Acclaimed Australian comedian Rhys Nicholson might hail from the beach-straddling city of Newcastle, but in recent times his sights have been set on a bigger, equally sunny, destination: Los Angeles. Allow Rhys to walk you through his LA, as he tells us where to eat, sightsee and eat again.

“LA is one of those places that’s incredibly hard to explain because it’s so culturally expansive and I reckon everyone gets something different out of it. My first time, I had no idea what to expect because so many movies have explained it in so many ways. Is it like La La Land? Is it like The Big Lebowksi? Die Hard? Turns out, it’s all of them! To sum it up, LA feels like a warm welcoming hug, followed by your favourite drink. Does that make sense?”

His first impressions

When I first arrived in Los Angeles, I have to admit I was surprised at just how beautiful it is. Seriously. No one tells you that. To be honest I was expecting concrete and some bushes, but it’s so lovely to look at. The sunset (and if you’re doing it right, the sunrise) is definitely something to behold. Well done L.A. You’ve smashed it out of the park.

His top tips for Australians visiting LA

My number one tip for visiting LA might be obvious to some people, but since it’s my tip I still think it’s worth sharing. I would say don’t over organise yourself. It’s the type of place where you will always be able to find something to do and explore and if you schedule the life out of your days there, you’ll miss the city opening itself up to you (does that sound creepy? I didn’t mean it to sound creepy). Also, pack sunscreen because pretty much every day is sunny.

 His favourite eats

LA is absolutely my favourite place to eat. I’d highly recommend it anyway, but even more so if you’re travelling with a fussy eater. They will have nothing to complain about if you take them to Grand Central Market in Downtown LA because there is genuinely everything you can imagine. A bazillion types of delicious cuisines! Whether you just want a teenie little snack or you feel as though you could eat a horse and come back for the jockey, Grand Central Market is where it’s at.

His favourite LA neighbourhood

I feel like LA is a country unto itself, like there is about a thousand cities in there so it’d be impossible to pick just one. For first timers, wandering down the Venice Beach Boardwalk is a pretty fun thing to do. It’s exactly like what you would imagine L.A. to be and you can easily spend hours there eating, looking at the ocean and the shops along Abbot Kinney Boulevard. I recommend getting something to eat, parking yourself on a bench and get stuck into some deep people watching. If you want good L.A. people watching, Venice Beach is where it’s at.

His ultimate cultural experience in LA

I mean, LA IS a cultural experience. You could do all the proper touristy stuff, the Hollywood tours in particular are all good fun! One of my favourite places is the Getty Museum – I go there every time I’m in LA. Whether you like art, design, very slow light rails or booze, the Getty is a must. I recommend getting yourself a spritz, sitting on a balcony and looking over that big ol’ city. She’s so pretty and after a couple spritz’, she’s even prettier!

For more information on Rhys’s travels visit discoverlosangeles.com and flightcentre.com.au/2AussiesInCali