World City Guide

Sport

With several top professional teams, Los Angeles offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy spectator sports. Baseball is America’s favourite summer pastime, and Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Avenue (tel: (323) 224 1500), north of Downtown, is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers (website: www.dodgers.com). The season runs April-October; tickets cost US$6-60. Staples Center, 1111 South Figueroa Street (tel: (213) 742 7340; website: www.staplescenter.com), is a new sports/entertainment arena and the home of two basketballs teams, LA Lakers (tel: (310) 426 6000; website: www.nba.com/lakers: tickets US$10-400) and LA Clippers (tel: (213) 742 7500; website: www.nba.com/clippers), as well as the ice hockey team, LA Kings (tel:(888) 546 4752; website: www.lakings.com). Tickets cost from US$16-137. The winter sports season runs October-April.

LA has not had a resident National Football League team since 1995, so the star collegiate teams ignite Angelenos’ passions. UCLA games (tel: (310)825 5292; website: www.uclabruins.com; tickets from US$25) are at the Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena (tel: (626) 577 3100; website: www.rosebowlstadium.com), the venue for the New Year’s Day parade and college football tournament. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, 3911 South Figueroa Street (tel: (213) 748 6131; website: www.lacoliseum.com), is the home venue for UCLA’s football rival, USC (tel: (213) 740 4672; website: www.usctrojans.com).

There is a soccer team, the LA Galaxy (tel: (310) 630 2200; website: www.lagalaxy.com; tickets US$15-45), who play in the Major League. They play at the Home Depot Center in Carson (tel: (213) 480 3232 for tickets or (310) 630 2000 for general information).

Fitness centres: Fitness is huge in LA. Fitness centres that allow day members include: 24-Hour Fitness (tel: (310) 410 9909; website: www.24hourfitness.com), in Santa Monica, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills; Gold’s Gym (tel: (213) 688 1441; website: www.goldsgym.com), in Venice Beach and Hollywood; and Bally Total Fitness (tel: (800) 515 2582; website: www.ballyfitness.com), with Downtown and Hollywood locations.

Golf: There are numerous public golf courses in the area. A list can be obtained from the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Green fees start from US$20, although upmarket courses, such as Malibu, will be much higher.

Horseracing: Located 23km (14 miles) northeast of Downtown, Santa Anita Park, 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia (tel: (626) 574 6366; website: www.santaanita.com: general admission US$5), is LA’s historic thoroughbred racecourse.

Tennis: The City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department (tel: (818) 246 4088; website: www.ci.la.ca.us/rap) maintains over 100 public tennis courts around the metro area. Many are free, on a first-come, first-served basis.