

Our guests often ask us for recommendations on a nearby park to go have a picnic at or for a quick morning jog. Below are a few parks located in or around downtown LA that are a perfect fit:

Many of our guests are coming to the United States for their first time and often ask us about tipping their taxi driver, waitresses or maids. Although tipping is not customary in many countries around the world, tipping is standard in the United States. Below is a very simple guide on tipping along with a link to TripAdvisor's guide to Tipping and Etiquette in the United States. Both will come in handy during your stay.

Our guests often ask about the various sightseeing tour companies in LA and which one is the "best". It is really important to find out what kind of tour you are looking for to determine what makes sense for you.

Griffith Park Observatory provides the best view of the "City of Angels". The great thing is that it is free. Besides the beach, it is also a great place snap some photos during sunset. Also on site is a small museum and planetarium show (entry fee). Check out the pics below.....