Itineraries: Hollywood
If you are a movie fan, there’s no better place to see it all than L.A. Always keep your eyes out for a familiar face: you never know when you might spot a celebrity.
Day 1: Los Angeles
As soon as you land at LAX, make like a local and hit the freeway. Even if L.A.'s top-notch art, history, and science museums don't tempt you, the hodgepodge of art deco, Beaux-Arts, and futuristic architecture begs at least a drive-by. Heading east from Santa Monica, Wilshire Boulevard cuts through a historical and cultural cross section of the city. Two stellar sights on its Miracle Mile are the encyclopedic Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the fossil-filled La Brea Tar Pits. Come evening, the open-air Farmers Market and its many eateries hum. Hotels in Beverly Hills or West Hollywood beckon, just a few minutes away.
Day 2: Hollywood and the Movie Studios
(Avoid driving to the studios during rush hour. Studio tours vary in length—plan at least a half-day for the excursion.)
Every L.A. tourist should devote at least one day to the movies and take at least one studio tour in the San Fernando Valley. For fun, choose the special-effects theme park at Universal Studios Hollywood; for the nitty-gritty, choose Warner Bros. Studios. Nostalgic musts in Hollywood include the Walk of Fame along Hollywood Boulevard and the celebrity footprints cast in concrete outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre (now known as the TCL Chinese Theater). When evening arrives, the Hollywood scene boasts a bevy of trendy restaurants and nightclubs.
Days 3 and 4: Beverly Hills and Santa Monica
(15–20 minutes by car between destinations, but considerably longer in traffic.)
Even without that extensive art collection, the Getty Center's pavilion architecture, hilltop gardens, and frame-worthy L.A. views make it a dazzling destination. Descend to the sea via Santa Monica Boulevard for lunch along Third Street Promenade, followed by a ride on the historic carousel on the pier. The buff and the bizarre meet at Venice Beach Oceanfront Walk (strap on some Rollerblades if you want to join them!). Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills specializes in exhibitionism with a heftier price tag, but voyeurs are still welcome.
Splurge on breakfast or brunch at a posh café in the Farmers Market, then stroll through aisles and aisles of gorgeous produce and specialty food before you take a last look at the Pacific Ocean through the camera obscura at Palisades Park in Santa Monica.
