CityGuide: Los Angeles

Where to Stay

Perched in the Hollywood Hills, the Sheraton Universal Hotel does its best to make you feel like a star. It offers valet parking and limousine service; chandeliers light the lobby; and photos of famous actors from the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s stare at you from behind the front desk. The hotel, which recently underwent a $30-million renovation, is within walking distance of Universal Studios Hollywood and the Universal CityWalk, and it’s a short drive from Hollywood, Beverly Hills and downtown. Most importantly, its rooms — which feature modern art, brown-and-tan colour schemes and Sheraton Sweet Sleeper beds — provide a refuge from the cacophonous sights and sounds of the city.

If you want to stay a little closer to the action, try the new and hip W Hollywood. Its 305 rooms are ultra-modern and feature the signature W bed and pillow. There’s plenty to do in the area — the Hollywood Bowl, the Sunset Strip, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre — but you don’t have to venture far to find action. The hotel is home to two of the city’s hot spots: the Living Room bar and Drai’s Hollywood restaurant and lounge.

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Where to Dine

The most famous restaurant in LA is a hot-dog stand at the corner of Melrose and La Brea avenues. (Maybe the city isn’t as image-conscious as people say.) Of course, Pink’s isn’t your typical hot-dog stand. It has stood at the corner for more than 70 years, serving 12-in. dogs topped with mustard, onions, chili and just about anything else you could imagine. Live dangerously and try the $5.75 Mulholland Drive Dog, which is smothered with onions, mushrooms, bacon and nacho cheese. Lines at the stand can be long, especially on weekends — but Pink’s is worth the wait.

For a more refined dining experience, try Water Grill, credited with “the best seafood in Sourthern California.” For a special occasion, try Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Beverly Hills, which continues to set the standard for California cuisine in LA with quality cuts of meat, fine wine and delicious desserts.

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Where to Shop

Atlanta has Little Five Points. San Francisco has the Haight. LA has Melrose, with its collection of bars, coffee shops, tattoo parlours, palm readers and vintage-clothing stores. Flip through the comic-book collection at Melrose Music. Try on funky hats at Goorin Bros. Or buy a mini-roulette wheel at Off the Wall Antiques, which specializes in “weird stuff.” It’s the polar opposite of the all-out shopping — or window-shopping — experience of Rodeo Drive and Neiman Marcus, where a Pretty Woman-inspired moment is just around the corner. Stop in at Sprinkles nearby for a cupcake that’s both rich and famous.

Though not on Melrose (it’s on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Feliz), La Luz de Jesus feels like it could be. This off-the-beaten-path novelty store with a Hispanic flare features candles, purses, postcards, lunch boxes, shot glasses and dashboard statues. Be sure to wander through its art gallery, which hosts contemporary, cutting-edge exhibits.

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What to Do

LA is blessed with several beautiful beaches. But that doesn’t mean you should pack a towel and a novel. Oftentimes, the sand and surf are secondary attractions.

Take Santa Monica Beach, for example, with its boutiques overlooking the ocean. It’s a great place to while away the day, with a raw-food restaurant favoured by the city’s biggest stars.

Or take its more famous cousin, Venice Beach. The main attraction is the Ocean Front Walk — a promenade lined with shops and cafés — that attracts artists, jugglers and people of all makes and models.

If you’re more interested in high art than high tide, check out the Getty Center, which offers much more than the 180-degree view. In the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, the Getty also boasts sleek architecture, gorgeous gardens and a diverse collection of Western art, including contemporary photography and classic works by Klimt, Van Gogh and others.

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Where to Detour

After sampling LA’s shops, museums, restaurants, nightclubs and theatres, you’ll need some perspective. Drive east on Interstate 10 and take State Route 62 north. About two hours (225 km) outside the city, you’ll arrive at Joshua Tree National Park. It covers 800,000 acres and includes parts of two deserts: the Mojave and Colorado. The higher Mojave (the park’s western half) is home to the rare and stately trees — they’re native to the southwest United States — which cut a stunning silhouette at sunset. Rock formations millions of years in the making give Joshua Tree an otherworldly feel and help make it a paradise for climbers, campers and birdwatchers. Hike the mile-long Hidden Valley and 1.3-mile Barker Dam trails, which prove that the only thing more beautiful than Los Angeles is the desert at its doorstep.

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