Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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for its festive ocean pier, stylish oceanfront
hotels, artsy atmosphere, and large popu-
lation of homeless residents (I know, that's
an oxymoron, but it fits). Shopping is king
here, especially along the Third S treet
Promenade, a pedestrian-only outdoor
to cultural activities, pickings can be slim.
The r estaurant scene, while limited, has
been impr oving steadily, and some gr eat
new bars and clubs have opened near their
respective piers.
L.A.'S WESTSIDE &
BEVERLY HILLS
The
Westside,
sandwiched betw een Hol-
lywood and the city's coastal communities,
includes some of Los Angeles 's most pres-
tigious neighborhoods, vir tually all with
names you're sure to recognize:
BEVERLY HILLS
P olitically distinct
from the rest of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills
is a famous enclav e best kno wn for its
palm tree-lined streets of palatial homes,
famous residents (Jack Nicholson, Warren
Beatty and Annette B ening), and high-
priced shops. B ut it 's not all glitz and
glamour; the healthy mix of filthy rich,
wannabes, and tourists that peoples down-
town Beverly Hills creates a unique—and
often snobby-surreal—atmosphere.
WEST HOLLYWOOD
This key-shaped
community's epicenter is the intersection
of S anta M onica and La Cienega boule-
vards. Nestled betw een B everly Hills and
Hollywood, this politically independent—
and blissfully fast food-fr ee—town is
home to some of the area's best restaurants,
clubs, shops, and ar t galleries. WeHo, as
it's come to be known, is also the center of
L.A.'s gay community—you'll know you've
arrived when you see the risqué billboards.
Encompassing about 2 squar e miles, it 's a
pedestrian-friendly place with plenty of
metered par king. H ighlights include the
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/
2
miles of S unset Boulev ard kno wn as
Sunset S trip, the chic S unset P laza r etail
strip, and the liv eliest str etch of S anta
Monica Boulevard.
BEL AIR & HOLMB Y HILLS
Located
in the hills north of Westwood and west of
Beverly Hills, these are old-money residen-
tial areas that are featured prominently on
most maps to the stars' homes.
mall lined with doz ens of shops and r es-
taurants.
VENICE BEA CH
Created b y tobacco
mogul Abbot Kinney (who set out in 1904
to transform a worthless marsh into a resort
town modeled after Venice, I taly), Venice
Beach has a series of narr ow canals con-
nected by one-lane bridges that you'll see as
you explore this r efreshingly eclectic com-
munity. It was once infested with grime and
crime, but gentrification has brought scores
of gr eat r estaurants, boutiques, and rising
property v alues for the canal-side homes
and apar tment duplex es. E ven the mo vie
stars are moving in: Dennis Hopper, Anjel-
ica Huston, Nicolas Cage, and J ulia R ob-
erts r eside her e. S ome of L.A. 's most
innovative and interesting architecture lines
funky M ain Street. B ut without question,
Venice Beach is best kno wn for its O cean
Front Walk, a nonstop M ardi G ras of
thong-wearing skaters, for tunetellers, street
musicians, and poseurs of all ages, colors,
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types, and sizes.
MARINA DEL REY
Just south of Ven-
ice, Marina del Rey is a somewhat quieter,
more upscale waterside community best
known for its man-made small-craft har-
bor, the largest of its kind in the world.
Fittingly, it offers a wide v ariety of public
boating oppor tunities, including fishing
trips, harbor tours, dinner cr
uises, and
private sailing charters.
MANHATTAN, HERMOSA & RE-
DONDO BEA CHES
These ar e laid-
back, mainly r esidential neighborhoods
with modest homes (except for oceanfront
real estate), mild w eather, and r esidents
happy to have fled the L.A. hubbub. There
are ex cellent beaches for v olleyball, sur f-
ing, and tanning her e, but when it comes
