About 70% of this book is devoted to the big theme parks of Southern California. Individual rides and food spots are explained and rated. The balance highlights lesser known local attractions and activities of interest to children. Includes a section of games to play while waiting in ride lines.
Concentrates on how to have fun at the big theme parks without having a nervous breakdown or heat exhaustion. Includes sections on ‘Afternoon resting places’, ’Least crowded restrooms’, and ‘How to get a good parade-watching spot’. Rates rides by age group. Suggested itineraries to save line time.
A 50/50 split between theme park info and everything else about Los Angeles. Lists of hotels, restaurants, and malls with general cost categories. Geared toward families with a slight emphasis on budget. (‘How to negotiate a room’) Has several tourist area maps which could be very helpful. A good general-purpose guide book with discount coupons in the back.
With over 1,200 restaurants reviewed this is a great reference source for us and restaurant-using Angelenos. For tourists I would suggest taking a small notebook to a Barnes & Noble bookstore and ...
This is the best all-in-one book about Los Angeles that I have found so far. It at least touches on almost every element that I feel is important to Southern California visitors. Its 500 pages review hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment. Each 1/5 page review contains vital statistics and a very readable description. I found the index quite complete. Although mostly grouped by locality, there are small sections devoted to ‘Things to do on the cheap’ and ‘Things to do with kids’.
I have gone through two copies of Hidden Hawaii by Ray Riegert loaning them to friends visiting the Aloha State until my last copy is in two pieces. Needless to say, I like Ray’s slightly 60’s style of travel. Hidden Southern California covers quite an area from the Sierras and Central Coast down to San Diego and the eastern deserts. It deals with hotels, restaurants, shopping, and activities by locality with occasional close-ups such as ‘The Murals of Venice and Santa Monica’.
Mostly California B&Bs including several in the Southland. Quiet, homey bed and breakfasts are totally at odds with our Hollywood image. They are hard to find and harder to reserve during your planned vacation. Everyone with a spare bedroom and a danish roll wants to cash in on the recent B&B popularity. Ms. Peverill reviews B&Bs for a local radio talk show and these are her favorites.
These 400 thin pages are packed with Los Angeles lore from the latest gastronomic experience to the spiciest hotdog stand. It is peppered with 'best of' lists such as 'most scenic restaurants' and 'best tidepool spots'. Fielding is based in Southern California and they write from experience.
This is something of a misnomer - It is actually the ultimate Hollywood, Los Angeles, Malibu, Beverly Hills, and San Fernando Valley tour book!! Includes tidbits like public access routes to exclusive beaches and the stories behind famous and not-so-famous landmarks.
Covers kid-oriented attractions all over California. Many are rated by age range so you don’t take your 15 year old to a kiddy park. Unless you live in California or are planning a very extensive tour of the state, I would suggest a book more focused on our local area.
Ratings based on a survey of almost 5,000 lucky gourmands. Each restaurant had about 800 separate reviews. There are multiple cross-references such as Top Romantic, Top Stargazing, Top Views, Top Service and by cuisine or locality. The slim shape makes it easy to carry in a jacket pocket or purse.
Similar to the restaurant survey, this deals with food retailers. Major sections include Bagels, Caviar, Cheese, Ice Cream, and Cooking Schools. There are some great specialty places mentioned here but we don’t consider it a must-buy before visiting Los Angeles.
If you have comments about this page or would like to suggest additional picks or pans of interest to visitors to Southern California, we would be happy to hear from you.
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