West hollywood is la’s party zone and teems with nightclubs, restaurants, bars, and comedy clubs. After dark, Sunset Strip is the center of the action for poseurs, producers, and the pretty. Huge, lascivious lips on Armani billboards leer down at you, and if you want to be “seen at the scene,” this is the place to be. West Hollywood is also LA’s “gayest” quarter, especially along Santa Monica Boulevard, where you’ll find the party in full swing. For shopaholics there’s Melrose Avenue, a quirky pathway lined with designer stores, tattoo parlors, Gothic-chic shops, and bustling cafés and eateries. It’s also home to the Pacific Design Center, the anchor of the Avenues of Art & Design, and a treasure trove of chic home accessories. For cultural edification, head south to an amorphous district we’ve termed “Midtown,” whose main artery, Wilshire Boulevard, boasts some of the city’s finest museums along the historic Miracle Mile.
The Pacific Design Center tourist office (Suite M-38) is open 8:30am–5:30pm Mon–Fri The Pit 91 Visitors Station (La Brea Tar Pits) is open 10am–4pm Wed–Sun during summer; entry is free-
Morning
Start your day at Wilshire Boulevard’s “Museum Row” to catch the latest headline exhibit at LACMA or selections from its superb permanent collection. Don’t miss the beautiful Pavilion for Japanese Art. If you can muster the energy before lunch, head for the Petersen Automotive Museum or the Page Museum.
Leaving Museum Row, drive a few blocks north to the Farmers Market. Try the Cajun food at Gumbo Pot, the all-American menu at the retro Kokomo, or the Du-par’s diner fare.
Afternoon
For an afternoon of shopping, start with the Farmers Market itself, then wander over to The Grove, a new outdoor mall. Head north on Fairfax Avenue, turning right on Melrose Avenue. This quintessential LA shopping street is packed with fun and funky stores and offers great people-watching opportunities, especially on weekends.
Head for an early dinner at Campanile , where you’ll be treated to innovative California cuisine, then drive to Sunset Strip for an evening of laughs at the Comedy Store or The Laugh Factory . Make your reservations in advance. Showtime is usually 8pm. Round off your day with a drink at Bar Marmont or the lounge at the chic The Standard Hollywood .
-
Locals are addicted to the crispy thin-crust pizza and the tempting menu. The Wednesday three-course prix fixe dinner is a steal.
-
Having cooked for the Pope and presidents, Chef Angelini now regales homesick Italians and foodies with his comfort food.
-
The streets surrounding the PDC are flanked with design stores where you can actually buy – and not just look at (as in the PDC) – that chintz sofa or Eames chair. Best explored on foot, the district is filled with cutting-edge art galleries, trendy restaurants, and cafés where you can relax over latte.
-
Super-trendy lounge next to the Chateau Marmont hotel with lots of beautiful people to gawk at. To increase your chances of getting past the front door arrive early, by about 9 or 10pm.
-
This esoteric bookstore specializes in New Age topics such as mysticism and astrology. Browse the shelves or attend lectures, you can even consult the resident psychic.
-
The California-Mediterranean menu changes constantly, dishes such as pork loin with braised fennel are typical.
-
One of LA’s finest galleries for contemporary American art, its shows may feature sculpture by Los Angeles-based Robert Graham, ethereal paintings by Mary Corse, or colorful assemblages by Charles Arnoldi.
-
The bustling dining room and bamboo garden is a great backdrop for food that mixes French and Japanese flavors.
-
Compose a meal from a number of delicious tapas at this bustling boîte . No corkage fee if you buy the wine at the bodega next door.
-
Restaurant price categories
Price categories include a three-course meal for one, a glass of house wine, and all unavoidable extra charges including tax.
-
Advertisement
-
-
Prague guide
Chroni
-
ibrgic's London guide
ibrgic
-
megs55's Prague guide
Laurel
-
The Wanderer's Beijing guide
The Wa
-
Ligia's Paris guide
ligian
-
Barcelona guide
Europe
-
-
-
A Tour of London (with Food)
Accide
-
Paris guide
rosale
-
Firstimers Las Vegas guide
erinen
-
Munich guide
KPotvi
-
heidik's Los Angeles guide
heidik
-
-
Wayne ShorterLegendary saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter performs at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The evening also features the wind-based quintet Imani Winds. Read more
-
Rose ParadeAn estimated 425 million television viewers join a million curbside spectators for a century-old New Year celebration, the Rose Parade. Floral floats, marching bands and horseback entertainers stage... Read more
-
Rose Bowl GameThe Rose Bowl football game has taken place in Pasadena, near Los Angeles, since 1902, traditionally pitting the champion of the Pac-10 conference against the Big Ten champion. It is one of American... Read more
-
"Within Four Miles": The World of Josh Dorman"Within Four Miles": The World of Josh Dorman, at Los Angeles' Craft and Folk Art Museum, CA, is artist Josh Dorman's first solo museum exhibition. It presents a decade of the artist's work and... Read more
![[+]](/images/button-addtoguide.gif)
symbol, to start adding attractions to your
tailor-made travel guide.
