LAX is awful, but LA itself is hardly a dump: it's an amazing city, once you realize that there's alot more to it than Disneyland and freeways. For one thing, the food scene is arguably the greatest in the US, at both the high and the cheap/popular ends; and there are some fantastic areas to explore, from Venice in the west to Silverlake in the east. Pick up a decent guidebook and have fun.