Page 101 - 2018 Travel Guide to California

Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street. It was
absorbed by the Universal Film Manufac-
turing Company, which later became
Universal Studios. By the 1920s, 80 percent
of the world’s films were shot in California.
Learn more about Tinsel Town’s history,
and experience its memorabilia at The Hol-
lywood Museum. Or participate in the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sci-
ences events and get swept up in the
pre-Oscar buzz.
The Great Outdoors
Despite its car culture rap, LA County offers
lots of outdoor activities. Rent a bike along
the Santa Monica Pier and ride down the
path that parallels the ocean, through
Venice and on to Marina del Rey before dou-
bling back. Pack a picnic lunch and hike
Echo Mountain in Altadena or the Arroyo
Seco trail system in the San Gabriel Moun-
tains. Sign up for rock-climbing instruction,
or take a surfing or stand-up paddle
boarding lesson from one of the many
surfing centers in Santa Monica.
Explore the county’s varied beaches,
from the famous to the little known, but
GETTY VILLA, above; Venice beach and
skate park, opposite top; Hollywood
Boulevard in Los Angeles, opposite below.