Los Angeles - Hollywood

Twenty-four million people come to Los Angeles every year for their vacation. Because the metropolitan area is so dense, it is impossible to separate Los Angeles, or even Los Angeles county, from the surrounding metropolitan areas, except by planting a city limits sign. A few Los Angeles facts and figures:

• The Los Angeles five-county area has a population of almost 20 million. It includes Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino Counties.
• If the five-county Los Angeles area were a state, it would be the fourth largest in the United States.
• When Los Angeles was founded in 1781, 44 people (14 families) lived in El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de la Porciuncula (Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angeles of the Small Portion). The population grew, but the name shrank to simply "Los Angeles."
• The city flower is the bird of paradise and the city tree is the coral tree.
• Los Angeles is the home of the original Bay Watch television show, and is rimmed with miles of beaches.
• Los Angeles has more than 80 stage theaters and 300 museums, more than any other U.S. city.
• The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest in the U.S. and one of the busiest in the world.
• Despite its image of an oasis with water and palm trees everywhere, Los Angeles is more like a desert, with an annual rainfall of only 15 inches (38 cm).
• City residents are typically called Angelenos (rhymes with casinos).

Weather in Los Angeles is not always what visitors expect. Smog is worst in the summer, but so is fog (a component of smog) and there are often days in June when the beach cities are foggy all day, more like London than California. Temperatures are moderate all year, and evenings are always cool. Skies are clearest in winter, especially after a winter rain.

Los Angeles is known by a number of nicknames, including

• L.A.
• City of Angels
• Southland (typically used by local media)
• Lalaland (my personal favorite)

Because the Los Angeles area is so large and diverse, it has something to offer to everyone. While Hollywood and the Los Angeles beaches are part of our collective image of Los Angeles, the city also has more museums than any other city in the United States and some of the best hotels in the world are located in Los Angeles.

We've given you some of the facts here, but you may still have some misconceptions about Los Angeles. Take a look at some of the common myths about Los Angeles to find out how much you really know.

Phoenix

Phoenix is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data; it is the anchor of the Phoenix metropolitan area (also known as the Valley of the Sun) and is the 14th largest metro area by population in the United States with about 4.2 million people in 2010. In addition, Phoenix is the county seat of Maricopa County, and is one of the largest cities in the United States by land area. Phoenix is the largest capital city in the United States and the only state capital with over 1,000,000 people.
 
Phoenix was incorporated as a city in 1881 after being founded in 1861 near the Salt River, near its confluence with the Gila River. The city has a notable and famous political culture and has been home to numerous influential American politicians and other dignitaries, including Barry Goldwater, William Rehnquist, John McCain, Carl Hayden, and Sandra Day O'Connor. Residents of the city are known as Phoenicians.
 
Located in the northeastern reaches of the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix has a subtropical arid climate. In summer average high temperatures are typically over 100 °F (38 °C) and over 120 °F (49 °C) on occasion.

New York

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. The home of the United Nations Headquarters, New York is an important center for international affairs and is widely deemed the cultural capital of the world. The city is also referred to as New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the state of New York, of which it is a part.
 
Located on a large natural harbor on the Atlantic coast of the Northeastern United States, New York City consists of five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. With a 2010 United States Census population of 8,175,133 distributed over a land area of just 305 square miles (790 km2), New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States. As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world. The New York City Metropolitan Area's population is the United States' largest, estimated at 18.9 million people distributed over 6,720 square miles (17,400 km2), and is also part of the most populous combined statistical area in the United States, containing 22.2 million people as of 2009 Census estimates.
 
