A Los Angeles vacation is a chance to get away from it all. Book a Los Angeles hotel and explore miles of beaches, rub elbows with celebrities, and sample global cuisines.
Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and mountains to the north and east, Los Angeles’ 80-plus neighborhoods create a patchwork. Heading west from the skyscrapers of Downtown, Hollywood’s shops and theatres lead to the nightclubs of West Hollywood and the famed shops of Beverly Hills. A trip over the winding Mulholland Drive leads to the San Fernando Valley. Historic Pasadena sits in the San Gabriel Valley, east of downtown. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is south of Santa Monica and Venice and north of the city of Long Beach, which marks the southwestern edge of the L.A. basin.
The glitz and glamour of Hollywood can be found all over Los Angeles. Compare your handprints with the stars’ in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The Universal Studios tour takes you behind the scenes of TV and movies. Book a table at Spago to eavesdrop on high-powered celebrity conversation.
Shopping is a way of life for Angelenos. Join the beautiful people flitting between the elegant designer stores and pavement cafes of Rodeo Drive or pick up vintage classics from the second-hand clothes shops that line busy Melrose. Head east to compact Pasadena for shady antiques shops and the costume jewelry and ‘50s Americana of the Rose Bowl Market.
The mild weather makes alfresco living standard in Los Angeles. Angelenos grab their sunglasses and head out to hike in Griffith Park, take a leisurely bicycle ride near the Santa Monica Pier, or just walk down Venice Beach. The more adventurous take surfing lessons in Malibu, while those seeking luxury sip cocktails by the pool in a Los Angeles hotel.
Locals swear by the fiery burritos from the stalls that line the popular alfresco Hollywood Farmers’ Market. But for a sit-down Mexican feast head to Jefferson for El Cholo’s famous green-corn tamales and potent margaritas. Choose spicy buns from steaming carts in Chinatown’s dim sum restaurants, or eat fresh-from-the-sea sushi over sweeping LA views from Yamashiro in the Hollywood Hills.
Los Angeles wakes up when the sun goes down. Dress in your finest to groove in a Sunset Boulevard nightclub or catch a live band at the House of Blues. For jazz or good conversation, visit a bar near Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade. Head to a theatre downtown or enjoy a classical concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
