Los Angeles isn't a single compact city but rather is comprised of dozens of communities located either on the ocean or the flatlands of a huge desert basin. Downtown LA is in the heart of the basin and most visitors spend the bulk of their time either along the coastline or on the city's Westside.
Detailed maps of Los Angeles can be found on the following websites:
Multimap
A leader in maps of the world, this site offers zoom-function maps for Los Angeles.
http://www.multimap.com
Los Angeles Almanac
Maps of individual communities within the city.
http://www.losangelesalmanac.com/LA/lamap2.htm
World Web
Maps of the greater LA area.
http://www.greaterlosangeles.worldweb.com/Maps/

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Essentials
Visas: Visitors from many EU and other countries (including the UK) do not require visas for stays of three months or less
Season: Year round
Money: US dollar – ATMs widely available, major credit cards readily accepted
Language: English – Spanish in some states
Emergency #: 911