With mountains surrounding the basin to the north and east, and the Pacific Ocean to the south and west, you'll find Los Angeles to be a perfect city to go exploring. Long a driver's town, its infrastructure of interstate highway and side streets is tailor made for the urban wanderer. After you've rented your Budget vehicle, grab a camera, a pack lunch, and a travel partner and make a day of it trekking through one of the world's great tourism and entertainment meccas.

Griffith Park & Hollywood

From the 134 Freeway, exit at Forest Lawn / Zoo Drive. After you exit, make a left where at Zoo and Forest Lawn; from there you can either go left and go to the Los Angeles Zoo and the Gene Autry Museum, or make a right to Griffith Park Drive, which will wind up through the Griffith Park hills to famed Mulholland Highway. Views of the city (above) are spectacular from the ridges, which take you past the Hollywood Sign and Hollywood Reservoir on your way to the Hollywood Freeway (101). As you travel south on the 101 the Hollywood Bowl will be on your riight, and 2 exits away is Hollywood Blvd's Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theater and the Capitol Records building on Vine Street.

Sunset Strip & Beverly Hills

West of Hollywood's glitz and glamor is the Sunset Strip, home to several clubs and musical venues made famous in the 60s, such as the Whisky a Go Go and The Roxy. As you travel west on Sunset Blvd you'll leave the suburb of West Hollywood, and enter Beverly Hills, home to many a movie star. Rolling lawns and palatial estates line Sunset Blvd as you come to Beverly Drive (the Beverly Hills Hotel will be on your right). One block past Beverly Drive is famed Rodeo Drive (left turn at Rodeo). As you travel south past Santa Monica Blvd, many familiar names appear along the route - Chanel, Dior, Giorgio Armani and Prada, to name a few. Here you can shop till you drop and get a facial at Aida Thibiant before retracing your steps to Sunset Blvd to dance the night away or take in an up and coming stand up artist at the Comedy Store.

Explore West L.A.

(Getty Center & Environs)

The Getty Center is located near the intersection of the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) and the Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate 10). Take the Getty Center Drive exit from the 405 and follow the signs. A computer-operated tram takes you from the street-level parking facility to the top of the hill. From there you'll be able to explore the Getty's spectacular gardens and fine collection of art and antiquities.

From the Getty we'll travel the 405 south to Sunset, where you'll exit and follow Sunset's winding journey west through Pacific Palisades (you may want to pick up a pack lunch on your way) to Will Rogers State Park. Here you'll find 200 acres of ranchland atop the palisades, affording a lovely view of Santa Monica bay. The state of California conserves the sprawling ranch, on which stands Will Rogers' ranch home, picnic tables and equestrian facilities.