6 Best Places to Shop in Los Angeles, California

Known as the birthplace of Los Angeles, this redbrick walkway is lined with historic buildings and overhung with grapevines. At dozens of clapboard stalls you can browse south-of-the-border goods—leather sandals, woven blankets, and devotional candles, as well as cheap toys and souvenirs—and sample outstanding tacos. With the musicians and cafés providing the soundtrack, the area is constantly lively. Annual events include a tree-lighting ceremony and Día de los Muertos celebrations.

Among L.A.’s many farmers' markets, the Hollywood Farmers' Market is one of the most well-known. This family-friendly, open-air market, which has been around for more than 34 years, is also the city’s largest with more than 160 local producers and farmers touting their seasonal yields every Sunday. Start your day right and stop by to shop organic, locally grown produce, see live music, and sample some delicious California fare.

Melrose Avenue might be Los Angeles’s most well-known vintage shopping destination, but Burbank’s Magnolia Park Merchants shopping district gives it a run for its money. Spanning several blocks on Magnolia Boulevard with some stores on scattered side streets, this revitalized area of independent boutiques, self-care purveyors, cafés, and eateries has a small-town feel and easy parking that Melrose lacks. It's heavy on well-stocked vintage, thrift, and antiques shops—Junk For Joy, Best of Times Antiques, Studio Hope, The Holding Company, Chance Vintage, Yes Baby! (which has a secret arcade in back), The Blue Pig, Hive & Hanger (owned by a beekeeper out to educate the public), and Playclothes Vintage.

But there's also an occult apothecary (The Crooked Path), vinyl vendor (Run Out Groove Records), a sourdough bakery (Random Acts of Breadness), a collection of comic books and pop culture collectables (Blast From The Past), jewelers (Stay Home Friend), a horror and paranormal museum/oddities gift shop/bookstore/goth clothing boutique (The Mystic Museum), a throwback video store that holds screenings (Be Kind Video), and a plant nursery (Tansy). There's even a vintage and makers' mall with a cat-themed section and adoptable kittens in the window (Catnip Coalition).

The corner of Ventura and Coldwater—the former site of a legendary old Hollywood hangout called Sportsmen's Lodge—is hopping once again with the arrival of this sleek open-air collection of shops, restaurants, and wellness providers. After a stint in the hyperbaric oxygen pod, grab one of those extravagant Erewhon smoothies people are constantly talking about on social media and peruse the racks of athleisure at Vuori, Hoka, FP Movement, and Alo. After attending a Ikebana or fairy terrarium workshop at Rolling Greens nursery, sit under the redwoods (a holdover from the hotel's heyday) or alongside the water feature to enjoy nibbles from L.A. staples like Kismet Rotisserie, Sugarfish, Hi-Ho Burgers, Uovo, or Winston's Pies.

Silver Lake’s decent sized farmers' market is undeniably Silver Lake. Alongside growers’ tents selling their freshest harvests—either locally grown or certified organic, of course—are tables displaying healing crystals, vintage cassette tapes, and treasures from far-flung parts of the world like Ghana and India. There are also racks of secondhand clothing, and stalls cooking up something delicious and vegan. 

Shopping malls and The Valley are forever linked thanks to Valley Girl and other iconic '80s flicks. If you feel your trip to the 818 isn't complete without a shopping spree, this is the best of those bastions of capitalism still standing due to a recent renovation, the best collection of high-end designers in town after Rodeo Drive (Balenciaga, Jimmy Choo, Bottega Veneta, Christian Dior, Hermes, Tiffany), a med spa, and L.A.'s biggest Nordstrom. The state-of-the-art movie theater has a bar and concessions delivered to your seat. Pinstripes offers bowling and bocce. Topanga Social, a huge food hall, is brimming with trusted local proprietors like Jinya Ramen, Amboy burgers, Katsu Sando, Slab, and singer Christina Milian's Beignet Box.