Los Angeles is the alluring place where trends are born. Convertibles. Short skirts. Health food. In-line skates. Even the Internet. Since its beginning, LA has lived on the cusp of a trend, always re-inventing itself - from Mexican outpost to agricultural Mecca to boomtown movie colony to high-tech aerospace hub to the new economy. LA reaches new horizons every day. Los Angeles first coined the word "tourist." Because most arrived here as strangers, LA makes up the richest ethnic mix in the country. Cultures from around the world rub elbows and join hands in fusions of language, fashion and food. This cultural celebration also means we have more stage theaters (80+) and museums (300) than any U.S. city. With metropolitan LA at more than twice the size of Switzerland, you can be sure there's plenty to explore.