California
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a sprawling, sun-soaked city of distinct worlds — Hollywood and the studios, the museums of the Miracle Mile, the beaches from Santa Monica to Venice, the hilltop Getty, and the observatory above it all. It rewards visitors who pick a few areas rather than chasing the whole map, who build in driving time between them, and who lean into the indoor-outdoor, anything-goes culture. The weather is famously mild and sunny nearly year-round, making almost any season a good time to visit.
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Hotels
Where to Stay
The Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills
The legendary "Pink Palace" — a 1912 Beverly Hills landmark set in lush gardens, with private bungalows, the storied Polo Lounge, and a century of Hollywood glamour. The definitive Old Hollywood hotel.
The Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
Beverly Hills
A grand 1928 landmark at the foot of Rodeo Drive — the "Pretty Woman" hotel — blending classic elegance with Four Seasons service, in the most central, walkable spot in Beverly Hills.
Shutters on the Beach
Santa Monica
A beloved Cape Cod-style luxury hotel directly on the sand in Santa Monica — breezy beach-house elegance, an oceanfront pool and spa, and the rare LA hotel where you step straight onto the beach.
The Hollywood Roosevelt
Hollywood
A historic 1927 hotel on Hollywood Boulevard, host of the very first Academy Awards — Spanish Colonial glamour, the iconic Tropicana pool, and a lively scene right on the Walk of Fame.
Sunset Tower Hotel
West Hollywood
An Art Deco icon on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood — a beautifully restored 1929 landmark with timeless glamour, a discreet celebrity following, sweeping city views, and the legendary Tower Bar.
The Hoxton, Downtown LA
Downtown LA
A stylish, design-forward hotel in a 1920s building in downtown LA — well-priced for its quality, with a buzzy rooftop pool and restaurant, and a central base for DTLA's arts, food, and nightlife revival.
Hotel Erwin
Venice
A funky, colorful boutique hotel right on the Venice Beach boardwalk — playful design, an easygoing beach vibe, and the High Rooftop Lounge with some of the best sunset ocean views in LA.
Attractions & Tours
What to Do
Battleship USS Iowa Museum
The "Battleship of Presidents" — a mighty World War II-era battleship now a museum ship at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, where you can walk the decks, tour the gun turrets, and stand on the bridge.
The Queen Mary
The legendary Art Deco ocean liner, permanently moored in Long Beach since 1967 — once the grandest ship afloat, now a floating museum and hotel, famous for its history, its design, and its ghost stories.
Universal Studios Hollywood
A movie-themed amusement park and working studio in one — the famous backlot Studio Tour tram, plus immersive lands and rides built around major film and TV franchises. A full-day LA highlight for families.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
A behind-the-scenes tour of a real working Hollywood studio in Burbank — soundstages, backlot streets, iconic sets, props, and costumes from a century of beloved films and TV shows. For real movie fans.
The Getty Center
A spectacular hilltop art museum above Brentwood — European paintings (including Van Gogh's "Irises"), gardens, and Richard Meier's gleaming travertine architecture, reached by a tram with sweeping city views. Free admission.
Griffith Observatory
The Art Deco observatory on the slopes of Mount Hollywood — free to enter, with planetarium shows, telescopes, science exhibits, and the city's most famous views of the LA basin and the Hollywood Sign.
Santa Monica Pier
The iconic 1909 pier reaching into the Pacific — home to Pacific Park's solar-powered Ferris wheel, the historic carousel, the aquarium below, and the end of Route 66. Free to walk, steps from the beach.
Hollywood Walk of Fame & Boulevard
The terrazzo stars of Hollywood Boulevard, honoring entertainment legends — alongside the TCL Chinese Theatre's celebrity handprints, the Dolby Theatre (home of the Oscars), and the heart of touristy Hollywood. Free to stroll.
The Hollywood Sign
The world-famous letters on Mount Lee, standing since 1923 — best seen and photographed from a string of free viewpoints around Griffith Park, or reached on foot via the park's hiking trails.
Venice Beach & Boardwalk
LA's wild, free-spirited boardwalk — street performers, artists, the original Muscle Beach outdoor gym, the skate park, and the canals nearby. A free, only-in-LA scene right on the sand.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The largest art museum in the western US — a sprawling encyclopedic collection on the Miracle Mile, fronted by the Instagram-famous "Urban Light" lampposts and the giant boulder of "Levitated Mass."
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
The film world's flagship museum, from the people behind the Oscars — immersive exhibits on the art and history of moviemaking, original props and costumes, and a striking spherical building on the Miracle Mile.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
The largest natural and cultural history museum in the western US, in Exposition Park — dinosaur halls, a dazzling gem and mineral vault, dioramas, and an indoor-outdoor nature garden. A great family museum.
Hollywood & Celebrity Homes Tour
A classic open-air LA bus tour cruising Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, and the leafy streets of Beverly Hills and Bel-Air — past celebrity homes, famous landmarks, and viewpoints, with a guide narrating the lore.
Madame Tussauds Hollywood
The wax-figure attraction right on Hollywood Boulevard, next to the Chinese Theatre — lifelike likenesses of movie stars, musicians, and icons, posed for hands-on photos. A fun, family-friendly Hollywood stop.
Go Deeper
The complete Los Angeles guide
Neighborhood picks, itineraries, FAQs, and local answers from our Los Angeles specialists — including 6 in-depth travel guides.