We recently asked LA locals who are part of BuzzFeed Community to tell us about some of the biggest mistakes tourists make when visiting their city. Here are some of their tips:
BTW, while the majority of these tips are from our users, a few are not Community submissions.
1. Most tourists consider only LAX when flying to LA, despite the fact that other airports, like Burbank's, are often more convenient and less congested.
2. They don't pay attention to whether they're using the bike lane or the pedestrian lane — and potentially get hurt as a result.
3. They sacrifice cost for convenience by parking their cars as close as possible to the beach.
4. They underestimate the time it'll take to get from point A to point B.
5. And as a result, they often think they can pack visits to multiple parts of the city into one day.
Heavy rain and Los Angeles rush hour traffic is a bad combination.
"Tourists think they can 'plan' their day without any understanding of traffic. Like, no, you cannot see Malibu, Santa Monica, and DTLA all in one day."
6. Tourists rent cars for the duration of their stay when Uber, Lyft, and public transportation are actually much cheaper alternatives.
7. Those who do end up driving make the mistake of traveling on the Pacific Coast Highway during peak hours.
8. Many tourists simply underestimate the sheer size of Los Angeles.
9. Tourists think jaywalking isn't a big deal and don't realize that fines are heavily enforced.
10. They get a little *too* up-close and personal to stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
11. And they forget that there's more to see and do in LA besides visit Hollywood.
12. Tourists think that Hollywood is the celeb-spotting jackpot.
13. They waste time and money going on celebrity home tours, only to return with photos of empty yards and locked gates.
14. Tourists make the mistake of trying to have an authentic Mexican food experience at high-end restaurants.
15. And some don't realize that a trip to Disneyland could literally take up half of their visit.
16. They inadvertently become victims of theft when they leave luggage or valuable items in plain sight in their cars.
