1. travel

DESTINATION INFORMATION
LOCATION
Los Angeles is located on the Pacific coast of southern California.
SIZE
Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States after New York.
POPULATION
The total population for all counties is 16.4 million people.
TIME ZONE
Los Angeles is 17 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time (EST). The standard time zone for
Los Angeles is: -7 hours GMT.
SUNRISE & SUNSET IN SEPTEMBER
Sunrise – 6:35am
Sunset – 7:01pm
WEATHER
Average Maximum Temperature – 85° F | 29° C
Average Minimum Temperature – 64°F | 18°C
July and August are the summer months, which produce the hottest temperatures in Los Angeles
during the year. As we move into the autumn, the month of September starts to see the temperatures
cooling down.
CURRENCY
The currency used in America is Dollars (USD).
Currency Conversion (based on exchange rate as at Monday, 23 March 2015) and is a guide only, as
per the below:
AUD$1.00 – USD$0.78
AUD$10.00 – USD$7.79
AUD$100.00 – USD$77.88
For up to date exchange rates please visit http://www.xe.com/
The USD denominations consist of 1 cent, 5 cents (nickel), 10 cents (dime), 25 cents (quarter), 1
dollar, 5 dollars, 10 dollars, 20 dollars, 100 dollars. The dime is smaller than the nickel. All notes are
the same size and colour which can be confusing.
Money changing services can be found not only at LAX Airport but also most shopping centres and
hotel around the city. You can also access the automated teller machines (ATMs) located everywhere,
which accept most of the main credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
DRINKING AGE
The legal drinking age in America is 21 years or over.
ELECTRICITY
In America, appliances operate on 100 volts (compared to Australia’s 240 volts). The two types of
outlet plugs are as follows:
Type A Electrical Outlet
Type B Electrical Outlet
It is recommended that you bring an international traveller adaptor for your personal appliances.
PEOPLE
The diverse, multiethnic population of Los Angeles today distinguishes the city as the cultural hub of
the Pacific Rim. In fact, Los Angeles is one of only two U.S. cities without a majority population.
People from 140 countries, speaking approximately 86 different languages, currently call Los Angeles
home.
LANGUAGE
English is the most spoken language in Los Angeles; however, more than half of Los Angeles County
residents speak a language other than English at home. The 10 most frequently spoken languages
countywide are: English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Korean, Armenian, Vietnamese, Farsi, Japanese
and Russian.
TIPPING
While tipping is not mandatory in the United States, it is expected in some circumstances for service.
Note that tipping percentages will vary in different parts of the country, and even in different parts of a
state.
The average tip for a service (waiters, bartenders, taxi drivers) is between 15 – 25% of the total bill.
In some places a clearly displayed "Service Charge" or "Gratuity" might be automatically added to a
bill, especially for party sizes of 8 or more. Check your bill for these charges before tipping.
Please note below some suggested tipping amounts for hotel services:
USD$1 – 5 for doormen, bellhops
USD$3 – 5 per bed per day for housekeeping
PHONE USAGE
The international dialling code for America is +1. If dialling from Australia the correct code is 0011 1
followed by the local number. To avoid high mobile fees while travelling please ensure you turn OFF
your 'data' plan.
Please note - when using mobile phones overseas you are charged for 'data usage', 'make phone calls',
'receive phone calls', 'send text' and 'receiving text'.
VISAS
ESTA Visa Waiver Program
Depending on the country of citizenship, people who are entering the United States for business or a
holiday may be eligible to be admitted for up to 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) on an
ESTA. To view a full list of eligible citizenships please click here.
ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) is a web-based system that determines the eligibility
of visitors to travel to the United States under the VWP. Travellers who do not have a valid ESTA
before travelling may be denied boarding; experience delayed processing or be denied admission at a
United States’ port of entry.
Those who hold Australian, British, American and New Zealand passports will need to apply for the
ESTA Visa waiver. cievents will assist you in organising your ESTA Visa for entry into America.
Full Visa
If you hold a passport other than the countries specified above or if you have a criminal record, you
may be required to apply for a full visa to enter the United States, generally a B1 or B2 (Temporary
Travel or Work or Pleasure). To do this you should contact your local United States Embassy, who are
located in Sydney, Melbourne & Perth. Please be mindful that this process can sometimes take time so
please commence applications as soon as possible.
Should you have any hesitations or are unsure of your VISA requirements please contact cievents on
+61 2 9923 8712 immediately to discuss arrangements.
ENTRY FORMALITIES
A valid passport is required by all nationalities for entry to USA, with 6 months validity from the day of
departure from USA.