Britain and the rest of Europe have been awash with bad weather, with flooding in Venice and the UK and tonnes of snow set to fall in the next couple of weeks. The only way to banish the winter blues is to get some vitamin D in your life! Where better than the land of Hollywood, tans and celebrities?
- Los Angeles vacationNeil Kremer / Travel Photos / CC BY-ND
Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the West coast state of California and an ever popular holiday destination.
Temperatures
Whilst in the summer LA temperatures are around 80-85°F (25°C), in the winter it is still much warmer than most of Europe and especially the UK. Top temperatures for most of the winter months are around 68°F (20°C), which is still pleasant and possibly more comfortable than 80+°F. Being English, anything above 64°F feels lovely and warm to me, so a few degrees higher means that the shorts and vests can come out!
Celebrities
When in LA it is a requirement (or it should be) that you do a Hollywood Celebrity houses tour, see the ‘Walk of Fame’ and visit the Grauman’s theatre, previously a venue for the Oscars and the 1977 premiere of Star Wars. The Hollywood ‘Walk of Fame’ has around 200 pairs of celebrity hands and feet immortalised in concrete. You certainly know you have made it when you become part of this world renowned walkway.
Things to eat
America has plenty of culinary delights, although admittedly a lot of them rather indulgent. Pancakes, ice cream and burgers are a mainstay of the American diner and hugely popular around the world thanks to McDonalds. But if you are looking for an authentic taste of LA then be sure to check out the many food trucks on the LA streets. Buttermilk is one of the LA hipster’s favourites serving delicious pancakes, waffles and other breakfast treats. They also serve a late evening meal menu with dishes like fried chicken and house made waffles with butter and syrup. To me, by far the most delicious sounding thing on the menu is the red velvet pancakes. This generous portion of scandalously red mini pancakes comes served with a large helping of butter and syrup.
Beaches
If you want to relax and enjoy the warm temperature, go down to Santa Monica, Venice and Newport beaches. Alternatively there are some beautiful, tranquil beaches which offer some respite after the hubbub of central LA. Cue Leo Carrillo beach, which can be found north of Santa Monica (so it may be best to hire a car from Alamo), and its jagged rock edges look out across the North Pacific Ocean. This is a great place for scuba diving, surfing, and swimming and also tide-pooling, which is perfect for kids who can explore the marine life. Another lesser-known beach is Zuma county beach which is excellent for volleyball. In winter, whale-watching is a possibility if you’re lucky and dolphins are also seen around this coast.
LA promises a holiday full of celebrities, warm weather and gorgeous food and beaches. What more could you want? A perfect holiday for all the family.
