Los Angeles Hotels

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles is a wonderfully vibrant, expansive metropolis, overflowing with unique neighborhoods and blessed with endless sunshine. Here Hollywood superstars rub shoulders with artists, and tourists mingle with millionaire businessmen. Los Angeles has plenty of glitz and glamor, but it is also a chilled-out destination, perfect for a relaxed Californian vacation.

Exploring Beverly Hills – West Hollywood

Every trip to LA needs to include some time checking out the perennially decadent Beverly Hills in West Hollywood. Beverly Hills is essentially a city in itself, with a well-deserved reputation as the home of luxury; a popular activity is a ‘celebrity safari’, which involves hopping on a bus to tour the neighborhood and scout out the stars. Even if the shopping on Rodeo Drive completely overshoots the travel budget, strolling up and down the street is worth it - if only to see some of the world’s most coveted, exclusive boutiques.

Nearby, Hollywood is an ever-changing community, but it remains the beating heart of the movie industry. The Walk of Fame is always a fun place to spend an afternoon, with key stops including the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre. Film buffs can elect to take a tour of one of the big studios to get an inside glimpse of movie-making in action.

For the Art and Theater Lovers

Much more than just the home of megabucks cinema, Los Angeles boasts a thriving independent art scene. One of the most exciting cultural places in the city is the Barnsdall Art Park, a stunning gallery in East Hollywood that sits atop Olive Hill. On-site is the famous Hollyhock House, designed in the 1920s by architect Frank Lloyd. The immaculate grounds of the park, paired with the contents of the gallery, make for an immersive, tranquil excursion outside the bustle of the city. Some world-class art museums are also located around the LA, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the LA County Museum of Art.

As one might expect, the theater scene here is thriving. Downtown LA is home to dozens of historical movie and performance venues, constituting the largest theater district on the National Register. Some have barely changed from the early 1900s.

Excellent Eating

The food scene in Los Angeles is extensive and almost overwhelmingly eclectic. In addition to upscale gourmet dining restaurants, visitors can delight in experimental food trucks, pop-up restaurants and even underground supper clubs. The ethnic variety is also vast. If time permits, it is worth wandering into Little Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Arabia, Russia or India – the diversity is astounding.

A tip from those in the know: there’s a fantastic small market near Barnsdall Art Park known as the LAMC Farmers’ Market. Gourmands can pick up some vegetable broth at the Gourmet Korean Food stand, some watermelon juice at the Pupusa stall and fresh fruit at Arnett Farms.

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