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Harriot Manley/ Sunset Publishing
Long Beach
Long Beach
Experience the many sides of a dynamic coastal city
With beaches and marinas along its waterfront and a busy dining and shopping scene on downtown’s Pine Avenue, Long Beach blends big city sophistication with resort town fun. Tour the legendary, permanently docked ocean liner Queen Mary, then relax with a drink in the ship’s Observation Bar—you can even stay overnight in one of the ship’s cabins. Also along the waterfront, outstanding Aquarium of the Pacific has huge tanks and displays featuring coral reefs, Magellanic penguins, and other ocean habitats. For beach-town style, head to the Belmont Shore neighborhood. East Village, home of the Museum of Latin American Art, has an edgier, hipster vibe.
Ryan Killackey
Southern California
Southern California
Discover Los Angeles County
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See a movie star. Sip a cocktail on a rooftop bar at sunset. Slip on a pair of designer shoes in an ultra-luxurious boutique in Beverly Hills. Play at Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, explore world-class museums, or dance the night away in a starlet-filled club. Welcome to California’s liveliest city, entertainment capital of America, with megastar wattage and nonstop activities.
“You know, you’re really a nobody in L.A. unless you have a really big door.” –comedian Steve Martin
The main hub is the City of Los Angeles, with legendary Hollywood northwest of downtown, the San Fernando Valley to the east, and the inviting beaches of Santa Monica and Malibu to the west.
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Spotlight: Los Angeles
Bright lights, A-list celebrities & diverse culture
Welcome to the bright lights and big-city allure of California’s largest metropolis. Here, A-list celebrities really do walk the sidewalks, triple...
Xavier Arnau/Getty Images
5 Amazing Things to Do in Venice Beach
Explore quirky Venice Beach, from Muscle Beach to Abbot Kinney shopping and Tito’s Tacos
This unique Los Angeles County beach town has sand, surf, and a lot of local colour. No doubt, many consider Venice Beach to...
Vacationland
5 Amazing Things to Do in Beverly Hills
This iconic destination delivers on the promise of glamour, luxury, amazing shopping, and even celebrity spotting
Think of the lifestyles of the rich and famous and chances are that Beverly Hills...
Amanda Friedman
The California Questionnaire: Mario Lopez
The TV host, actor, author, podcaster, and Golden State enthusiast shares a few of his favourite things
Mario Lopez fondly recalls the family trips he took as a child—to see the woods and waterfalls of...
SPECIAL FEATURE
All around L.A. County, shoppers can find today’s trends at amazing prices
Homegrown Los Angeles fashion runs the gamut from red-carpet-ready looks by Rodarte to slouchy, soft T-shirts by James Perse, which makes this county...
Hero Images/Getty Images
Walter Bibikow/Getty Images
La Brea Tar Pits
Find fossils and family-friendly fun at this prehistoric excavation site
Your idea of old may be 100, but that will undoubtedly change after you spend several hours at the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum. You will learn...
"The Squaw Man" was filmed in 1913, and was the first feature-length film made in Hollywood.
January
The iconic Tournament of Roses in Pasadena is the city’s annual one-two punch: a parade and a football game. It’s California’s way of celebrating the New Year with a twin display of flower power...
Pauline Cheng/Flickr
Neil Kremer/ Flickr
Spotlight: Hollywood
Showbiz, celebrities, & endless possibilities
Tinseltown, where starlets are discovered on every street corner (or at least we like to think they are), and the tinted windows of that stretch...
David Sprague/Universal Studios Hollywood
Spotlight: Universal Studios Hollywood
Movie magic, mega attractions
SPECIAL FEATURE
The actor’s favorite things to do around the Golden State
On HBO’s Silicon Valley, Martin Starr plays Bertram Gilfoyle, a pompous computer programmer who specializes in deadpan putdowns. But the Santa Monica-born actor, a veteran of cult TV...
