At Short Term Stay Los Angeles, we want to introduce you to one of the biggest and busiest cities in the Western United States. Los Angeles, also known as the City of Angels, is a hub of shopping, business, and entertainment. It is also home to a wide variety of neighborhoods, each of which offers their own unique characteristics to draw you in.

Beverly Hills
Anyone looking for a furnished apartment in Los Angeles might want to give Beverly Hills a try. Known for its expensive housing and many shops, Beverly Hills is a place that is more suited to those with higher incomes. The neighborhood is very clean and the scenery is very pleasing. The many parks in the area also make it a popular place for picnics.

Hollywood
Rich in film history, Hollywood is also a good place for those seeking short term rentals Los Angeles. While the neighborhood was once falling into decay, the opening of the Kodak Theatre marked the beginning of a new life for the area. These days, restaurants frequented by celebrities and a happening club scene have given a much-needed boost to the neighborhood. This is a great place for those who enjoy the night scene.

Santa Monica
A combination of beaches and shopping make Santa Monica a good choice for those seeking furnished apartments in Los Angeles. In fact, it's one of the most popular locations for short-term visitors coming to Los Angeles. The Third Street Promenade is one reason why. This major shopping area is a popular tourist attraction as well, with its long pedestrian section of 3rd street (no cars allowed) lined with some of the best shops, restaurants, bars, and movie theaters in town. Not to mention the many great street performers who appear in the evenings and throughout the weekends. There is LOTS to see and do in and around "the Promenade". Even better, all this is within walking distance of the beach.

West Hollywood
West Hollywood is the heart of Los Angeles' gay community. It is a clean, safe neighborhood full of furniture stores, restaurants, and bars. There is also a large Russian population in this neighborhood, which results in a lot of delis offering Russian dishes in the area.

Pasadena
Known mainly as the host of both the Rose Bowl college football game and the Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena can almost pass as a self-contained city. It has its own economy and some of the surrounding neighborhoods feel like suburbs. One of the more striking features of the area is its wide variety of architecture, with Mediterranean and Spanish Renaissance architecture found in both government and public buildings.

Venice Beach
This beach town is a place where you can find lots of street performers and craft vendors as you stroll along its beach and boardwalk. It is one of the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles for someone who is interested in watching other people, especially on weekends. In addition, you can find a collection of one-of-a-kind arts and crafts shops around Venice.

Downtown Los Angeles
Anyone looking for short term rentals in Los Angeles might want to give Downtown a try. The openings of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, a new cathedral, and the L.A. Live complex have given new life to the area. Unfortunately, Downtown still has problems with drugs and crime, making it unsafe to walk the neighborhood alone at night.

Culver City
Those looking for Los Angeles furnished apartment will want to give Culver City a try. The home of MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Studios has seen an increase in popularity as of late due to its inexpensive housing and growing night scene. New restaurants, bars, and movie theaters have drawn a younger crowd to the area.

Westwood Village
Westwood Village is a popular neighborhood with younger, college-age students. Of course, this probably has to do with the fact that the neighborhood is home to the University of Southern California at Los Angeles (UCLA). As such, there is a youthful vibe found in this neighborhood. It is also home to some of the oldest movie theaters in the city, and there are many shops and restaurants of all kinds which cater not only to the UCLA student population, but the wealthy families in the surrounding upscale neighborhoods.

Marina Del Rey
If you are a fan of boats, Marina Del Rey may be the neighborhood to you. The largest man-made harbor in the world, there can be over 5000 boats housed at once. It is also close to LAX, making it a convenient neighborhood to live in for those who fly a lot.

Mid-Wilshire
Mid-Wilshire is rather urban, pleasant, ethnically mixed neighborhood near the midtown section of L.A., centered between West L.A. and Downtown Los Angeles. Here you will find a mix of working class, middle class, and upper class families surrounded by a densely populated area of mostly multi-family housing and lots and lots of retail shops of all kinds. This area got its name from nearby Wilshire Blvd., which is the main shopping and commercial street in this part of town. The locals often refer to the area as Midtown, though it's most commonly referred to by is more formal name. One other interesting aspect of this part of town is the fact that L.A.'s Koreatown section is just adjacent to the Mid-Wilshire area, and largely grew out of it over time. Koreatown covers a rather large area of metro Los Angeles, and you can find many Korean restaurants, shops, spas, and other businesses dominating the storefronts along all the main boulevards.

In a city as busy as Los Angeles, getting around town can seem a bit daunting. Fortunately, Los Angeles has several ways for you to get around. Public transportation, taxis, freeways, and airports are all available to you.

