Sunset Boulevard & The Sunset Strip
Unless you were raised in a cave, you've undoubtedly heard of L.A.'s Sunset Boulevard. The most famous of the city's many legendary boulevards, it winds dozens of miles over prime real estate as it travels from Downtown to the beach, taking its travelers on both a historic and microcosmic journey that defines Los Angeles as a whole -- from tacky strip malls and historic movie studios to infamous strip clubs and some of the most coveted zip codes on earth. In fact, driving the stretch from U.S. 101 to the Pacific should be a prerequisite for all first-time visitors because it provides so perfectly what L.A. is all about: instant gratification.Bam! From the start, you'll see the original CBS Studios, where The Jack Benny Show emanated; the Hollywood Palladium, where Lawrence Welk and the Dorsey Brothers performed; the Sahara Hotel, of many a movie shoot; the Guitar Center's Hollywood RockWalk, where superstars like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Santana, and the Van Halen brothers left handprints or signatures; the "Riot Hyatt," where The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Guns N' Roses crashed and smashed from the '60s through the '80s; and Chateau Marmont, where Greta Garbo lived and John Belushi died.Phew! And you've barely even started. Once you pass the Chateau Marmont, you're officially cruising the Sunset Strip -- a 1 3/4-mile stretch of Sunset Boulevard from Crescent Heights Boulevard to Doheny Drive. The tour continues with The Comedy Store, where Rosanne, Robin Williams, and David Letterman rose to stardom; Dan Aykroyd's ramshackle House of Blues, where the rock stars still show up for an impromptu show; Tower Records, the largest record store in the world; the Argyle Hotel, where Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and John Wayne once lived; the ultra-exclusive Skybar within the Mondrian hotel; Johnny Depp's Viper Room, where River Phoenix overdosed in 1993; Whisky A Go-Go, where The Doors were once a house band; and the Rainbow Bar & Grill, where Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Marley became legends.Once you emerge from the strip, things calm down considerably as you drive through the tony neighborhoods of Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, and Pacific Palisades. By the time you've reached the ocean you'll have seen a vivid cross-section of the city and a pretty good idea of what L.A. is all about.

NBC Studios
According to a security guard, John Wayne and Redd Foxx once got into a fight here after Wayne refused to ride in the same limo as Foxx, who called the movie star a "redneck." Well, your NBC tour will probably be a bit more docile than that. The guided 70-minute indoor tour, which departs every half-hour, includes a behind-the-scenes unstaged look at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno set; wardrobe, makeup, and set-building departments; and several sound studios. In fact, NBC is the only TV studio that offers the public a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of its television operation, and it's a lot less expensive than the competition's studio tours. It doesn't have the cachet of a major motion picture studio tour, but it's entertaining nonetheless. Note: Tours are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and sell out early during peak vacation season, so arrive early. Also, this is one of the few studio tours that doesn't have a minimum age requirement.

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.

Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport
Nearby Airports:* Los Angeles International Airport - 5 Blocks* Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport - 30 MilesNearby Cities:* El Segundo - 2 Miles* Culver City - 3 Miles* Manhattan Beach - 4 Miles* Marina Del Rey - 5 Miles* Hermosa Beach - 6 Miles* Venice Beach - 7 Miles* Redondo Beach - 8 Miles* Torrance - 8 Miles* Santa Monica - 9 Miles* Century City - 10 Miles* Westwood - 12 Miles* Beverly Hills - 12 Miles* Hollywood - 15 Miles* Long Beach - 20 ...

Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel
Nearby Airport: * Los Angeles International Airport - 2 Blocks * Long Beach Airport - 22 Miles * Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport - 27 Miles * John Wayne/Orange County Airport - 41 Miles * Ontario International Airport - 53 Miles Nearby Cities: * El Segundo - 2 Miles * Marina Del Rey - 4 Miles * Manhattan Beach - 5 Miles * Hermosa Beach - 6 Miles * Venice Beach - 6 Miles * Redondo Beach - 8 Miles * Santa ...

Wilshire Grand Hotel
Just twenty minutes from the Los Angeles international airport, the Wilshire Grand provides 900 of the most spacious, well-appointed guest rooms conveniently located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to a Metro subway station (with direct links to Hollywood and Universal Studios), the Wilshire Grand Los Angeles' complimentary features include high-speed wireless internet access, two phones lines, a 24 hr fitness center, outdoor swimming pool and spa. Walking distance to the ...