Practically everyone has heard of Los Angeles, California. Echo Park is a hillside community located inside the city itself. Situated roughly between downtown and Hollywood, Echo Park has been a popular residential neighborhood since the late 1800s and during the decades since has provided a place for many celebrities of stage and screen to live. One of the attractions of the area is a park of the same name, which features a small lake and provides residents as well as tourists staying in Echo Park vacation rentals with a wonderful place to relax amid the busy exciting ambiance of city life.
Jos Mart Festival
Echo Park is the site of an annual Cuban festival held each year to honor Jos Mart, famed Cuban poet and freedom fighter. The festival takes place on the Sunday nearest May 20 because it is also a commemoration of Cuba's independence from Spain. The park at Echo Park features a statue of Marti.
Other Tourist Sites
Other tourist attractions in the area include the Angelus Temple, which is a Foursquare Gospel church. This particular church is significant because it was built by Aimee Semple McPherson in the early 1920s as a part of her religious revival efforts. This church borders the park, as does a cathedral for the Episcopalian diocese in L.A.
In 2008, Echo Park was honored by the American Planning Association, which designated the community as one of the best 10 neighborhoods in the United States because of its "historic architecture, breathtaking hillside topography, walkable and pedestrian-friendly streets, and engaged residents who have worked hard to protect and preserve their community.