Los Angeles is not the kind of city you can fully explore in one weekend. Firstly, it’s huge – by square mile, it’s more than 12 times bigger than Paris, twice as big as Chicago and a touch larger than New York. Secondly, you’re spoilt for choice: there’s something to do on every corner. That’s why we have two Los Angeles travel guides for you: one covering East and Downtown, and the following list, highlighting all the local-approved spots to visit in the west of the city.
So here’s your guide to the local gems to seek out, the tourist spots worth visiting and the cultural spaces where you’ll always find something new. This is how to do Hollywood and west LA, the Service95 way.
Day 1
Check In To Soho House Holloway. You’d be right for thinking this LA outpost of the global members’ club was off-limits. However, its bedrooms are available for all to book – and the location, just off Sunset Boulevard, is hard to beat. (Plus, who wouldn’t want a little luxury when in Hollywood?) You’re walking distance to Melrose and the Strip (yes, everyone in LA drives, but you might want to stretch your legs) and just a short car ride away from Beverly Hills, Silver Lake and the coast.
Take In The Local Area With a walk down Santa Monica Boulevard to Dubbs Organic Coffee Blends, where the coffee is strong enough to cure any jet lag.
Stop For Breakfast At First Of All, an all-day Mexican restaurant just a 10 minute walk from Dubbs, where breakfast steals the show. Grab a table outside (if it’s not too hot) and order the spicy chorizo chilaquiles – fried eggs on homemade tortilla chips with salsa, cotija, avocado and more – to kickstart your morning.
Then, It’s Time For Shopping – and this is the area to find vintage gems. Round the corner from breakfast, you’ll find The Store, a treasure trove of vintage bombers, caps and tees frequented by LA’s biggest stylists. From there, head south down to Melrose Avenue, where you’ll find Wasteland Vintage and Headline Records. Keep walking west and, just past the crowds waiting to take a photo with that fuchsia Paul Smith wall, you’ll hit the glossier end of Melrose, The RealReal for high-end consignment pieces and, for the full WeHo experience, Urth Caffé for a smoothie stop.
If You Do Want To See A Few Sights, a 10-minute taxi to the TCL Theatre will give you a snapshot of the Walk of Fame. Head there at dusk, when things quieten down, meaning you can scout out a few stars and take in all the handprints outside the cinema with ease. (If you’re anything like me, you’ll be playing Kelly Rowland’s Stole in your head as you look to see if you also have the “same size hands as Marilyn Monroe” – turns out, I do!)
Keep The Old Hollywood Vibe Going with martinis just along the strip at Musso & Frank Grill – a stalwart since 1919 frequented by everyone from Marilyn herself to Sinatra and Hemingway. It does an excellent steak, but I’d say head there pre-dinner for a filthy blue cheese martini as an aperitif. You might feel the need to order a second.
Round Off The Night With Dinner At Night + Market, a much more low key (but very fun) Thai spot back along the strip, not far from your hotel. Every dish is packed with flavour (and plenty of spice) and there’s an excellent natural wine list. Don’t skip on the Grapow Crunchwrap Supreme for mains or the Thai donuts for dessert. Fancy a nightcap? The Bar Next Door is, in fact, next door and whips up craft cocktails ’til late.
Day 2
Rise And Shine with breakfast in bed at your hotel (you deserve a treat), or for a strong caffeine hit, Dayglow is around a 10-minute walk away and takes its coffee very seriously. Order an ice-cold espresso and tonic to go – it’s time for a road trip to the beach.
Take In The Ocean Views in Santa Monica, around a 40-minute drive away (though, with LA traffic, it could take a little longer). It’s worth the journey: play the arcades at Santa Monica Pier, lie back on the white sandy beach and stroll north through the waterside Palisades Park, soaking up the slower pace of life and those postcard-perfect sea views.
Get Your Literary Fix At Zibby’s Bookshop, just off the seafront. Here, books are categorised by emotion and topic, rather than by author – helping you to discover unexpected new reads guided by your mood.
