American Airlines Flights from Melbourne, Australia (MEL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
As part of booking roundtrip flights which depart from US airports,
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on American Airlines, which operates a daily non-stop flight from Melbourne, Australia (MEL) to Los Angeles (LAX) regularly scheduled to depart at 12:20pm and arrive at 7:30am. Usually a Boeing 747-400 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Melbourne, Australia to Los Angeles, CA is 14 hours and 10 minutes.
During your Los Angeles vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
US Bank Tower (aka Library Tower)
Designed by renowned architect I. M. Pei, L.A.'s most distinctive skyscraper (it's the round one) is the tallest building between Chicago and Singapore. Built in 1989 at a cost of $450 million, the 76-story monolith is both square and rectangular, rising from its Fifth Street base in a series of overlapping spirals and cubes. The Bunker Hill Steps wrapping around the west side of the building were inspired by Rome's Spanish Steps. Gee whiz fact: The glass crown at the top -- illuminated at night -- is the highest helipad in the world.
J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center
Since opening in 1997, the Richard Meier-designed Getty Center has quickly assumed its place in the L.A. landscape (literally and figuratively) as the city's cultural acropolis and international mecca. Headquarters for the Getty Trust's research, education, and conservation concerns, the postmodernist complex -- perched on a hillside in the Santa Monica Mountains and swathed in Italian travertine marble -- is most frequently visited for the museum galleries displaying collector J. Paul Getty's enormous collection of art. Always known for antiquities, expanded galleries now allow the display of Impressionist paintings, truckloads of glimmering French furniture and decorative arts, fine illuminated manuscripts, contemporary photography, and previously overlooked graphic arts. The area that's open to the public consists of five two-story pavilions set around an open courtyard, and each gallery within is specially designed to complement the works on display. A sophisticated system of programmable window louvers allows many works (particularly paintings) to be displayed in the natural light they were created in for the first time in the modern era. One of these is van Gogh's Irises, one of the museum's finest and most popular holdings. Trivia buffs will enjoy knowing that the museum spent $53.9 million to acquire this painting; it's displayed in a complex that cost roughly $1 billion to construct.Visitors to the center park at the base of the hill and ascend via a cable-driven electric tram. On clear days, the sensation is of being in the clouds, gazing across Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean (and into a few chic Brentwood backyards). If you're like me and don't remember a thing from your college art appreciation class, plunk down $3 for a self-guided audio tour that gives a brief overview of the 250-plus works in the collection. The 45-minute architectural tours, offered throughout the day, are also worth looking into. Dining options include several espresso/snack carts, a cafeteria, a self-service cafe, and the elegant (though informal) "Restaurant" offering table service for lunch (Tues-Sun) and dinner (Fri-Sat), with breathtaking views overlooking of the ocean and mountains (reservations are recommended, though walk-ins are accepted; call tel. 310/440-7300 or make reservations online at www.getty.edu).Realizing that fine-art museums are usually dreadfully boring for kids, the center provides several clever programs for kids, including exploratory games such as Perplexing Paintings and The Getty Art Detective; a Family Room filled with puzzles, computers, picture books, and games; mythical storytelling sessions on weekends at 11am, noon, and 1pm; weekend family workshops; and self-guided audio tours made specifically for families.Entrance to the Getty Center is free -- they don't need your money -- but parking reservations are required weekdays (though we've heard of people getting in without one on slow days). College students with current ID and those arriving by public transportation, motorcycle, or bicycle do not require reservations. Reservations are not required after 4pm or all day Saturday and Sunday. Cameras and video cams are permitted, but only if you use existing light (flash units are verboten).
Pacific Design Center
The bold architecture and overwhelming scale of the Pacific Design Center, designed by Argentinean architect Cesar Pelli, aroused controversy when it was erected in 1975. Sheathed in gently curving cobalt-blue glass, the seven-story building houses more than 750,000 square feet of wholesale interior-design showrooms and is known to locals as "the blue whale." When the property for the design center was acquired in the 1970s, almost all of the small businesses that lined this stretch of Melrose Avenue were demolished. Only Hugo's Plating, which still stands in front of the center, successfully resisted the wrecking ball. In 1988, a second boxlike structure, dressed in equally dramatic Kelly green, was added to the design center and surrounded by a protected outdoor plaza.
Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
The Biltmore is one of those hotels that's worth a visit even if you're not staying here. Built in 1923 and encompassing an entire square block, this Italian-Spanish Renaissance landmark is the grande dame of L.A.'s hotels. Chances are you've seen it in many movies, including The Fabulous Baker Boys, Chinatown, Ghostbusters, Bugsy, Beverly Hills Cop, and Barbra Streisand's A Star Is Born. The hotel lobby -- JFK's campaign headquarters during the 1960 Democratic National Convention -- appeared upside-down in The Poseidon Adventure. Always in fine shape and host to world leaders and luminaries, the former Regal Biltmore is now under the guiding hand of the Millennium Hotels and Resorts group, and the sense of refinement and graciousness endures. The "wow" factor ends at guest rooms, however, which are a little on the small side (common for older hotels) and aren't quite as eye-popping as the public spaces, but they've recently been redecorated in a style that meshes well with the hotel's vibe. Bathrooms are on the small side as well, but peach-toned marble adds a luxurious edge.A range of dining and cocktail outlets includes Sai Sai for Japanese cuisine. Pretty, casual Smeraldi's Bistro serves homemade pastas and lighter California fare. Off the lobby is the stunning Gallery Bar, named by Los Angeles magazine as one of the sexiest cocktail lounges in L.A. Afternoon tea and cocktails are served in the Rendezvous Court, which used to be the hotel's original lobby and resembles the interior of a Spanish cathedral, complete with a Moorish ceiling of carved beams and an altarlike Baroque doorway. Spend the few bucks to appreciate the Art Deco health club, with its gorgeous Roman-style pool.Facilities: 3 restaurants; 2 lounges; health club w/original 1923 inlaid pool, Jacuzzi, steam, sauna; concierge; Enterprise car-rental desk; courtesy car; business center; salon; 24-hr. room service; in-room massage; babysitting; laundry service; dry-cleaning service; executive-level rooms.
Wyndham Bel Age Hotel
This high-rise all-suite hotel is one of West Hollywood's best. The Bel Age has it all: huge, amenity-laden suites, excellent service, terrific rooftop sun deck with pool and Jacuzzi, and A-1 location just half a block off the Sunset Strip, but removed from the congestion and noise. What's more, thanks to an excellent art collection (assembled by the hotel's original owners) that fills the public spaces and guest rooms, the hotel has far more personality than your average chain hotel.Accommodations hardly get better for the money. The monster-size suites offer contemporary decor with a few classic touches and a soothing palette of navy, burgundy, and gray. Selected to suit every need -- including those of families and business travelers -- luxuries include pillow-top mattresses with cushioned headboards and plush bedding, a sleeper sofa in the living area that opens into a queen bed, plus an excellent work desk with an ergonomically correct Herman Miller desk chair. The bathrooms come with generous counter space and robes. The best rooms face south; on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Pacific. Be sure to make reservations before you leave home for a special meal at the Franco-Russian Diaghilev restaurant.Note: As we go to print, this property has been bought by Blackstone and will be converted into an LXR Luxury ResortIn room: A/C, TV/VCR w/pay movies, Sony Playstation, and onscreen Internet access; CD, dataport and high-speed connection, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
Beverly Laurel Motor Hotel
Touted by the New York Times for its Gen-X appeal and value, the Beverly Laurel is a great choice for wallet-watching travelers who want a central location and a room with more style than your average motel. Overlooking the parking lot, the budget-basic but well-kept rooms are smartened up with diamond-print spreads and eye-catching artwork; other features include a minifridge, microwave, and ample closet space, and a large kitchenette for an extra 10-spot. The postage-stamp-size outdoor pool is a little public for carefree sunbathing, but it does the job on hot summer days. Best of all is the motel's own excellent coffee shop, Swingers -- nobody serves burgers and malts better, and you may even spot your favorite alt-rocker tucking into a 3pm breakfast in the vinyl booth next to yours.
