When Walt Disney created his famous park in California in the 1950s, he was smart enough to do it within driving distance of the heaving metropolis of Los Angeles.

Venice Beach is distinctively Californian and a must see area of Los Angeles, Chris Lynch says.

Backwards, forwards, with dogs and without - Hollywood's A-list can't get enough of this free LA activity.

The City of Angels is speakeasy central, writes Shandelle Battersby.

After almost two years in Los Angeles, Gin Wigmore has tips for visitors seeking a special spot in her adopted city.

Three of Auckland Zoo's orang-utans are being moved to new American homes to help with the international breeding programme for the endangered great ape.

Shandelle Battersby dreams a California dream in the front row at the Dolby Theatre.

A friendly year-round climate makes Santa Monica a hit with locals as well as tourists, writes Tess Nichol.

To mark 60 years, Disneyland has conjured up spectacular parades and fireworks, writes Peter Mitchell.

In Orange County, Shandelle Battersby swaps fast food for fresh, sophisticated cuisine.

The latest addition to Universal Studios' backlot tour makes passengers feel like they've driven onto the set of a Fast and Furious film.

Megan Singleton uncovers five of the best places to eat in LA, from chic celebrity hot spots to gourmet burgers and $1 tacos.

Surgeons have found and removed an embryonic twin, complete with hair, bone and teeth, from deep in the brain of a PhD computer science student.

A famous local mountain lion who crawled under a Los Angeles home on Tuesday stayed put, despite humans' best efforts to get him out.

The autopsy report for an unarmed black man who was killed by Los Angeles police officers shows he was shot in the back at close range.

It is a quarter of a century since Straight Outta Compton, the seminal gangsta rap album, made a 25 sq km area of Los Angeles synonymous with gang violence and murder.

Got a spare few hours before flying out of LAX? Try this hub of food and fun, writes Jesse Mulligan.

Josh Burgess checks into a 'bohemian chic' studio apartment in Hollywood.

Police say they followed proper protocol when they demanded ID from an actress while investigating an emergency call alleging lewd conduct.

Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts says she was 'handcuffed' and detained by police in LA, after she kissed her white husband in public.

Danielle McGrane has some tips to help with starlet spotting in Hollywood.

Former John McGlashan College pupil Jonny Dyas is settling back into Dunedin life after mixing with some of the biggest names in the music business.

Put a serious dent in your wallet at one of these top shopping haunts.

Leena Tailor gets on her bike and works up a taste for Santa Monica fare.

Herbalife shares fell the most in three months after billionaire Bill Ackman vowed to show Enron-like fraud at the seller of supplements and weight-loss shakes.

The man who became an internet-sensation after his mug shot went viral on social media has had to face court in California, according to multiple media reports.

Whale Rider star Keisha Castle-Hughes will pay tribute to the film that catapulted her to international fame during a visit to New Zealand this week.