Emily Shur
Harriot Manley/Sunset Publishing
North Hollywood
Experience a different Hollywood just north of Tinseltown
From bustling Hollywood Boulevard, it’s less than 10 minutes to North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts...
Laura Flippen
Celebrity Spotting
Where to see stars in Hollywood
Stargazing takes on a different meaning in Tinseltown. While there’s no guarantee you’ll spy a familiar face when you’re here, there are some...
Courtesy of Visit West Hollywood
West Hollywood
A designer’s dream with shops, architecture, and style
West Hollywood has been dubbed “The Creative City,” and for good reason. Bordering Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, “Weho” is where fashion and the...
Pascal Shirley
WeHo Design District
Get trendy in a fashion-forward neighbourhood
This stylish West Hollywood Design District, roughly defined by the...
Courtesy of West Hollywood
Sunset Strip Nightlife
Welcome to L.A.’s home of rock ‘n’ roll
Few roads have as much history as this 2-mile-/3.2-km-long section of Sunset Boulevard, bounded by Havenhurst Drive and Doheny Drive. In the 1960s...
For me, returning to Los Angeles annihilates the memories of where I have just been with an astonishing speed.
May 11 - May 20
May
The multistage, 575-mile Amgen Tour of California is the largest cycling event in North America, and every May the course brings...
Courtesy of Chris Burden/Museum Associates/LACMA
LA Museums
See masterpieces and innovative contemporary works
With its diverse collection of museums, Los Angeles has grown into one of the world’s great cities for art lovers. From the dramatically modern...
Thomas H. Story/ Sunset Publishing
Malibu
Explore a fabled beachfront town with real star power
Stretching for more than 30 miles along the Pacific and Highway One, Malibu has achieved...
Sharon Mollerus/ Flickr
Los Angeles County Shopping
Go boutique to bargain in one of the world’s fashion (and shopping) capitals
You’ll definitely want to leave room in your suitcase for L.A. shopping.
If you’re ready to whip out the platinum card, head to Rodeo Drive...
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Make memories at some of California's family-favorite beaches
Sand, water, and kids—it’s a natural combination for easy family fun. This sandy dozen offers appealing, family-friendly features, such as calm water for new swimmers, tide pools for intrepid...
Alex Farnum
Joakim Lloyd Raboff
Spotlight: Santa Monica
Visit the perfect sunny strip for sand, surf, and shopping
This oceanfront city, bounded by a 3½-mi/5½-km-long beach, feels like a weekend getaway spot even though it’s only 15 miles/24 kilometers west of...
SPECIAL FEATURE
Farm-fresh produce, culinary adventures
Juicy heirloom tomatoes and just-picked strawberries. Super-sweet peaches shaped like mini Ufos. Artisanal cheeses, emerald-green olive oils, local wildflower honey—California’s farmers’ markets...
Laura Flippen
SPECIAL FEATURE
Check these amazing experiences off your bucket list
Kiss a beluga, see cool movie props, and learn about Walt’s secret hideaway on exclusive and behind-the-scenes tours at California’s theme parks and attractions. Here’s a roundup of worth-the-...
Michael Saechang/Flickr
Beverly Hills
Peek into the land of the rich and famous
Opulent estates. Palm-lined Rodeo Drive. Lavish hotels and stretch...
SPECIAL FEATURE
World-class accommodations in world-class locations
Head to the heart of California’s cities for luxurious stays at world-class accommodations. From San Francisco’s historic hotels to celebrity hot spots in Hollywood and Beverly Hills, California’s...
Lynn Gately/Flickr
SPECIAL FEATURE
Where to release your inner fashionista
Shopping is an art form in California. Whether you're in search of the perfect cocktail dress or an authentic Mexican piñata, you'll find it here. Want to sample fresh produce? Try our farmers...
Harriot Manley/Sunset Publishing
Spotlight: Santa Catalina Island
Island retreat, seafood dinners
With its swaying palms, white-sand beaches, warmest water in summer, and melt-your-heart sunsets, Santa Catalina stands out as pretty-much-perfect...