New York traces its roots to its 1624 founding as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic, and was named New Amsterdam in 1626. The city and its surrounds came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother, the Duke of York. New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790. It has been the country's largest city since 1790. The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
 
Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known to outsiders. Times Square, iconified as "The Crossroads of the World", is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway theater district, one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, and a major center of the world's entertainment industry. The city hosts many world renowned bridges, skyscrapers, and parks. New York City's financial district, anchored by Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, functions as the financial capital of the world and is home to the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange by total market capitalization of its listed companies. Manhattan's real estate market is among the most prized and expensive in the world. Manhattan's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere. Unlike most global rapid transit systems, the New York City Subway is designed to provide 24/7 service. Numerous colleges and universities are located in New York, including Columbia University, New York University, and Rockefeller University, which are ranked among the top 100 in the world.
(source= The Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia)

Oakland

Founded in 1852, Oakland, California has history that goes back much further than its 150 years. Native Americans lived in the region for over 5,000 years. The Spanish visited the area in the 1770's, and came to settle about 50 years later. Asians, African Americans, and those of Northern European extraction came with the Gold Rush, and put down their own roots. Today, Oakland is one of the nation's most ethnically integrated cities, Oaklanders speak more than 100 languages and dialects. Our city's many faces give us our strength, our civic pride, and our inspired sense of community. For some 400,000 Oaklanders, there's no place like home.

Oakland's landscape is a picturesque mix of lovely hillside neighborhoods exciting and diverse architecture a bustling waterfront two shimmering lakes 19 miles of shoreline along the San Francisco Bay unparalleled Bay views and more parks and open space per capita than any other city in the Bay Area. Everyone loves our year round vacation weather with temperatures in the gentle 50's and 60's in the winter and spring, and 70's throughout summer and fall.

A city on the move, Oakland has emerged as a major economic force in the region. Long a center for international trade, the Port of Oakland is the nation's fourth busiest container port in the Bay Area. The Oakland International Airport is served by 12 major domestic and international airlines. Getting around is easy by train, automobile, BART, bus and ferry.

The arts are alive in Oakland. Oakland has one of the largest visual and performing arts communities on the West Coast, and the arts are celebrated on every level here, from acclaimed symphony and ballet to museums, galleries, and small arts organizations. The Old Oakland district includes many of the finest examples of Victorian commercial architecture on the West Coast. Oakland's population boomed after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and the Broadway Historic District showcases a range of architectural treasures constructed between 1900-1949. Bold new buildings now shine in Oakland's modern skyline. The Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building has been lauded for its use of space and sense of place.

Oakland's residents love their city's charming neighborhoods, which include a mix of well-known areas like Montclair, Rockridge, and Piedmont, as well loved but lesser known districts such as Glenview, Fruitvale, and Temescal.

Portland

Portland, Oregon, has often been called the big city with the small town feel. Its mild weather, breathtaking scenery, exciting location and friendly people have all contributed to its appearance on numerous "Best Of" lists, including Online Insider's "Top 10 Least Expensive Cities".

With an ethnically diverse population of about 2.2 million, Portland is the 28th largest metropolitan area in the country, the fourth largest city on the West Coast, and the largest city in the state. It includes six counties spread over 5000 square miles.

Nestled between the beautiful Coast Range on the west and the spectacular Cascade Range on the east, Portland sits at the junction of the Columbia and Willamette rivers. From downtown Portland, it's just a 90 minute drive to the scenic Oregon coast, an hour-and-a-half to Mt. Hood and some of the best skiing in the country, a half-an-hour to the peaceful vineyards and farms of the fertile Willamette Valley, and less than three hours to a Mariner's game in Seattle.

Sacramento

Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California, and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. Sacramento is seventeen feet above sea level.

With a 2009 estimated population of 489,676, it is the sixth-largest city in California. Sacramento is the core cultural and economic center of the Sacramento metropolitan area which includes seven counties; with an estimated population of 2,927,123. Its metropolitan area is the fourth largest in California after the Greater Los Angeles Area, San Francisco Bay Area, and the San Diego metropolitan area as well as the 25th largest in the United States. A city attaining global status, Sacramento was cited by Time magazine as America's most ethnically and racially integrated city in 2002.

Sacramento has many nicknames. It is variously known as “the Camellia Capital of the World,” “River City,” and “City of Trees. Locals tend to call it Sac or Sactown. My favorite nickname has always been “The Big Tomato.”
 