Stop For Lunch At Bread Head – a sandwich shop of dreams, just a few minutes along the road. Look out for the daily specials, but the BLT on crisp, freshly baked focaccia hits every time.
Fancy A Film? You can’t miss Aero Theatre, with its retro neon sign glowing practically next door. It hosts equally retro screenings, from Twin Peaks marathons to The Godfather re-runs – a worthy way to while away an afternoon.
Head For A Post-Movie Debrief At Bodega Wine Bar, which serves up equally great coffee and wine, depending on what you’re after. Ready for more culture?
Immerse Yourself In Art At the Getty Center, less than a 20-minute drive back towards Hollywood from the coast. It’s more than a gallery, it’s a 100-acre estate, with the main museum and surrounding sculpted gardens at its centre. Make your way through a collection of European art that dates back to 1900, or gain a snapshot of artistic history by exploring Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985, which runs until 14 June.
Take A Breather back at the hotel, either on its rooftop – a calm escape from the city – or with a cocktail in your room (around 5pm every evening, a bartender will be at your door with a trolley, ready to mix everything from old fashioneds to margaritas). Once rested, helped by the extremely comfortable bed, head back out into WeHo.
Dine Al Fresco At Laurel Hardware, a 10 minute walk away. Don’t be fooled by the facade: what was once a hardware store is now a vibey neighbourhood restaurant focused on local produce and delicious small plates. Request a table out the back – after dark, the trees twinkle with fairy lights, turning the outdoor space into a cosy secret garden.
Then, Head Out-Out because you can’t stay in West Hollywood and not stay up late at least once. Across the road, Employees Only is a cocktail bar serving playful spins on the classics (try its Corn Star Martini), while Or Bar down the road has glimmering golden walls and a dedicated margarita menu. And there’s always Hamburger Mary’s, a drag bar with nightly live performances where it’s impossible not to let loose and have the best night you’ve had in ages. What's more, when bed calls, it’s just a few minutes’ walk home.
Day 3
After Last Night, You’ll Need Coffee. Head To Dialog Cafe on the Sunset Strip for a hearty-yet-healthy breakfast, to set you up for one last day of exploring. (Warning: there’s a steep incline on the 10-minute walk, but the breakfast burritos are worth it!).
Dive Into Another Indie Bookstore At Book Soup, just next door. The staff there are so knowledgeable. Give them an idea of what you like and they’ll guide you to your next read.
Keep The Culture Fix Going With a visit to LACMA (that’s the Los Angeles County Museum of Art), a short taxi ride away in La Brea. There’s something for everyone – its encyclopaedic collection spans ancient works to contemporary sculpture. You can’t miss Chris Burden’s Urban Light installation right at the entrance (featured in more movies than we can count).
For Lunch, Some Of The Best Mexican Food Outside Mexico Is At Escuela Taqueria, a family-run spot where the staff and the food are as wonderfully bright as the tablecloths you can spot from down the road. (It’s either a short drive or a 30-minute walk from LACMA, up past The Grove shopping centre and one of LA’s many Erewhons.) You cannot order wrong here, but a frozen hibiscus margarita and a portion of homemade tortilla chips with the unbelievable guac is a good place to start.
Get The Picture-Perfect Palm Tree View along Rodeo Drive, a short car ride away in Beverly Hills. It’s an altogether more sophisticated affair around here, with the street lined with high-end designer shops. Great for window shopping and getting a taste of the LA you see in the movies. Plus, it’s where you’ll find the city’s quintessential cocktail spot...
Stop For One Last Martini At the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills hotel. It's an LA institution, where the service is immaculate and drinks are made to perfection. It’s also the kind of spot where you never know who you might run into.
Spend Your Last Night At An LA Institution Dan Tana’s – an Italian restaurant where the welcome, the portions and the flavours are all wonderfully over the top. It’s Italian-American dining at its best: piles of meatballs and lasagne served with generous glasses of wine atop checked red tablecloths in cosy leather booths. One last tip: stay after dinner, letting the staff regale you with tales of Hollywood guests through the ages until closing time. The perfect way to round off 72 Hours in LA.