SPECIAL FEATURE
Taste the delicious dishes from these amazing California chefs
From a candy-colored pastry shop to Michelin-starred dining rooms, top restaurants run by celebrity chefs dot the Golden State. And even if you don’t know these chefs from the TV...
Jen Judge
Venice
Surfers, skateboarders, and stars
Venice is the ultimate L.A. neighborhood where the surf meets the human circus. Spend a day along Venice’s palm-lined, beachfront boardwalk and...
SPECIAL FEATURE
Discover quintessential sun and fun at these coastal charmers
Take one part water, one part sand, one part sun-soaked coastal charm, and you’ve got the recipe for some of California’s most appealing destinations. The Golden State’s beach towns stand out for...
Lucas Himovitz
Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles
L.A.'s Poshest Spas
Champagne tastes and caviar treatments
In Tinseltown, one would expect an abundance of extravagant spas, and the city does not disappoint. Treat yourself to an experience of ultimate...
Jen Judge
L.A. Architecture
See eye-catching icons and stately landmarks
While Los Angeles is still a young city when compared to places like, say, Rome, it still boasts a unique architectural tradition that spans a...
Lancaster's Civic Musical Road is the only "musical" or "singing" road in the United States.
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Hands-on fun for all at farms, ranches, and fields statewide
From almonds and olives up north to avocados, oranges, and dates in South, the Golden State has a crop (or 10) for nearly every stretch of terrain. After all, ...
Tai Power Seeff
February or March
You certainly won’t be the only one celebrating the Lunar New Year at this colorful event in L.A.’s Chinatown. Join thousands of revelers lining the parade route as lion dancers and giant dragons...
Jorge Gonzalez/Flickr
SPECIAL FEATURE
Unleash the kid within at California’s ultimate playgrounds
From Disneyland classics to beachfront carousels, the Golden State’s best-in-class theme parks deliver something for everyone. Take a tram ride to tour movie back lots at Universal Studios...
Lucas Himovitz
Walter Bibikow/Getty Images
La Brea Tar Pits
Find fossils and family-friendly fun at this prehistoric excavation site
Your idea of old may be 100, but that will undoubtedly change after you spend several hours at the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum. You will learn...
Courtesy of MasterChef Australia
Great L.A. Food Trucks
Tacos, grilled cheese, and health food all live in harmony on the streets of Los Angeles
From gourmet chefs experimenting with tacos to funky ice cream sandwiches, you might be surprised what you can find on the streets of L.A. Food...
Carol M. Highsmith/Getty Images
Pasadena
Tour an Arts and Crafts masterpiece and more, in the home of the Rose Bowl
Set at the base of the towering San Gabriel Mountains, Pasadena is best known as the home of the annual Tournament of Roses Parade and the...
Watch celebrity chefs in action at this annual event in downtown Los Angeles
If you’re a foodie, your definition of “celebrity sighting” in Los Angeles has little to do with movie stars. Instead, the annual All-...
Bernstein Associates/Getty Images
Lightvision/Getty Images
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
Visit in spring for breathtaking displays of California’s state flower
Come springtime, get ready for an eye-popping show—staged by Mother Nature—in the far northeast corner of L.A. County. In the remote hills west of...
The genus of the state’s official flower, the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is named in honor of Dr. J. F. von Eschscholtz, a surgeon and naturalist who explored the California coast with Russian expeditions from 1815 to 1818.
Discover the Deserts
If this incongruous structure in the desert reminds you of an Old West cowboy movie, your memory serves you well. Back in 1946, when the public couldn’t get enough of...
Discover the North Coast
Klamath is so far north that many people assume this tiny town is in Oregon, not California. Set along its namesake river 40 miles...
Spotlight: Yosemite National Park
Known for its plunging waterfalls, giant sequoia trees, sheer granite cliffs, and more, you could easily spend weeks exploring Yosemite National Park. The park has a...