Sacramento is where the Sacramento River and the American River meet. Where two rivers meet is called a “convergence.” In this case, the convergence happens at Discovery Park. The official listings claim that Discovery Park is open year round from sunrise to sunset, but I am here to tell you that this is not quite accurate, as this park spends part of every year under water.

Did you know? Sacramento is part of Sacramento County, but West Sacramento is part of Yolo County. (Sacramento is the Sacramento County seat, while Woodland is the County seat for Yolo County.)

Old Sacramento (or Old Sac as the locals call it) is a bit like a museum all on its own. It houses the California State Railroad Museum (which actually has a running train for you to ride if you like) and seemingly endless shops. If you want to get one of those old time photos taken, Old Sac is the place for you. (For the record, my Senior Ball was in Old Sac.)

San Diego

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round climate, its natural deep-water harbor, and its long association with the U.S. Navy. The population was 1,301,617 at the 2010 census.
 
Historically home to the Kumeyaay people, San Diego was the first site visited by Europeans on what is now the West Coast of the United States. Upon landing in San Diego Bay in 1542, Juan Cabrillo claimed the entire area for Spain, forming the basis for the settlement of Alta California 200 years later. The Presidio and Mission of San Diego, founded in 1769, were the first European settlement in what is now California. In 1821, San Diego became part of newly independent Mexico, and in 1850, became part of the United States following the Mexican-American War and the admission of California to the union.
 
The city is the county seat of San Diego County and is the economic center of the San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos metropolitan area as well as the San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. San Diego's main economic engines are military and defense-related activities, tourism, international trade, and manufacturing. The presence of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), with the affiliated UCSD Medical Center, has helped make the area a center of research in biotechnology.

San Francisco

The City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland. The only consolidated city-county in California, it encompasses a land area of about 46.9 square miles (121 km2) on the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, giving it a density of about 17,179 people per square mile (6,632 people per km2). It is the most densely settled large city (population greater than 200,000) in the state of California and the second-most densely populated large city in the United States after New York City. San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 13th most populous city in the United States, with a population of 805,235 as of the 2010 Census.
 
In 1776, colonists from Spain established a fort at the Golden Gate and a mission named for Francis of Assisi on the site. The California Gold Rush of 1849 propelled the city into a period of rapid growth, increasing the population in one year from 1,000 to 25,000, and thus transforming it into the largest city on the West Coast at the time. After three-quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt, hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition nine years later. During World War II, San Francisco was the port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the Pacific Theater. After the war, the confluence of returning servicemen, massive immigration, liberalizing attitudes, and other factors led to the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement, cementing San Francisco as a center of liberal activism in the United States.
 
Today, San Francisco is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, ranking 33rd out of the 100 most visited cities worldwide, and is renowned for its chilly summer fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of architecture, and its famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and Chinatown. The city is also a principal banking and finance center, and the home to more than 30 international financial institutions, helping to make San Francisco rank eighteenth in the world's top producing cities, ninth in the United States, and thirteenth place in the top twenty global financial centers.

Seattle

I was born and raised in Seattle. Lots to see and do. Seattle is the northernmost major city in the contiguous United States, and the largest city in the Pacific Northwest and the state of Washington. It is a major seaport situated on a narrow isthmus between Puget Sound (an arm of the Pacific Ocean) and Lake Washington, about 114 miles (183 km) south of the Canada – United States border, and it is named after Chief Sealth "Seattle", of the Duwamish and Suquamish native tribes. Seattle is the center of the Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue metropolitan statistical area--the 15th largest metropolitan area in the United States, and the largest in the northwestern United States. Seattle is the county seat of King County and is the major economic, cultural and educational center in the region. The 2010 census found that Seattle is home to 608,660 residents within a metropolitan area of some 3.4 million inhabitants. The Port of Seattle, which also operates Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, is a major gateway for trade with Asia and cruises to Alaska, and is the 8th largest port in the United States in terms of container capacity.