5 Secrets About LA Every Traveller Should Know

Los Angeles is a city unlike any other. Best known for being the home of Hollywood - the most famous entertainment industry in the world, Los Angeles has a certain charm to it that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Known colloquially as LA, the city has its fair share of glamour, grittiness and ancient history.

In this city, the world’s richest people and America’s poorest reside. The two faces of LA couldn’t be more different. And yet that doesn’t take away from its charm.

It has everything that an intrepid traveller could want, so be sure to put it on your bucket list.

Let’s dive a little deeper into what this fascinating city can offer.

Secret 1: The Key to Another Dimension

Conspiracy theorists believe that the Tesla Coil tunes us into another dimension. It alters our frequency and opens up portals to an alternate existence. Of course, the scientific explanation is a little less glamorous. Scientists say that the Tesla Coil is nothing more than a high-frequency machine that generates electricity. Either way, you can see for yourself at the Griffith Park Observatory in LA.

While many people are familiar with the star-studded stripes and attractions of Hollywood, few are aware of the existence of the Tesla Coil right in the heart of Los Angeles. This invention from Nikolas Tesla comes complete with giant arching sparks and unnerving noise, which makes it one of the observatory’s most intriguing exhibits.

Secret 2: Lost Cities

Well actually, it’s called the Sunken City. It happens to be one of the most fiercely protected and closely-guarded ‘attractions’ in the heart of LA. In other words, it’s illegal to actually go there, but you can admire it from a distance. It’s first brush with fame was its appearance in films such as The Big Lebowski. What’s left of this historical landmark is an interesting cross between science and art.

Located in San Pedro, a natural landslide in 1929 caused several beachside homes to collapse in the Pt. Fermin area of San Pedro, CA.

While there have been many proposals to open the city to public access, for the moment it remains restricted. However, it is still subject to the somewhat forbidden visits by curious tourists and locals who make their way into the leftover ruins of this historic area.

Secret 3: The Glitz & Glamour Of Hollywood

Well Hollywood is hardly a secret. It is after all, one of the most famous, well-known attractions in the world. It’s got everything an intrepid tourist could want: celebrities, money, glamour, theme parks and shopping!

But what you may not know is that Hollywood is almost like a city itself with several attractions coming under the Hollywood name. These include the Hollywood sign, universal studios and the walk of fame, among others.

Secret 4: Abnormal Arts

Art by its very nature is abnormal. Works of art encourages us to think outside the norm, and uses symbolism and imagery to take us on a journey into someone else's mind.

At times, it can be somewhat gruesome. This is especially true of the exhibits housed in the California Institute of Abnormalarts. The exhibitions are classed as ‘freakshows’ and include everything from a mummified clown, skulls, bones, circus exhibits and man-eating monsters.

So if you want to delve deeper into the belly of the beast, head on down to this unusual tourist attraction nestled in northern Hollywood.

Secret 5: Sun Worship

If you are in the mood for a little bit of sun worship, then the Phantasma Gloria may be right up your street. This glittering structure resides in a place called Echo Park.

It was created in the front yard of artist Randlett Lawrence, better known simply as Randy. The towering icon is a composition of colorful glass bottles, wire, and colored water. 

In the morning sunlight, it casts a beautiful multi-colored glow and a topsy-turvy view of the world that is housed in each of those little bottles.

The glass structure has been in the making for more than a decade now, and tourists are able to visit it by appointment. Tours are held between 10am and 4pm on Sundays, when the light reflections from the glass are at their most magnificent.

Fancy taking a group tour across the United States? Our ambassadors at WiGo Trips have collectively organized dozens of adventures across the US and other parts of the world. 
Be sure to visit our app for more information.

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​Janine Griffiths | Journalist 

​Janine is a copywriter and marketing strategist from England, with a background in journalism. She has represented many major brands throughout her career such as HSBC, Prudential and BIM. She runs a popular travel blog called janinesjourneys.com and has made has previously worked for major regional newspapers in the UK such as the Guardian, Yorkshire Post and the Shropshire Star

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