Public Transportation:
Much of the public transportation in L.A. is handled by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). For those seeking furnished apartments Los Angeles who want to use public transportation, the MTA offers both bus and rail services.

The MTA offers bus services with 200 routes that take you to different parts of the city and the surrounding neighborhoods. Fares start at around $1.50 and can go up to $5 for an all-day pass. The best part about the all-day pass is that you do not have to pay extra if you are transferring from one route to another. Unfortunately, the bus services tend to have bad waiting times. Wait times for service along a bus route typically last around 15 to 20 minutes. They may even last from 60 to 90 minutes at times.

For rail services, the Los Angeles Metro Rail has several lines available. The Red and Purple Lines are subways, the Blue, Green, and Gold Lines are light rails, and the Orange and Silver Lines are transitways. The Red, Purple, Blue, Green, and Gold Lines are the five main lines that operate to places such as Hollywood, Downtown, and Mid-Wilshire. Fares for the Metro Rail start at $1.50 and can go up to $5 for a full day pass.

Taxis:
Those seeking Los Angeles short term rentals who would rather take a taxi have a number of options to choose from. Just be aware that taxi services in Los Angeles can be on the expensive side, charging $2.85 for the first mile and an extra $2.75 for any additional miles. If that is not an issue and you want to travel by taxi, some of the companies you can choose from include:

• Taxi L.A. County
• L.A. Amistad Taxi
• L.A. 2000 Taxi Cab
• Santa Monica Bay Taxi
• L.A. Yellow Cab
• Beverly Hills Cab

Driving:
If you are looking for a short term rental in Los Angeles and would rather drive yourself around, you may find that traffic in and around the city can be a pain. Los Angeles, being one of the bigger and more populated cities, has a lot of congestion to deal with on the roads. This means frequent stops and long waits in traffic. The freeway system can also be a bit difficult to navigate, leaving you lost if you do not know your way around.

If you do decide to drive yourself, there are a few freeways you should watch out for to help you get around. The Pacific Coast Highway (also called PCH or "Highway 1") is a somewhat easy way to get to L.A.'s beach towns, as it runs along the coast. There are a lot of traffic lights, however, that may strain your patience. The Golden State Freeway/Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) can take you all the way from Downtown Los Angeles to San Francisco. You can use the Hollywood Freeway/Ventura Freeway (Interstate 101) to get back and forth between Downtown and Hollywood. You can hop on the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) in West Los Angeles and take it to LAX. There's also the Santa Monica Freeway and the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10) which are the main routes for travel between the San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Santa Monica areas.

Airports:
With around 62 million passengers served per year, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is, by far, the busiest airport in Los Angeles, and is one of the busiest airports in the entire world. Those seeking Los Angeles furnished apartments who travel by plane will most likely use LAX, which services both domestic and international flights. The airport is found in Westchester, which is around 16 miles southwest of Downtown.

There are other airports in the L.A. area, though none of them come even close to matching the size and traffic found at LAX. Whiteman Airport is located in Pacoima. There's also the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and the LA/Ontario International Airport (also known simply as the Ontario International Airport) in Ontario, and the Long Beach Airport in Long Beach, California.

At Short Term Stay Los Angeles, we want to introduce you to some of the ways you can kick back and relax around the city. There are many outdoor opportunities to take advantage of as well as art galleries, museums and performing arts theatres.

Outdoor Activities:
There are plenty of outdoor activities for those looking for a Los Angeles short term rental. You can head Downtown and visit Union Station, known as the "Last of the Great Railway Stations" built in the U.S. If you are a fan of nature, the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens allow you to view both animal and plant life. Those who are film buffs can head over to Hollywood to check out the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign. For picnic with the family, visit Elysian Park, the oldest public park in the city. Just a few minutes north of Downtown is Universal Studios, Hollywood, where you can visit attractions and rides based on famous Universal Studios films. For beach lovers, or for those who are simply looking for an interesting place to stroll outdoors, you should consider checking out the Venice Beach Boardwalk. This place just might be considered the #1 tourist attraction in all of L.A. (right up there with Disneyland in Anaheim). You can stroll down the Boardwalk and immerse yourself in the bustling scene of interesting characters of all sorts roaming around, while also checking out the many street performers and interesting shops and stalls. And you shouldn't miss the little section of sand where all the Muscle Beach hard bodies (guy and gals) are out there pumping iron on the sand.

It is quite a sight in itself. There is also the Griffith Park Observatory, where you'll get the best view in town (in addition to the totally interesting space & astronomy museum indoors there), as well as The La Brea Tar Pits and the adjoining Page Museum there, which has an incredible display of ancient fossils found from all around the immediate area.

