Los Angeles Life and Visitor Travel Tips

(Los Angeles, California - CA, USA)



Life in the 'City of Angels' is fast for most - trendsetters alter their wardrobe according to cutting-edge fashion, Los Angeles businessmen drive the latest in cars and stars rise and fall faster than you can say 'Hollywood'.

Visitors to Los Angeles needn't worry about keeping up with LA's residents and should simply sit back and soak up the glitz and glamour in between sightseeing trips. Los Angeles travel tips can be picked up from local residents, hotel desks and tourist information offices, which will all help you in orienting yourself in this sprawling metropolis. Here are some handy travel tips about life in Los Angeles.


Tourism and Tourist Information

LA provides all the usual standard tourist facilities and services and tourist information offices in Los Angeles offer free guides that will have even the most inexperienced traveler up and sightseeing in no time. Free maps, advice, travel tips and information on attractions are at your fingertips from the moment you arrive, while details on events held in and around Los Angeles are also available. LA is a mixture of different cultures and influences and visitors to Los Angeles usually find this melting pot an easy place to fit into and get acclimatized.

Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau
Address: 685 South Figueroa Street, (between Wilshire Boulevard and 7th Street), Los Angeles, California CA, 90017-3410, USA
Tel: +1 213 689 8822
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 17:00, Saturday - 08:30 to 17:00

Language

More than 300 languages are spoken in the America, including over 170 that are indigenous to the Los Angeles area, with the most commonly spoken language in Los Angeles and California (CA) being English. Many different ethnicities and nationalities are well represented in Los Angeles and California (CA), with other languages in addition to English are available for study in schools and LA language centers.

Visas

There are a number of different types of visa available, with tourists traveling to Los Angeles usually requiring a non-immigrant visa that permits temporary stay in LA. Citizens from Visa Waiver Program countries are allowed to enter Los Angeles, California and America without a visa if they can meet certain requirements. If you are applying for a visa before your arrival in Los Angeles, it is worth applying well in advance as there can be delays on processing applications.

Working

Several categories of non-immigrant visas are available to those wishing to work in Los Angeles on a temporary basis. Working without a visa in Los Angeles, California and throughout America is against the law and there are harsh penalties for those who are caught breaking this law. People wishing to work in Los Angeles must apply for the relevant visa in their home country and usually need a letter from their prospective American employer.

Tipping

Tipping is common in Los Angeles and is only required should you consider service to have been satisfactory. When in Los Angeles restaurants, a 15 percent tip is standard, although it is worth noting whether there is a service charge already included in your bill. Bars in Los Angeles differ slightly, with a tips tray at the counter where customers are expected to leave a dollar or two upon as they leave.

Taxes and Refunds

Most states in the US have a sales tax of between seven and eight percent on goods and services although some states have no tax at all. Los Angeles sales tax is not usually reclaimable by tourists on their departure from Los Angeles, unless a relevant working visa is held.

Smoking

Smoking in Los Angeles has changed dramatically in recent years and laws now restrict areas where people are permitted to smoke, including all modes of public travel. Los Angeles restaurants are required to have non-smoking areas and cigarette advertising is banned from the television and radio. Sensible advice would be to check with those nearby before smoking in Los Angeles, California.