A place I can’t really describe because it’s an absolutely blatant place. A culture of its own. There you will meet many artists, sports enthusiasts (Muscle Beach) and crazy individuals. You should definitely have been there once. What is noticeable is the smell of marijuana, as it is now possible to obtain a legal certificate for purchase from a doctor even with little pain, which leads to various shops and corresponding visitors.
Malibu
In Malibu you should have driven up and down the coast. There isn’t much to see there, however. The “Paradise Cove Beach Cafe” is interesting as a restaurant, there is also a beautiful beach.
Las Vegas
We drove to Las Vegas about 6 hours by car and stayed for a few days. I went to the Caesar Palace to eat the famous Caesar salad, looked at the Bellagio fountains, looked at the ferris wheel and saw the inside of the most interesting hotels. I particularly liked the Hotel Venezian. You should have seen a show there. In my case, it was the Blue Man Group Show that was absolutely awesome. The Hard Rock Café Las Vegas is also interesting. There is also the option to take part in pool parties above the rooftops of Las Vegas. On the way there we saw the Tanger Outlet Mall, which is halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas – recommended for a little shopping trip.
Griffith Observatory
At the corner of Le Conte and Westwood, we took bus 2 ($ 1.75) to the Griffith Observatory. The trip took 50 minutes and the Griffith Observatory has a very good view of Los Angeles. You should stop by there in the evening, then you will see how the sun goes down around 7:30 p.m. and the last rays of the sun disappear on the horizon, while the first lights in downtown have already come on. I also really enjoyed the show in one of the domes that tells the story of the universe. You should also dare to take a look through the telescope to take a detailed look at the lunar surface.
Hollywood Sign
A photo in front of the Hollywood Sign at the official visitor vantage point should of course not be missing. By the way, there is also the possibility to get to the mountain behind the Hollywood Sign. Unfortunately, the sign is not lit at night, only on special occasions.
Walk of Fame
If you are in Hollywood, you should not miss the Walk of Fame. In addition to the stars on the floor, there are also some shops that deal with the topic of film and of course a few cinemas.
Universal Studios
In my opinion one of the best theme parks in LA and the surrounding area. The Studio Tours are particularly recommended. But Jurassic Park, Transformers, the Simpsons are also associated with fun. Jurassic Park thinks of changing clothes, it might get a little wet. In spring 2016, Harry Potter will be published in Universal Studios in cooperation with Warner Brother Studios. In the background you can already see the castle and Hogsmeade should be shown.
Disneyland
This amusement park is aimed more at younger visitors, but also offers attractions for the elderly, including Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones and Matterhorn, which were great fun.
Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive
Beverly Hills has some interesting mansions to see from the outside. A photo in front of the Beverly Hills sign is one of them. Rodeo Drive is near the Beverly Hills sign. This street is worth walking up and down once. Sometimes you can also see a star wrapped in a cape and thick sunglasses.
Newport Beach
Newport Beach is located in Southern California and is ideal for getting to know the “real” California. The beach is very suitable for swimming. I wasn’t there to swim, but for a few hours of surfing, which was an incredible experience. Then I ate in the recommendable beach restaurant “Dory Deli” and went to see the island of Balboa.
Downtown
A fellow student had borrowed the new Ford Mustang Convertible and we drove it to downtown, among other places. There you should have taken a look at Union Station, eaten taquitos in the Cielito Lindo: and had a look at the Staples Center. You should also have a good view of one of the skyscrapers.
football
What would a stay abroad be in the USA if you hadn’t seen a football game? We went to see the UCLA Bruins vs. Virginia Cavaliers and it was overwhelming. A great atmosphere in the stadium and above all the large number of spectators for “only” one university game. By the way, UCLA won against the Virginia Cavaliers.
Costs
The tuition fees are very high in the US. For two courses you pay between 2,000 and 3,000 euros. In addition, there are flights, apartments, rental cars, tickets for attractions / amusement parks, food and other living expenses.
3. Conclusion
I can only advise everyone to take a summer session at UCLA. During my stay in LA, I have always met friendly and helpful US citizens and international students. In my courses there were a lot of international mostly Asian students who were all very lovable. Some of the students were “regular” students at UCLA, this shows that the summer session at UCLA is also handled as a “normal” semester. Read more student reviews on Liuxers.
At the end of my stay, I can proudly say that, in addition to my special study experiences, I also saw beautiful places, got to know American culture and made many new friends. In the courses I learned a lot in a short time and in the end I graduated with an A and an A +. I would describe the costs as a little negative, as they were very high for 1.5 months and I ended up just over a five-figure amount. However, I have to say that it was definitely worth it and that everyone should have had such an experience in their academic career. Then what are you waiting for?
