Things to do / Travel Guide
Drivers and commuters that travel around southern California do not rely on public transportation. In other words, most people drive themselves around rather than travel by bus or train. There is, however, a recently-built subway system in Los Angeles that offers some train connections between various points of the city, like North Hollywood (in the San Fernando Valley), downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Santa Monica. Despite this, most visitors to the area will most likely be inclined to rent a car to get around.
The Greater Los Angeles area is very spread out and connected by a grid-like network of freeways that can sometimes get a bit confusing. Despite the miles and miles of paved roads and freeways in the Los Angeles area, the sheer amount of vehicles means that traffic congestion may appear at any given time. Therefore, planning a primary route coupled with a selection of alternative driving routes is the most advisable option for visitors to southern California.
The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) runs along the coast of the Golden State, through the posh neighborhood of Malibu, and is a very scenic drive.
The 10 Freeway, called the Santa Monica Freeway (westbound) and the San Bernardino Freeway (eastbound) traverses great sweeping sections of the Los Angeles basin.
The 405 Freeway is an artery that runs north-south from San Diego through Orange County, Long Beach, west L.A., and the San Fernando Valley and then joins with the 5 Freeway heading to all points north. U.S. Highway 101 (also known as the Ventura Freeway) runs almost parallel to the scenic alternative of the Pacific Coast Highway and can take you from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, via Ventura County. Be advised that some parts of the 101 Freeway have speed limits as low as 45 miles per hour.
There are several (no exaggeration) highways, freeways, and expressways crisscrossing southern California, and visitors planning to drive in Los Angeles should get an accurate, up-to-date road map before setting off on the roads. Also, if you're planning on driving on the southern California freeway system, be prepared for six-to-eight lane highways and bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Some wise tips to abide by for the visitor to southern California are to plan driving routes carefully from one attraction to the next, and to rent a car with a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) guidance system just in case you get lost.
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