Sport for Spectators:
Those looking for furnished apartments Los Angeles who are sports fans have a lot of options available for them. Baseball, basketball, and hockey are all represented in Los Angeles. In fact, there are three major professional basketball teams that play in the city.

During the baseball season, take a trip Downtown to watch MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers take to the field at Dodger Stadium (at Chavez Ravine). The Staples Center, also located in Downtown, houses four major sports teams. During the basketball season, you can watch NBA superstar Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers take the court. As an alternative, the Los Angeles Clippers also take the court during the NBA season. If women's basketball is more to your taste, the Los Angeles Sparks can be seen during the WNBA season. For hockey fans, superstar NHL goalie Jonathan Quick and the 2012 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings take the ice during the NHL season.

Arts & Culture:
History, art, and performing arts fans should find everything they want and more in L.A. For anyone seeking short term rentals in Los Angeles who wants to take a trip to the past, view some amazing artwork, or take in a live show, there are plenty of options open to you.

Museums and art galleries are found in many places around Los Angeles. Art and history buffs are going to have a lot to choose from when it comes to getting their fill of museums and galleries. Some of the more notable ones in the city include:

• Los Angeles County Museum of Art
• California Science Center
• Autry National Center
• The Annenberg Space for Photography
• Petersen Automotive Museum
• Skirball Cultural Center
• The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
• California African American Museum
• Museum of Tolerance

For those more interested in taking in a show at one of the performing arts theatres, Los Angeles also offers plenty of opportunities. With Los Angeles being the heart of the entertainment industry, it is no surprise that there would be so many to choose from. Some of the more notable performing arts theatres include:

• Hollywood Bowl
• Walt Disney Concert Hall
• The Greek Theater
• Bob Baker Marionette Theater
• Geffen Playhouse
• Los Angeles Theatre Center
• El Rey Theater
• Gibson Amphitheater

Dining:
Whether you prefer American, French, Italian or Mexican cuisine, the city of L.A. has food for almost any taste. Those seeking short term rentals Los Angeles have a large amount of restaurants to choose from when it comes to dining in the city.

Those interested in American cuisine can take a trip Downtown and visit places such as Corkbar and Cole's, Originators of the French Dip. Head over to Hollywood and you can visit Ammo, Fred 62, or the Musso & Frank Grill. There's also JiRaffe in Santa Monica, Chez Melange in Redondo Beach, and Bread & Porridge in Santa Monica.

French cuisine fans can head to Dayton Way on the Westside and visit Bouchon, or Comme Ca French brasserie in West Hollywood, and Petrossian in Hollywood. For Italian food fans, Locanda del Lago and Vincenti Ristorante in Santa Monica are good bets, as is Drago Centro in Downtown, and Vincente Ristorante in Santa Monica. Mexican food fans can head to the Westside and visit La Serenata Gourmet, or Casa Vega in Studio City, or El Coyote Cafe in Hollywood.

Nightlife:
Those looking for furnished apartments in Los Angeles who want to have fun until the wee hours of the morning also have a lot to choose from. Los Angeles has plenty of bars, pubs, and nightclubs to satisfy your desire to be a part of the night scene.

Bars, Taverns and Pubs:
Copa d'Oro is a popular little place in Santa Monica where you can get cocktails and beer. Barney's Beanery is a popular pub in West Hollywood where you can see the initials "JJ" carved into one of the tables from Janis Joplin when she visited many years ago. Library Alehouse in Santa Monica has over 30 beers and wines to choose from. Visit the Dresden Room (also known as "The Den") in Hollywood and you can grab some cocktails and watch live performances from Marty and Elayne. Out in West Hollywood is The Abbey, a popular gay bar that also serves as a coffeehouse and restaurant. Some other places you might want to check out include The Standard Downtown, Thirsty Crow, Barney's Beanery, Cafe Was, El Carmen, Frolic Room, and Ye Old Kings Head.

Clubs:
Head over to Santa Monica and you can visit Harvelles Blues Club, the oldest blues club in Los Angeles, where you can take in live, local performances. King King is a club in Hollywood with a dance floor and the occasional live performance. Head Downtown and you can visit Seven Grand and catch the occasional live musical performance. Some other places you might want to check out include Whisky A Go-Go, Largo at the Coronet, Fais Do-Do, Catalina Bar & Grill, El Floridita, and Hollywood Palladium.

