When to Visit - Arts and Events

Los Angeles plays host to a wide range of festivals and celebrations besides its most famous; the annual Academy Awards in March. The lavish Gay Pride Week Parade held each June on Santa Monica Boulevard is followed by the Summer Pops Festival at the Hollywood Bowl with a varied repertoire of performances throughout the summer.

During August, Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beaches play host to the International Surf Festival, whilst the following month the Los Angeles County Fair (the largest county fair in the world) brings the best of the country to town. In October one of America's major motion picture presentations, the AFI-LA International Film Festival screens around seventy-five productions from established as well as unknown international film-makers.

The year is rounded off by the Hollywood Christmas Parade. Glamorous and glitzy, Santa and his little helpers are supported by a host of film and television stars in a mid-winter extravaganza complete with snowflakes and sunglasses.

Los Angeles Dining

When it comes to eating out in Los Angeles, the choice is almost literally endless - anything from Japanese teppan steak to Jamaican jerk chicken. Virtually every cuisine in existence is available; in a city the size of Los Angeles, the only restraining factor is your imagination.

Los Angeles Tipping Advice

Throughout America tipping is more or less compulsory. In restaurants waiters expect around 10 to 20 percent as do taxi drivers and hairdressers, while porters and bellboys anticipate around one or two US dollars per piece of luggage. You are not expected to tip in fast-food restaurants or cinemas.