city’sstreetsmorepeople-friendly, creating
“transformativegatheringplaces for
Angelenos tocome together.”So far, the
initiativehas targeted15GreatStreetareas,
withmore tocome.
Youdon’tneed tobeon foot togeta
more intimateexposure toL.A.Partof the
GreatStreetsmandate is tocreatenew
bike lanesand improveexistingones. In
themeantime, youcanexploreahostof
designated trails, like theRunyonCanyon
Loop in theHollywoodHillsor theGriffith
ParkLoop (sturdyriderscan take in the
views from thepark’sobservatory,more
than1,000 feetabovesea level).
Then there’s theextensiveand increas-
inglyconvenientMetrosystem (six lines,
80stops),which thisspring isscheduled
toopen its lateststretchof lightrail to the
beachesofSantaMonica— thefirst trains
topull inheresince1953.
Tohelpmakeall thishappen, theLos
AngelesTourism&ConventionBoardhas
launchedaCarFreeL.A.program,offering
aseriesofself-guided itineraries thataim to
helpvisitorsachieve theseemingly impos-
sible:discoveringL.A.withoutagasbudget.
TimeshavechangedsinceDorothy
ParkerallegedlycalledL.A. “72suburbs in
searchofacity.”So there’sonequote, at
least, thatmayhave tobeputaside.
JORDANRANE
is a regular contributor to
CNNTravel and the
LosAngelesTimes
.
LosAngeles International Airport is the
second-busiest airport in theUnited
States, with 74.5million travelers in
2015 and an $8.5billionmodernization
programunderway.
As LAX’s premier carrier for the
last 80 years,AmericanAirlines has the
most flights at the airport—nearly 200
dailydepartures at LAX—withno sign
of slowingdown.
Luckily, the airport is now focusing
ongiving travelers amore cateredex-
perience, withexpanded terminals, new
buildings, aesthetic considerations like
higher ceilings andmore foodoptions,
includingLaProvencePatisserie&Cafe,
just toname a few.
Americanwas thefirst carrier to
recognize theneed for improvement
back in 2002when the airlinededicated
$300million to a four-year improve-
ment project atTerminal 4, the largest
undertakingof its kindby a single carrier
at the airport.
Today,Americanhas six new
trans-Pacific routes and anearlydou-
bledpresence toAsiangateway cities
in the last three years. Recent service
additions includenonstopflights to
Sydney (SYD),Auckland,NewZealand
(AKL), anddaily, year-round, nonstop
service toTokyo’sHanedaAirport
(HND) onAmerican’s state-of-the-art
Boeing 787-8Dreamliner.Andwhile
you’rewaiting for your flight at LAX,
you canenjoy anorganic chicken-salad
sandwichon a freshlybakedbaguette
at LaProvence and shop for designer
shades at theSunglassHut.
LEADINGTHEWAYATLAX
AMERICANWAY
APRIL2016
67
