New York and Los Angeles

When choosing between America”s two largest cities, first time visitors often fall into an East Coast vs West Coast way of thinking. If you want fine arts and culture, go to New York. If you want beaches and entertainment, head for Los Angeles. Right? Not exactly.

I’ve been visiting both cities since I was a child, and these images are only part of the picture. New York and LA differ in style, not substance, and each offers a full range of experiences from world-class museums and impressive architecture to memorable restaurants, shopping and outdoor recreation. I’ve found the best way to enjoy either city is to round out its highlights with some unexpected activities.

Getting to some of New York’s famous attractions can be half the fun. The ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty gives great views of Manhattan’s skyscraper skyline, as do boat tours like the Circle Line Cruise, which takes in the Brooklyn Bridge and other landmarks. The panoramic view from the observation deck of the Empire State Building is a must, and you”ll also get a new perspective on the shiny, art-deco spire of that other high-rise icon, the Chrysler Building.

More grand vistas are on hand from the Top of the Rock, in Rockefeller Center. Apart from its interesting architecture and artworks, this complex also houses NBC Studios and star-struck visitors queue up for tickets to TV tapings.

New York has so many world-class art museums that it would be hard to pack them all into a single visit. The Guggenheim, where paintings are displayed along a spiral ramp in a striking building by Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Museum of Modern Art are favourites with most visitors. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a magnificent collection ranging from prehistoric to modern times, but is so huge as to be overwhelming. Balance it with smaller gems like the Frick Collection, where prize artworks are set in a beautiful mansion.

Glittering Times Square is the centre of the Broadway theatre district. Take in a hit musical or drama, or an edgy off-Broadway production. Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center are memorable venues for concerts, the ballet and other cultural events.

New York’s famous neighbourhoods are attractions in themselves. You get a real sense of the city, past and present, strolling through the streets of Greenwich Village, SoHo, Chelsea or the Lower East Side. Here you”ll find funky cafes and trendy bars, art galleries and designer boutiques. The quirky shops of NoHo – New York’s newest downtown neighbourhood – are a fun contrast to Fifth Avenue and the uptown department stores. And while the city is brimming with fantastic restaurants, it”s hard to beat a meal in Chinatown or Little Italy for a real New York experience.

New York’s energy is full-on, and sooner or later you may want a break from the city. For most New Yorkers, Central Park is a great escape for rest and recreation. In this huge expanse you can hike, jog, hire a rowboat on the lake, or just sunbathe. Many people don’t know that in recent years, New York has also gained an impressive network of waterfront parks, promenades and bike paths running right around lower Manhattan and beyond.

In high summer, beat the heat as New Yorkers do and head for the beaches of Brooklyn, Long Island, Staten Island or the New Jersey Shore. Coney Island is the East Coast’s answer to the Santa Monica Pier, with amusement park rides, beaches and a 3-mile boardwalk. At the southern tip of Brooklyn, it”s easily reached by subway from Manhattan.

Beachfront boardwalks are a highlight in Los Angeles. From the landmark Santa Monica Pier with its carousel and ferris wheel, a cycle and rollerblade path runs through the broad, sandy beach all the way to Venice. This is quirky California at its best, with a cast of outrageous characters busking, hawking their wares or just hanging out. You can stretch your muscles – smile muscles, that is – on Muscle Beach where suntanned bodybuilders work out and pose.

Hollywood is the most famous community in the LA sprawl. Hollywood Boulevard is more blatantly touristic than glamorous these days, but seeing the stars on the Walk of Fame and the handprints at Grauman”s Chinese Theatre is a must. Hollywood has become one of LA”s hottest nightspots, and you can club-hop for $1 on the Holly Trolley.

Paramount is the only film studio still located here, and you can take a fascinating walking tour of the back lot. The ultimate studio tour is further north in the San Fernando Valley at Universal Studios, which combines a working production studio with theme park rides and attractions. It”s a highly entertaining day for all ages, and the adjacent CityWalk is a whimsical, fun place to shop and eat.

You’re more likely to find glamour in Beverly Hills, home to the stars and the famous designer shopping street, Rodeo Drive. If you don”t have a gold-plated credit card, window-shopping is free. You can take coach tours of the stars” homes, or buy a map and drive through the hills yourself, taking in the luxurious houses and views. The hippest drive is still along West Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard, the legendary Sunset Strip, with its comedy clubs, rock’n'roll bars and chic hotels.

One of LA’s great surprises is its wealth of outstanding art museums. The J. Paul Getty Museum in Brentwood has a fabulous collection of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present day. The Getty Villa in Malibu displays classical works and antiquities in a sumptuous Roman-style villa.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art holds a host of treasures, from pre-Columbian artefacts to Japanese, Indian and Southeast Asian art. A smaller gem is the Armand Hammer Museum of Art in Westwood Village. The European art collection at Pasadena’s Norton Simon Museum is among the finest in the world. The Huntington Library and Art Collections, along with its stunning Botanical Gardens, is another cultural highlight.

Downtown LA is an exciting place these days, with a glittering Music Center, great restaurants and more good museums. On Saturdays, the Los Angeles Conservancy gives walking tours of the many architectural landmarks, giving you access to buildings with some truly impressive interior decor. For a taste of LA”s multicultural heritage, visit El Pueblo de Los Angeles, a lively Hispanic district, or nearby Chinatown and Little Tokyo.

Donna Dailey