In the summer of 2016, we decided to go back to Los Angeles. We wanted to stay there for at least a month to feel the city’s vibe and to get a better idea of what life in L.A. really looks like. This time around we took my brother with us – he had just turned 21 and wanted to party. 🙂 We bought our flight ticket, rented an Airbnb, and off we went. 🙂
Los Angeles
We were staying in East Hollywood, near Santa Monica Blvd and just a few blocks away from Hollywood Forever Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles, the resting place of many Hollywood celebrities.
We spent most of our days at the beach, attending some of the coolest events in L.A., and, of course, sightseeing. During our stay in L.A., we visited most of the city’s top attractions, including the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Dolby Theatre, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood sign, the Universal Studios Hollywood film studio and theme park, the Warner Bros. studios, Paramount Pictures studios, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, the famous Rodeo Drive, Downtown L.A., the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Staples Center, the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater, the prominent Griffith Observatory and Park, Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and Long Beach, where we celebrated the Fourth of July – U.S. Independence Day aka. Matic’s birthday. 🙂
Los Angeles is a huge city, which offers countless adventures, romantic experiences, and hosts awesome events. We love the city’s laid-back vibe and the fact that there are countless concerts, parties, plays, sports events, and movie premiers – every single day! On the other hand, we do not like the long commutes and the vast contrast between the rich and the poor districts.
Read about our first visit to L.A. here. Here you can find all you need to know before visiting L.A.
Las Vegas
A visit to ‘Sin City‘ is never a bad idea. 😉 Since Vegas is only around 270 miles (434.5 km) away from L.A., we rented a car for a weekend and drove to Las Vegas and Zion National Park. We spent one night in the Entertainment Capital of the World and it was EPIC. 🙂
Once again, we stayed at Circus Circus. After checking in, we visited the city’s main attractions, like the Palazzo, the Mirage, Caesars Palace, Paris Las Vegas, the Bellagio Hotel and its famous fountains, and Fremont Street, known for the world’s largest video screen. We saw some outdoor concerts, had a few drinks, and tried our luck at the casino. We didn’t hit the jackpot, but we did have an unforgettable night. 🙂
Read about our first visit to Las Vegas here. Here you can find all you need to know before visiting Las Vegas.
Zion National Park
Utah’s first national park is located near the city of Springdale. It’s known for its spectacular canyons, mountains, buttes, various interesting rock formations, slot canyons, rivers, desert fields, woodlands, long hiking trails, the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone, and great plant and animal diversity. We entered through the South entrance, parked our car, walked to the nearest shuttle station, and took the Zion Canyon scenic drive to the beginning of the Narrows gorge. We took the Riverside walk trail and the Weeping Rock trail, which led us to the well-known Weeping Rock, where water drips from a cliff, creating the impression that the rock weeps. Afterward, we took some time to explore the park off the beaten path.
We only got to see a small part of the large national park, but we loved it. We loved the stunning rock formations, the peaceful hiking trails, and the beautiful lush nature. Besides, we are always fascinated by the reddish rocks and soil, that can be found in most national parks in Utah and Arizona. Visiting some of these national parks should definitely be on your bucket list. 😉
♥ Top romantic experience and top adventure
There are endless adventures and romantic sights to be found in L.A., Las Vegas, and in the many wonderful national parks of Arizona and Utah. However, our favorite adventure was definitely the hike in Zion National Park. Our top romantic experience, on the other hand, was the Fourth of July fireworks show in Long Beach – it was absolutely breathtaking! ♥
Are you wondering about the daily budget, the best time to go, visa and immunization requirements, local customs, currency, electricity standards, safety tips and where to stay? Here you can find out all you need to know before visiting the USA (coming soon).
Have you already been to Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Zion National Park? We invite you to share your top romantic experience and top adventure in the comment section below. 😉