Shopping:
For those seeking short term rentals in Los Angeles who are looking for places to shop, the city could almost be described as a mecca of shopping. There are malls, stores, and large shopping areas everywhere in L.A. No matter what kind of shopping you are in the mood for, it is almost a certainty that you can find someplace to visit.

Del Amo Fashion Center is somewhat out of the way in Torrance, California, but is worth the trip if you love shopping. The two-level shopping mall features around 350 stores and is the largest shopping mall in the western U.S. The Beverly Center is smaller, with around 160 stores, but is located in Beverly Hills and therefore easier to get to. Head to Santa Monica and you can visit the Santa Monica Place, which features many of the more upscale stores. There is also South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, which is about one hour south of L.A. and is one of the U.S.'s largest shopping malls.

For some of the smaller shops, check out Arte International Furnishings, an antique shop found in North Hollywood. Head over to West Hollywood and you can visit the Los Angeles Audubon Society Bookstore. In Beverly Hills you can find Oilily, a popular kids' play clothes store.

The most famous area to shop in Los Angeles has to be Rodeo Drive. Three blocks of couture shops, mini-malls, and fashion shops. Robertson Boulevard features many boutiques that are frequented by celebrities. The Sunset Strip in Hollywood is a popular place for rock-'n'-roll fans, with its rock-'n'-roll fashion shops and stage equipment stores. There is also the Rose Bowl Flea Market which takes place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on the second Sunday of every month. And last, but certainly not least, is the expansive section of the garment district in the downtown area which is known as the L.A. Fashion District, with wall to wall and block to block shops and stalls specializing mainly in fashion garments and footwear at discount prices.

Hospitals, medical centers, schools, and places of worship can be found all around the city and in the surrounding L.A. neighborhoods. We've compiled a short list of some of these below.

Hospitals:
In the event those looking for furnished apartments in Los Angeles need medical care, there are a number if fine hospitals and medical centers around the city to serve you. Some of them include:

• Los Angeles California Medical Center
• Western Los Angeles Kaiser Foundation Medical Center
• University of Southern California Medical Center
• Silver Lake Medical Center
• Los Angeles Community Hospital
• Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
• Pacific Alliance Medical Center
• East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital
• UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center
• Saint Johns Health Center Santa Monica

Schools:
Education will also be important for those seeking short term rentals Los Angeles, especially if you have kids that will be attending school. Fortunately, Los Angeles has many high-quality Elementary, Middle, and High schools to choose from. In addition, for those who are planning to attend college, there are also a number of high-quality colleges and universities available.

Elementary Schools:

• Birdielee V. Bright Elementary School
• Glassell Park Elementary School
• Aldama Elementary School
• Allesandro Elementary School
• Alta Loma Elementary School
• Angeles Mesa Elementary School
• Christopher Dena Elementary School

Middle Schools:

• Alliance Richard Merkin Middle School
• Alliance Jack H. Skirball Middle School
• Berendo Middle School
• Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School
• El Sereno Middle School
• Ralph Waldo Emerson Middle School
• Bret Harte Preparatory Middle School

High Schools:

• Highland Park Continuation School
• Ramona Opportunity High School
• Los Angeles High School of the Arts
• Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School
• Susan Miller Dorsey Senior High School
• Hollywood Senior High School
• Venice Senior High School

Colleges & Universities:

• University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
• Los Angeles Southwest College
• California State University Los Angeles
• Westwood College
• University of Southern California (USC)
• Los Angeles Trade Technical College ("L.A. Trade Tech")
• Hollywood Paws
• Southern California Institute of Architecture

Places of Worship:

For those who are looking for furnished apartments Los Angeles who wish to find places to worship according to your faith, there are many options open to you. Whether you are Christian, Jewish or Muslim, there are plenty of places where you can go to worship.

Churches:

• First Baptist Church of Los Angeles
• Venice Baptist Church
• Mount St. Mary College Doheny Campus
• Newman Center UCLA
• Eagle Rock Lutheran Church
• Hollywood Lutheran Church
• Hollywood United Methodist Church
• Los Angeles Trinidad United Methodist
• Westwood Presbyterian Church
• Wilshire Korean Presbyterian

Synagogues:

• Kollel - Los Angeles
• Chabad of California
• Aish Hatorah of Los Angeles
• Hollywood Temple Beth El
• Stephen S. Wise Temple
• Chabad of Woodland Hills

Mosques:

• Masjid Al-Momin
• Islamic Society of West Los Angeles
• Bilal Islamic Center Los Angeles
• Masjid Al Rasol
• Islamic Center of Beverly Hills
• Hollywood Masjid