Automobiles / Cars in LA
Custom Rolls-Royce in Beverly Hills
Los Angeles is quite possibly the Car Capital of The World. Unlike most major cities, public transportation takes a back seat here to the personal freedom of the automobile. While many areas of Los Angeles have buses and trains, in many other parts of the city they are non-existent, and even impractical. “A Thousand Vapid Main Streets Leading No-Where” someone once said of LA. In a city with a vast land mass, in which it’s hard to know where it begins and ends, the automobile rules!
Classic Ford Mustang
You will see every type of car here, and perhaps in greater numbers than you would anywhere else. The super exotic Italian supercars like Ferrari and Lamborghini, the Rolls-Royces and Bentleys, the customized hot rods, convertibles galore, and of course plenty of SUV’s (Sport Utility Vehicles), though that American love affair is cooling somewhat given the rising cost of fuel.
Cadillac Escalade
If you are visiting from Europe or Asia you may notice that the size of the average vehicle here is larger. This is due not only to the proliferation of SUV’s and pick-up trucks, but larger cars in general given that the USA has wider roads and highways than do most countries. Smaller cars such as the Toyota Prius are becoming more in vogue though, due to recent spikes in the cost of fuel, and concerns over the impact on the environment of gas guzzling automobiles.
Lamborghini
Given the semi-arid desert climate, which almost completely eliminates rust problems, LA is also ideal for collectors of rare and classic cars.
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB
The Peterson Museum
Has a wonderful selection of rare and classic cars and features special exhibitions throughout the year. It’s well worth a visit!
6060 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles (323) 930 CARS
Special Exhibition at the Petersen Museum
Driving In LA
If you are visiting LA, chances are you will be driving at some point. While intimidating at first, other than the volume of traffic, it is actually a very easy city to navigate. Most of Los Angeles is laid out in a basic grid system with intersections. This means that if you are driving on surface streets, and you miss a turn, you can usually make the next turn and double back to where you started to get your bearings again.
Freeways
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The 101 freeway winds through Hollywood
LA freeways are very well signposted, and driving them results in sort of an ebb and flow shuffle as they are rarely open enough to get up to even the legal speed limit. Rush hour, the busiest time, typically occurs around 7am to 9.30 am in the morning and from about 4.00pm – 7.00pm in the evening. Be careful of freeway splits, where two or more choices of freeways are on the overhang sign as you approach. Try to map out your route before you set off with a navigation or GPS system if your car has one, or with a map or guide, as taking the wrong freeway could take you several miles or more out of your way. Also be careful when entering the freeway as you merge with other traffic. As with all major cities, some drivers are more courteous than others.
Los Angeles Scenic Drives
Malibu CanyonDrive inland from PCH at the beach in Malibu, towards the San Fernando Valley, and you will see dramatic canyons and valleys on this picturesque twisting road.
Mulholland Drive
Perhaps the most famous road in Los Angeles, this long and winding 2 lane drive straddles the top of the Santa Monica Mountains that split the Los Angeles basin from the San Fernando Valley. Featured in countless movies and TV shows, including the excellent film noir “Mulholland Drive”, the street is also home to many celebrities. It begins on the East at Cahuenga Boulevard and stretches West to Calabasas, where a portion of it becomes Mulholland Highway.
Pacific Coast Highway
PCH, as it’s known locally, is a beautiful drive as but begins to get really interesting around Pepperdine University, heading North, with the coast getting more craggy. Highway 1 then continues into Ventura County and on up the coast through Santa Barbara, Big Sur, Carmel and Pebble Beach.
Palos Verdes Drive
You can be forgiven for thinking you are all of a sudden in the South of France (you are in LA’s South Bay) when driving on what is surely the most spectacular route in all of Los Angeles County. With Catalina Island in the distance, and rocky cliffs and coves below, the Palos Verdes Peninsula is a must see when you visit the LA area.
