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The heady mix of hip restaurants, nightclubs, and bars along the city’s entertainment mile attracts legions of the young and the trendy.

A stroll along this fabled shopping street (see Temptations on Rodeo Drive) is a must. All the big names in haute couture have staked out their turf on Rodeo, including Armani, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, and Versace. For better prices, walk one block east to Beverly Drive.

Melrose puts the “fun” into “funky” (see Melrose Avenue, Melrose Trading Post). Tattooed 20-somethings pick up vintage clothing, eccentric clubwear, and jewelry in stores between La Brea Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. West of Fairfax is a newer designer enclave and farther west, the Pacific Design Center is more about trendy home furnishings.

Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) is renowned for his poetic, naive paintings that depict magical, lushly landscaped dream worlds. He created this work shortly before his death.

This treasure trove of high culture is the legacy of railroad baron Henry E. Huntington. He made his vast fortune as a real estate speculator and owner of LA’s first mass transit system, the Big Red Cars (see Henry Huntington’s Big Red Cars).

Half a century after it first opened, the “Magic Kingdom” continues to be right on top of most children’s must-see lists. A one-, two-, or three-day visit is guaranteed to delight, amaze, and exhaust the kids, especially since recent expansions have added a second theme park, Disney’s California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney entertainment district to Disneyland (see Disneyland® Resort).

The Chinese first settled in LA after the Gold Rush, but were forced by the construction of Union Station to relocate a few blocks north to an area that is today known as “New Chinatown.” The cultural hub of over 200,000 Chinese Americans, this exotic district has stores hawking dried and pickled ginger and lucky bamboo, the offices of herbalists and acupuncturists, and restaurants that serve hot dim sum. In February, the Chinese New Year is celebrated with colorful parades and dragon dances.

For a variety of entertainment, visit Santa Monica Pier. Where else can you hop on to a historic carousel, visit an aquarium, or ride a roller coaster? California’s oldest amusement pier (built in 1908) also marks the western terminus of Route 66. Its oldest attraction is the 1916 Hippodrome, a merry-go-round that has made many movie appearances. Its newest is Pacific Park, a compact amusement park, anchored by a solar-powered Ferris wheel. Tucked beneath the pier, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is a small, family-oriented facility where you can observe and pet local marine life.

Filled with clever and engaging interactive exhibits, this highly entertaining science and technology museum has three themed galleries. The World of Life exhibit explains the processes living organisms undergo, Creative World focuses on the ability of humans to adapt to their environment through technology, and the Air and Space Gallery explores the great beyond. But it’s a 50-ft (15-m) long animatronic doll stripped down to her organs that steals the show and attracts crowds.

From the very beginning, the shiny white Hollywood sign atop Mount Lee was meant to attract attention, originally for the real estate developer and publisher Harry Chandler. Built in 1923 at a cost of $21,000, the sign was once illuminated by 4,000 bulbs and had its own caretaker. Each letter is 50 ft (15 m) tall and is made of sheet metal. In 1932, unemployed actress Peggy Entwistle immortalized herself by leaping to her death off the H. It’s illegal to hike to the sign, but the top of Beachwood Drive gets you fairly close to LA’s most recognizable landmark.

Hollywood’s main artery (see Historic Hollywood Boulevard), one of the district’s most glamorous streets during its pre-World War II heydays, has been revitalized in recent years. The focus of this rejuvenation is the extravagantly designed Hollywood and Highland complex, but old favorites such as Mann’s Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame have also received a fresh sheen.

Hollywood Boulevard

The boulevard that gave birth to the movie industry is still associated with the stars, even if the only ones around today are those embedded in the sidewalk.

One of the best bargains in town, this striking hilltop complex is a marvel of modern architecture and a mecca for fans of European art. Stunning views.

Your kids will love the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo, located within the LA Zoo. Here, they can pet barnyard animals at Muriel’s Ranch, greet the zoo’s newest members in the animal nursery, and dress up for interactive play and storytelling sessions at the Adventure Theater.

This theme park attached to the world’s largest movie studio is LA’s biggest tourist attraction. A ticket buys a day of thrill rides and live action shows, and includes encounters with Spider-Man, the Terminator, Shrek, and other movie heroes. A must-do is the narrated tram tour to the backlot with its famous outdoor sets.

One of the world’s leading scientific research centers and a pioneer in earthquake science and molecular biology, CalTech counts 29 Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and faculty, including biologist and current president, David Baltimore. The institute evolved from an arts and crafts school founded in 1891 by the famous Amos G. Throop, changing its focus to science after astronomer George E. Hale became a board member in 1907.

LA’s evolution from sleepy outpost to sweeping megalopolis is uniquely tied to the rise of the automobile. This is the basic premise of this wonderful museum, which does a lot more than display pretty vintage cars (though there are plenty of those, too). On the ground floor, you’ll follow a Los Angeles “streetscape” through 100 years of car history. You’ll pass dioramas of a 1920s gas station, a 1930s showroom, and a 1950s drive-in restaurant. Upstairs, the cars take center stage. Exhibits change regularly, but usually include galleries devoted to hot rods, motorcycles, and vehicles owned by Hollywood celebrities or used in movies. For children, the Discovery Center makes science fun.

Pet a sea cucumber, take to the skies in a Ferris wheel, or watch local fisherfolk reel in their latest catch at this pier. These are just some of the activities on California’s oldest amusement pier, whose attractions draw over three million people a year. During summer, be sure to make it to the popular free concert series that takes place on Thursday nights.

A white marble outdoor shopping mall with five floors of fashion, interior design, and jewelry boutiques orbiting a sunken atrium courtyard with a fancy eatery.

As timeless and ageless as Mickey Mouse himself, the original Disney park hasn’t lost its magic nearly half a century after it first opened.