Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

There’s just something about Los Angeles. Whether it’s the near-endless sunshine, the dramatic coastline, the winter weather or the Hollywood allure, Canadians just love Los Angeles.

In fact, say officials at the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Canadians make up the third-largest group of travellers, right after Mexico and China. Of the record-breaking 45.5 million people that visited Los Angeles in 2015, some 736,000 of them were Canadians.

“Los Angeles is a place where the world comes together for cultural experiences and celebrated attractions that cannot be found anywhere else,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Our city keeps setting records in the tourism sector because we are investing billions at our airport, in mass transit, and other assets that are making L.A. more exciting and accessible than ever. The sky’s the limit.”

If you’re already dreaming about your Los Angeles vacation, here are seven reasons to visit LA this year.

Hogwarts & The Force
Expect 2016 to be a big year for Harry Potter fans in Los Angeles, as Universal Studios Hollywood finally opens it much-anticipated “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Similar to the themed land that opened at Universal Orlando Resort in 2010, the Hollywood experience will include a Hogwarts castle at the center of this new themed land.

Over in Anaheim, Disneyland is undergoing some changes of its own. Many attractions have temporarily or permanently shut down as Disney works on building out its new Star Wars themed land, but in the meantime guests can enjoy an overhauled Star Tours, a new Star Wars-themed fireworks show and other Star Wars inspired additions to the park.

Tailgate Parties
Although Los Angeles was once home to two National Football League (NFL) teams, the Raiders and (peripherally) the Rams, it has been more than 20 years since the city hosted an NFL game. That all changes this year when the Rams head back to Southern California.

While the Rams will eventually play in a brand-spanking new stadium in Inglewood (in the Los Angeles Airport area), that’s a few years away. For now, the Rams will call the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Downtown Los Angeles home.

The excitement in Los Angeles is palpable and the earliest home games should prove to be huge spectacles of LA pride. No word on specifics yet, but the tailgate parties alone should be worth the price of admission. We’re already dreaming of a tailgate menu that includes Korean BBQ by Roy Choi, pizza by Wolfgang Puck, sushi creations by Nobu Matsuhisa, as well as a famed In ‘n Out Double Double cheeseburger and a carefully stewed carrot dog by hot dog impresario Neal Fraser.

Hanging Out in Downtown
To quote a hackneyed tourism marketing phrase, “if you haven’t been to downtown lately, you haven’t been to downtown.” It may be a cliché, but it’s also true. What was once strictly a place to do business has now become a neighborhood where people live, dine out, go to museums and even hang out at public parks.

Downtown Los Angeles via Instagram

The center of downtown’s cultural scene is in the vicinity of The Music Center of Los Angeles County, which is home to four world-class theatres, including the Frank-Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall (WDCH). Across the street, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) has one of the finest contemporary art collections in the world.

But the newest cultural player in downtown is The Broad, a remarkable facility founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. The museum is home to more than 2,000 pieces of art, including the most prominent holdings of post-war art in the world. All that and admission is always free.

The Broad via Instagram

Beyond the Grand Avenue cultural corridor, Downtown is also home to such famed cultural enclaves as Little Tokyo, Olvera Street and Chinatown, as well as the recently-re-emerged Broadway Street. Broadway, one of the oldest roads in Los Angeles, was once home to the city’s first cinema district—it was Hollywood before Hollywood became LA’s movie capital.

In recent years, the area has rapidly become one of the most popular places to hang out in the city. To really explore the area, a stay at the Ace Hotel, which opened in 2014, is a must. The hotel is located in the historic United Artist Building and has carefully preserved the UA theatre for special events and private functions. The nearby Grand Central Market, which has been serving the community since 1917, has become LA’s newest hipster hang out, with plenty of glamorous places to eat and drink.

Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles

New Heights
Speaking of downtown, Los Angeles remains one of the few major cities in America that doesn’t have a great observatory experience. No meeting at midnight on top of the Empire State Building for this West Coast city. Still, the U.S. Bank Tower building, which is currently the tallest building in California, is undergoing a $50-million upgrade that will include the addition of a restaurant and observation deck, SkySpace L.A.  Look for SkySpace L.A. to open in mid-2016 on the building’s 69th and 70th floors.

Two Wheels, Two Feet
If you like to explore a new city on two wheels, you’ll find that Los Angeles is rapidly becoming a popular city for cyclists. For visitors this movement has been powered in large part by several area boutique hotels, in particular the Kimpton brand. At the Kimpton Palomar Los Angeles Beverly Hills, for example, guests are always provided free bikes to use for the duration of their stay. The concierges provide maps and guides and plenty of suggestions on the best places to visit in the local area.

Prefer to see the city on foot? Few people realize just how many hiking trails can be found within Los Angeles. The city is home to Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country, after all. But there’s plenty of top-notch hiking throughout the city. One of LA’s most popular urban hikes is Runyon Canyon, which is located just off Hollywood Boulevard, in the heart of the city. This is also one of LA’s most popular off-leash dog trails, so it’s hugely popular with apartment dwelling pet owners. If you need more Los Angeles hiking suggestions, be sure to visit the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board website for inspiration.

The View of Los Angeles from Runyon Canyon via Instagram

Or you can skip the hiking and rather explore LA’s ever-emerging culinary scene on foot. Plenty of foodie explorations are available, but a good bet is Melting Pot Food Tours Los Angeles. Experienced guides walk you through exciting enclaves like Old Pasadena, Thai Town or East LA while you sample tasty bites along the way. History lovers won’t want to miss the exploration of the Original Farmers Market, which has been located at Third & Fairfax for more than 80 years. Samples include bites from LA’s first pizzeria, a donut shop so popular it was rated one of the best in the country by USA Today and a gourmet international market featuring French and international culinary specialties.

Sound Baths & Aqua Lattes
To say the wellness trend has hit Los Angeles would be an understatement. With so many luxury hotels and spas, there’s no lack of ways to custom-create a spa or wellness program suited to your needs.

Distinctive signature treatments in LA are really too plentiful to mention here, but among the newest is the Sound Bath at the SoSPA at the Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. Your therapist uses planetary gongs and quartz crystal singing bowls to create a “musical journey” that is designed to “bathe you in music” and leave you feeling more “in-tune” than when you arrived.

While nearly every four- and five-star hotel in Los Angeles features a lavish spa with signature treatments and organic, natural materials, it is definitely worth your while to step outside your hotel to explore the nearly countless independent spa experiences available throughout LA. The Larchmont Sanctuary Spa, just one example, is a peaceful retreat located inside a 100-year old home in the popular Larchmont Village walking district. Among the signature treatments is the Aqua Latte & Floral Medley, a restorative dip in a copper tub filled with milk and honey and your favorite essential oils.

8,400 New Keys
With so much going on in Los Angeles, it’s hardly surprising that the city is also undergoing a major hotel boom. The city currently has 25 hotels under construction with an additional 21 in the final planning stages. By 2018, the city expects to welcome 8,400 new hotel rooms. Just a few new properties in the works are the Dream Hollywood Hotel, a chic boutique expected to open later this year in the heart of Hollywood.

In 2017, the first Waldorf Astoria comes to Los Angeles at the corner of Wilshire & Santa Monica boulevards in famed Beverly Hills. Also expected to open in 2017 is the new InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown. Standing at 73 stories tall, it will be the tallest building west of Chicago when it opens. It also expects to feature a sky-high lookout for eating, drinking and enjoying the view of LA’s changing skyline.

For more information on travelling to Los Angeles, visit www.discoverlosangeles.com.

Follow @MonicaPoling