Los Angeles, California

I’ve been to LA many times but this is the first time I really explored on my own terms. I traveled by myself the first two days and then my mom and aunt joined me in the other three. I went to see a LA Clippers basketball game, a wrestling event in downtown, and explored many places in between Torrance and Beverly Hills. These places included the LA Air Force Base, Westfield malls, the Getty, and the beaches of Redondo, Manhattan, and Santa Monica. The USO lounge was also pretty big in the middle of LAX but wasn’t as grand as I thought. I stayed at 3 areas that included 2 days at an alright Fairfield Marriott by LAX and a very cheap but decent Torrance Inn. With my Hilton Aspire card, I used my annual free night at the most expensive Hilton hotel I found in the whole US, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills ($1500). It definitely isn’t worth the price, but the premium room, rooftop pool, and smooth service all highlighted why this hotel is so luxurious. Driving around LA with a car rental (Hertz) wasn’t as bad as I thought aside from narrow roads though I avoided the freeway at all cost. The Delta lounge on the flight back was wide with an outdoor area, and I was glad to take my family there to experience it. I feel like I covered most of LA but if I come back it would be going to Venice beach, revisiting Hollywood, and the districts outside of main downtown. My next nearby trip will be Long Beach and Anaheim in May, which I vaguely remember previously visiting so let’s what they have to offer!