West Hollywood

West Hollywood measures less than two square miles wedged between Hollywood and Beverly Hills, yet it’s packed to the gills with boutiques, galleries, restaurants, bars and theaters. The population celebrates ethnic and lifestyle diversity, combining hipsters, immigrants and senior citizens; it’s accepting of virtually everyone. The city, often referred to as WeHo, includes the legendary stretch of Sunset Boulevard called the Sunset Strip, chic Sunset Plaza, trendy Melrose Avenue and stylish Robertson Boulevard. Santa Monica Boulevard is one of the liveliest stretches of historic Route 66, thanks to its thriving gay community and proliferation of trendy nightclubs.

Sunset Plaza

Upscale boutiques line Sunset Boulevard between La Cienega and San Vicente boulevards; you’ll find free parking behind the storefronts. Consider this the city’s Euro hang; check out the collections at Catherine Malandrino, Chez Bop and the two H. Lorenzo shops. A lively outdoor cafe scene includes Le Petit Four, Chin Chin and Café Med, and Buttercake Bakery dishes out cupcakes. You’ll find platinum pampering at Ole Henriksen Face/Body Spa and Jessica Nail Clinic.

Sunset Strip

When the sun goes down, the action is on Sunset Boulevard between Doheny Drive and Crescent Heights Avenue.

The Strip is historically the city’s entertainment focus, with clubs such as The Roxy,
Whisky a Go-Go and Rainbow Bar having boasted performances by the Doors and Jimi Hendrix. The remodeled Andaz West Hollywood hotel was formerly known as
Continental Hyatt House, aka the Riot House; Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Guns N’ Roses bunked there. Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable lived at the art deco landmark Sunset Tower Hotel, built in 1931. The mood at elegant Tower Bar fits right in at the historic hotel. Rock stars hole up in villas at the renovated Sunset Marquis hotel and record albums in its below-ground studio.

The party goes on. There are the dimly lit Viper Room and the Key Club’s weekly tribute to ‘80s rock, Metal Skool. The faux ramshackle House of Blues books name acts and hosts a rafter-raising Sunday Gospel Brunch. Comedians including David Letterman and Robin Williams got their start at the Comedy Store. Swanky Skybar at the Mondrian admits hotel guests automatically; also at the hotel is the restaurant Asia de Cuba. Bar Marmont, adjacent to Chateau Marmont, is dreamily chic and a perennial celeb hangout.

Don’t forget to look up: The Sunset Strip is known for its billboards.

the avenues

The Pacific Design Center, at San Vicente Boulevard and Melrose Avenue, is at the center of the Avenues, the art, fashion and design district that includes some 300 galleries and showrooms along Melrose Avenue and Beverly and Robertson boulevards. The center—itself distinctively designed—offers mainly upscale furnishings. It’s also home to the MOCA Pacific Design Center, satellite of downtown’s Museum of Contemporary Art and Wolfgang Puck’s Design Cafe.

The CityLine (25 cents, 800.447.2189) runs Monday through Saturday along Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards.

Melrose Avenue

If Europeans influence L.A. on Sunset Plaza, L.A. influences the world on Melrose Avenue. It’s home base for the hip, where the trends begin. Choices include supercool consortium Fred Segal, upscale Maxfield and Wasteland for vintage wear, Vivienne Westwood and Vera Wang; farther east are Wasteland for vintage wear and indie boutiques with knockoffs and fast-fashion finds.

Just off Melrose Avenue is Melrose Place, L.A.’s chicest shopping street, where you’ll find the Monique Lhuillier, Zero + Maria Cornejo and Chloé boutiques.

Foodies head to Mario Batali’s Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, brasserie Comme Ça, Rick Bayless’ new Red O and Suzanne Goin’s Lucques. Find some of L.A.’s best live comedy at the Improv and the Groundlings theaters. There’s more hip shopping around the corner on La Brea Avenue.

Robertson Boulevard

The sensibilities of Melrose Avenue and Rodeo Drive meet on Robertson Boulevard, where boutiques Intermix, Curve and Madison are as hip as they get; the celebutante set goes to Kitson for posh bags and minidresses. Designers such as Chanel and Anya Hindmarch have outposts.

Unwind at a number of eateries including Petrossian and Ivy Restaurant, whose patio is paparazzi central for celebs seeking photo ops.

3rd and Beverly

West 3rd Street and Beverly Boulevard are first-rate destinations for boutique shopping and upscale dining between Robertson Boulevard and the Grove. The two streets bracket the multistory Beverly Center, which is anchored by Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. H&M and Henri Bendel are big draws.

A hip restaurant row on Beverly Boulevard includes Eva Restaurant from ever-hospitable chef/owner Mark Gold. Upscale boutiques include Beige and Calleen Cordero.

Fashion-forward boutiques on West 3rd Street east of the Beverly Center include Satine, Lotta Stensson, Eggy for high-end children’s clothing and Pyrrha for jewelry. Kitschy El Carmen bar adds to the street’s colorful character. Foodies head to Joan’s on 3rd, The Little Door and A.O.C. to dine and Magnolia Bakery for cupcakes.

FAIRFAX DISTRICT

Historic Farmers Market offers some 100 open-air produce stalls, shops and restaurants at Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street. There are plenty of nooks in which to while away an afternoon, including a crêperie, a wine bar and a shop specializing in hot sauces. It’s hugely popular among locals.

Adjacent to the Farmers Market, The Grove, a retail-dining-entertainment center inspired by a grand old downtown, features stained-glass street lamps, a trolley, a multiplex movie theater and retailers such as Nordstrom, Michael Kors, Kiehl’s and Fresh. Rising stars and starlets are often spotted on weekends. Annually, the Grove tallies more visitors than Disneyland!

One mile south of the Grove is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), which boasts an exceptional collection of more than 150,000 works from around the world. The Broad Contemporary Art Museum showcases nearly 180 works by contemporary artists; the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion is the latest addition to the campus. Adjacent to LACMA, you’ll find the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, where the Ice Age comes alive.

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