Los Angeles resists the usual logic of a city with a single centre, it's better understood as a loose federation of distinct neighbourhoods, from the beach towns of Santa Monica and Venice to the studio lots of Hollywood and Burbank, connected by freeways that are as much a part of the city's identity as the industry that made it famous.
Hollywood and the Studios
The Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre are the obvious tourist stops, but a studio tour at Warner Bros. or Paramount offers a more substantive look at how the industry actually works, including active sets and backlots used across decades of film and television history.
Griffith Observatory, with its iconic view over the Hollywood Sign and city skyline, is free to enter and best visited near sunset, when the city lights begin to switch on below.
The Coastline
Santa Monica and Venice Beach anchor LA's most walkable coastal stretch, Santa Monica's pier and pedestrian promenade contrast with Venice's boardwalk carnival of street performers, muscle beach, and its namesake canals a few blocks inland.
Malibu, further up the coast, offers quieter beaches and the Getty Villa, a museum built as a recreation of an ancient Roman country house, holding an outstanding collection of Greek and Roman antiquities.
Recommended Stay · Los Angeles · Santa Monica
Shutters on the Beach
A beachfront hotel directly on Santa Monica's sand, with a New England shingle-style design and easy access to the pier and promenade.
