Car Rental Los Angeles Airport (LAX)

A taste of A-List Glamour

Hollywood is the entertainment capital of the world. It’s one of the most recognisable parts of America, and the chances are you’ll be familiar with its famous movie locations already. This makes being there all the more surreal. It’s a must for film and TV fanatics looking to explore the famous city where so many entertainment icons have made their names.

Under the gaze of the famous Hollywood sign on the side of the Santa Monica Mountains, check out such iconic places like the Walk of Fame and Universal Studios Hollywood. The latter is a magnificent studio and theme park, with movie-based rides and an amazing studio tour, which takes you behind the scenes of where the magic happens.

Ready for some sports?

Los Angeles is just as notable for its world-renowned LA Lakers basketball team and its beloved LA Dodgers baseball squad. Catching a game at either of their stadiums is a fantastic experience. Even if you’re not a sports fanatic, it’ll let you get under the skin of LA culture.

Head to the Staples Center to catch the Lakers’ stars gracing the court during the NBA season (October to April) or to Dodger Stadium for some hard-hitting action. At the latter, it’s worth going just to enjoy some of the game snacks on offer.

If soccer's more your thing, join the thousands at and LA Galaxy game as their team bid to grab the glory in the Major Soccer League.

Experience beach life

Soak up the sun, sea and sand at Venice Beach. It’s only a 30-minute drive from central Los Angeles – and when you arrive you’ll see why they call LA the City of Flowers and Sunshine. With palm trees lining the lively Ocean Front Walk, it’s a snapshot of quintessentially Californian life that’s not to be missed.

There are a host of other beautiful beaches and surf spots within driving distance. Santa Monica is a 45-minute drive from central LA and is essentially its own beachfront city. There, you’ll find the glorious Santa Monica beach, with its sizzling sunshine and iconic Santa Monica Pier, offering fun for all the family.

Culture in spades

Aside from LA’s relaxing side, there’s plenty to stimulate the mind on your trip. Head up to the Getty Center, located atop the Brentwood hills. Again, it’s a short 30-minute drive to the museum, which offers a bewildering amount of art and architecture. The design of the campus that houses the exhibitions is impressive enough, but you’ll be bowled over by what’s on display inside.

There’s also the awe-inspiring Griffith Observatory, which has a wondrous planetarium with live shows and telescopic views. Movie fans will recognise it as one of the locations used in the James Dean classic Rebel Without a Cause.

Drives of a lifetime

Get a taste of LA’s highlife by pointing your hire car down Rodeo Drive. Located mainly in the upmarket Beverly Hills area, it’s a luxurious route lined with stores like Jimmy Choo, Tiffany & Co and Versace.

Away from the bustle of the city, Mulholland Drive is 34km of Californian beauty. There are fantastic vantage points along the way, where you can look out on the views of downtown LA. The bright lights shimmering at night-time are a sight you’ll never forget. Take a pitstop along the way to breathe in the spectacular sights of this beautiful city.

If you’re looking to venture further away from LA, there are so many exciting locations within driving distance. Las Vegas is a four-hour drive away from central LA, whereas San Diego is a little closer, with travel time varying from two to three hours. Both are worth checking out for different reasons: Vegas is the place for high-octane fun, with hotels, casinos and sights in abundance; head to San Diego for beaches, amusement parks and zoos.

Los Angeles is a city that’s best explored by car. There are fantastic freeway links that connect the city centre to the wider Los Angeles area, so it’s easy to navigate around this amazing stretch of the West Coast – and simple to reach downtown LA from LAX.

Before you hit the roads, there are a couple of basic driving rules to remember. In the US, you drive on the right-hand side of the road and speed limits are strictly enforced. Most highways have a limit of 64mph (104km/h), dropping to 55mph (88km/h) on roads without a central reservation, and 35mph (56km/h) for most city streets.

When you pick up your rental car from our LAX office, you’re less than 2km from the Interstate 405 freeway, which connects the north and south of California. Stay on this road for 8km and join the Santa Monica Freeway, which will take you into the beating heart of LA. It’s one of the busiest freeways in the world, so try to avoid travelling at peak times if you can.

Alternatively, you can take Century Highway 105, which also connects LAX to the centre of Los Angeles, but this route will take you a little longer.

If you’re heading into the heart of LA, there are a number of parking garages and lots located around the city. For street parking, it’s worth knowing that parking rules are denoted by kerb colours. Red kerbs mean no parking, green kerbs allow parking for a limited time only and white or yellow kerbs are for passenger loading and unloading only.

For a break from the LA roads, there are some fantastic drives in and around the city, like Mulholland Drive and the spectacular Pacific Coast Highway. If you’re desperate for a taste of the Beverly Hills highlife, Sunset Strip and Hollywood Boulevard are two city drives that will put you among the lights, cameras and action.