The City of Angels is having a moment. With new design-centric hotels, fashionable restaurants and perfect weather, it’s no wonder people are heading to the West Coast this year.
From new to classic, scroll down to discover where to stay, eat, shop and go in L.A.!
Where To Stay: Pendry West Hollywood
This Sunset Strip hotel features Art Deco–inspired spaces by celebrated interior designer Martin Brudnizki and restaurants by Wolfgang Puck . And if that pedigree isn’t enough, there’s also a rooftop pool and basement bowling alley in the hotel’s private members club, The Britely.
Photographer: Christian Horan Photography
Where To Stay: Shutters on the Beach
Perched right on the beach in Santa Monica, this stalwart feels more Cape Cod than L.A. — which is what makes it such a serene escape. We recommend an ocean-view room where you can practically touch the Pacific.
Photographer: Courtesy of Shutters on the Beach
Where To Eat: Lulu
From California icon Alice Waters and her longtime collaborator, chef Lulu David Tanis (both pictured), Lulu at the Hammer Museum is all about seasonal and sustainable cooking. The stunning indoor-outdoor space — think tile mosaics, reclaimed wood and sculptural lanterns — is not to be missed.
Photographer: Justin Chung
Where To Eat: The Tower Bar
The Tower Bar’s poolside dining area and dim, walnut-panelled interior at the top of the Sunset Tower Hotel is a visual and culinary ode to Old Hollywood glamour. It’s not unusual to spot industry power players sipping on perfectly crafted martinis or tucking into classics like Oysters Rockefeller.
Photographer: Courtesy of The Sunset Tower Hotel
What To See: The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
At the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax, the Renzo Piano–designed Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is a steel and glass UFO landed on Wilshire Boulevard. Inside, there are exhibits on the history of cinema, the Academy Awards, and a host of feature programming and events.
Photographer: Courtesy of The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
What To See: The Broad
When The Broad opened in 2015, it helped put downtown L.A. on the map for tourists. Home to one of the best collections of contemporary art anywhere in the world, the gallery currently has installations featuring Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat and, of course, Yayoi Kusama.
Photographer: Courtesy of The Broad
Where To Shop: King Kennedy Rugs
Mikael Kennedy (pictured) began collecting rugs on his travels as a fashion photographer. Eventually, he started sourcing them for major retail spaces, then selling them online and, finally, opening this appointment-only boutique (and gaining a cult following on Instagram along the way).
Photographer: Courtesy of King Kennedy Rugs
Where To Shop: Blackman Cruz
For more than two decades, Adam Blackman and David Cruz have been L.A.’s definitive tastemakers, sourcing rare furniture and objets from around the world. Their 9,500-square-foot showroom, housed in a former nightclub, is worth getting lost in amid the vintage club chairs and house-label accessories.