Budget Car Rental LAX and the Los Angeles River
In a city filled with skyscrapers and freeways, a river might go overlooked. In fact, as you drive through Los Angeles County in your budget car rental LAX vehicle, odds are you'll drive by the Los Angeles River without ever realizing it. The river flows 52 miles from the San Fernando Valley to its mouth in Long Beach. Although much of the river now flows through concrete channels, the Los Angeles River is still a vital part of the city.
Take your place in Hollywood History
It might seem strange to use a river with concrete banks in a movie, but the film industry has been flocking to the Los Angeles River for years. Take a moment to stop your budget car rental LAX vehicle and snap a few photo's of the famous river. Immortalized in the movie 'Grease' as the sight of their drag races, the Los Angeles River has since welcomed numerous other films. Movies such as Blue Thunder, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Italian Job, and Gone in 60 Seconds have all used the River for various scenes. As well, the video game Grand Theft Auto and the hit television series 24 both utilized the river. When you stop at the Los Angeles River with budget car rental LAX, you'll feel like you've stepped into these legendary films.
Take part in the River's rebirth
Once a vital part of Los Angeles for drinking water and other resources, the Los Angeles River has since fallen into disrepair. As Los Angeles grew and hundreds of thousands of people settled near the river, pollution became a major issue. As well, certain areas of the LA River are prime areas for homeless individuals and illegal car racing. Despite this, the City of Los Angeles and many independent organizations are now working to revitalize the River. Attempts are being made to draw tourism to the river and to recapture the natural landscape instead of its current concrete banks. Costs may be high, but soon the Los Angeles River will be a prime budget car rental LAX destination. The major organization looking to help the River is FoLAR. If you would like to donate your time to help clean up the river, or just want to learn more about the revitalization projects, feel free to visit http://www.folar.org/.
A few places to stop along the River
Take some time to stop in one of the many riverside communities. With budget car rental LAX you're never far from the Los Angeles River and another great destination. Many scenic stops still exist along the River. Towns such as Long Beach, Lincoln Heights, Burbank, Universal City, Studio City, and Canoga Park are all hot tourist destinations. The next time you travel with budget car rental LAX, take a moment to stop in one of these great cities and take a look at the Los Angeles River.
History lives on the Los Angeles River
As you gaze upon the Los Angeles River, imagine what things might have looked like hundreds of years ago. The river was once a major provider of water and food for the Gabriellino Indians. When the Spanish arrived to settle the area, the river was discovered. First mentioned by Gaspar de Portola in 1769, the Los Angeles River was originally referred to as the Porciuncula River. Annually the Los Angeles River is home to floods that cause damage along its tributaries. Many floods are so serious that millions of dollars in damage and numerous deaths have occurred at the hands of the river. Despite floods and pollution, with the current programs in place to rejuvenate the River, it will someday be the pride of Los Angeles.
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