Hey road warriors! It’s time to hit the road again, and you’re heading to the City of Angels but you don’t know where to get started? This helpful guide will lay out the reasons for business travel LA, and give you all the insider tips you need to explore Los Angeles like a local. Keep reading to get all the must-know tips and tricks.
Top reasons to visit LA for Business
There are so many reasons to visit Los Angeles on business trips. Let’s look at just a few of them.
1. It’s the entertainment capital of the world
Whether you’re in the entertainment business or not, much of Los Angeles business travel revolves around the entertainment industry. This means you will want to factor in some bleisure time to be able to explore all that the city has to offer: from Universal Studios to Disneyland to Hollywood, or tracing the steps of your favorite stars through Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills or Venice Beach.
2. Thriving startup ecosystem
Start-ups have chosen the right location when it comes to LA because there is something for everyone, which is why it’s within the top 10 startup ecosystems globally. The city hosts some of the largest financial institutions in the world, which gives startups the opportunity they need to access capital and resources to go from start-ups to scale-ups. Those heading to LA on business will without a doubt have to visit Silicon Beach, the Westside region of the metropolitan region home to 500 technology companies, among which many are startups.
3. Has one of the busiest and most important ports worldwide
With one of the most important ports worldwide, Los Angeles is a great destination for international trade. If you are in international trade or import/export, chances are your business travel will take you to this thriving city.
4. Take advantage of creative energy
This bustling city is full of artists, film makers, fashion designers, and a creative scene that will inspire any business traveler. Particularly those who work in fashion, apparel or design can take advantage of the abundance of manufacturers and suppliers to conduct their affairs here.
5. LA is a major tourist destination
A whopping 50 million tourists visit Los Angeles each year. That’s what we call a major tourist destination. With so much to see and do, LA is a great destination for both business and pleasure.
6. Cultural diversity
With so much cultural diversity, businesses can tap into varied consumer markets by visiting LA. This makes it a very stimulating place for cultural exchange, and to meet up with those remote colleagues you haven’t seen in a while.
7. Networking opportunities
With Los Angeles being a hub for so many different industries, opportunities and people from different walks of life and cultures, the network opportunities available here are incomparable. Don’t miss out on the ability to connect with international business professionals through conferences, seminars and other networking events.
8. Home to prestigious universities and research centers
For those in the research or medical professions, you are likely to take a trip to the City of Angels because it is home to many prestigious universities and research centers like UCLA. You may also attend a medical conference or continuing education courses where you can interact with other medical or research professionals.
9. Climate and lifestyle
If you are lucky enough to have your next business trip in Los Angeles, you’re in great shape no matter what time of year you go. Its laid back California lifestyle, including mild temperatures year round, make it a great place to visit.
Insider Tips for business travelers
To make sure, you’re not caught by surprise, we’ve compiled a list of insider tips and tricks that will help you travel for business to LA like a local.
Prepare for traffic!
Los Angeles has the 6th worst traffic in the US, study finds. On average, the study found that locals spent 62 hours in traffic, nearly double the national average, costing drivers an average of $968*. This is why choosing a hotel near your business meetings is more crucial than in any other city. Being as public transportation, other than the metro, also means spending hours in traffic, make sure you can plan accordingly if you have to travel a far distance or if you can, plan to stay within walking or biking distance of your meetings, which brings us to the next point.
Los Angeles County is huge
We say that because in order to be efficient with your trip planning it’s important to grasp just how large Los Angeles County is. Los Angeles covers a total area of 502.7 square miles (1,302 km2). The city’s extension reaches 44 miles (71 km) from north to south and 29 miles (47 km) from east to west. With no traffic it would take you more than an hour to cross the county.
Book your hotel close to meetings
Choose your hotel based on where you need to conduct the majority of your business affairs. Remember that Los Angeles County is made up of over 400 neighborhoods, and 88 cities**, so being precise about where you stay is essential.
With a travel management platform like GetGoing you can make choosing your accommodations in the right location easy. Simply filter hotels by radius and distance from where you need to be and even by neighborhood. To make it even easier add in your office locations, so that you can be sure to book near the closest LA location. You can do this by logging in to your account, go to Admin, and click on Offices & Destinations. You can then choose the office location and search for nearby options.
Check alternative airports that may be closer to your business meetings
LA County has several airports, with LAX being the most major International airport, but also Burbank, Long Beach, Orange County, Van Nuys or Ontario are other possible airports to fly into. This is why when flying to the area, keep in mind, it’s a good idea to first figure out where your meetings are to decide which airport will be the most convenient to fly into.
LA has six metro lines
The Los Angeles metro is made up of 6 lines, with a possible extension in the coming years.
- Blue line: 7th Street/Metro Center to Downtown Long Beach (North to South).
- Expo Line: 7th Street/Metro Center to Santa Monica (East to West).
- Gold line: APU/Citrus College to Atlantic (North to South).
- Green line: Redondo Beach to Norwalk (West to East).
- Purple line: Wilshire/Western to Union Station (West to East).
- Red line: North Hollywood – Union Station (North to South).
It runs from 4:30 am to 1:30 am, although it might vary according to the line and day of the week. Trains run approximately every 5 and 10 minutes depending on the time of day.
Factor in some bleisure time
Los Angeles is like a selection of small towns, which makes visiting all the different areas a must. In order to maintain a healthy work-life balance, planning a few days on either side of your trip to get some R and R and see the sights is a great idea. If you only decide to stay one day, we recommend to give you an overview of the Los Angeles’ top sights:
If you have a little more time, be sure to check out the Arts District Downtown, peruse designer shops on Rodeo Drive, and do some star sightings in Beverly Hills.
It’s always a good time to visit LA
Weather is mild year round and you may just need a light sweater in the evenings.
With an average year round temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit), you’re in great shape no matter when you visit. August is the hottest month of the year with highs around 24-28 degrees Celsius (low 80s in Fahrenheit) with around three days a year exceeding 32C (90 degrees Fahrenheit).
Keep in mind if you’re there in June, there is a weather phenomenon called the “June Gloom”. This is where there is low cloud cover until about 11 am in June due to the hot weather in the valley that evaporates off the ocean.
Need any more reasons to visit the City of Angels, or want more tips on how to better plan your business trips with a travel management platform?
*https://www.foxla.com/news/los-angeles-has-the-6th-worst-traffic-in-the-us-study-finds
**https://www.pods.com/blog/l-a-moving-guide-the-ultimate-guide-to-los-angeles-neighborhoods