WeHo Design District

West Hollywood is a favorite spot among partying celebrities, but this hip little city also packs in a lifetime’s worth of dining experiences. From stripmall sushi to Old Hollywood haunts, West Hollywood has a cure for every craving.

Fashion and design are integral to the WeHo lifestyle, so it’s not surprising that some of the best food is served amidst stunning decor. Long-standing favorite Lucques from famed restaurateurs Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne serves French-inspired food in a gorgeous carriage house. Enjoy farm-fresh fare on Eveleigh’s ivy-covered patio. Lauded for its lobster rolls and oyster platters, Connie and Ted’s Restaurant is also a AIA Restaurant Design Awards finalist.

If people-watching is what you’re after, head to one of Innovative Dining Group’s West Hollywood Trifecta: ROKU, Katana (both serving imaginative Japanese cuisine), or BOA Steakhouse. Real Housewives Lisa Vanderpump’s SUR Restaurant & Lounge (featured on the series) and PUMP Restaurant offer eclectic cuisine with posh backdrops and almost-guaranteed reality-star sightings. For a taste of the L.A. glam-rock scene, try Rainbow Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip, a former hangout of ‘80s bands Poison and Mötley Crüe, serving American-Italian delights. Dan Tana’s also serves calamari fritti-esque fare, but with an Old Hollywood vibe.

Enjoy excellent eats minus the scene at one of the area’s hidden gems. In the eastside of West Hollywood (a neighborhood known fondly as Little Russia), Traktir boasts some of the tastiest borscht in the city, best enjoyed with a side of black bread and horseradish-infused vodka. Royal Gourmet Deli and Stolichnaya Bakery have all the caviar and piroshki your heart could desire. For a uniquely L.A. experience, get a ticket to raw fish heaven at Sushi Park. This unassuming storefront located in a shopping plaza serves a fixed-price omakase menu with exceptionally fresh and delicately prepared plates.

Santa Monica Boulevard has inspired decades of artists. From Nat King Cole’s “Route 66” to Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do,” the street has long been known as a place where one can have a very good time. Spanning nearly the entire city of Los Angeles, from West Hollywood to the Santa Monica Pier, there’s plenty of fun to be had exploring the boulevard.

Santa Monica Boulevard slices a horizontal line through the city, cutting through West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood, West Los Angeles, and Santa Monica. A drive down the boulevard is a great way to explore Los Angeles—and what better way to end any trip than to dip your feet in the Pacific at Santa Monica State Beach while you watch rollerbladers skate by on the boardwalk?

The cultural center of the street is its westbound terminus in West Hollywood. Here, the busy four-lane road becomes a walkable street full of fun shops, eclectic restaurants, and plenty of culture. Look for iconic Route 66 signs as well as neon artwork honoring the road’s rich history and outposts like Irv’s Burgers serving up delicious nostalgia. The Percent for Public Art initiative mandates that all new development include a form of public art (think sculptures, neon signs, and vibrant murals).

On the east end of the West Hollywood section sits Little Russia. Try the smoked fish and fresh blini from the local deli Kashtan, or unwind at Voda Spa’s traditional banya complete with a dry sauna and cold pool. The west end is the heart of Los Angeles’ vibrant LGBTQ neighborhood. Stop in for a drink at The Surly Goat or Saddle Ranch Chop House. During the day, take a moment to reflect along the West Hollywood Memorial Walk, which honors victims of HIV/AIDS. Rainbow flags and bronze plaques stand in quiet tribute.

This stylish West Hollywood Design District, roughly defined by the intersections of Melrose Avenue and Robertson and Beverly Boulevards, might be one of the best people-watching areas in Los Angeles. It’s where art and fashion aficionados, trend-setters, and in-the-know celebrities pull up in their Maseratis and duck into shops to search for edgy designs at high-end boutiques, including Moschino, Stella McCartney, and Christian Louboutin.

Also known as an L.A. apex of interior design, WeHo is home to more than 100 trade-only showrooms inside the Pacific Design Center. While some of the center’s stores sell only to design professionals, you can still browse the 1.6 million-square-foot multi-use space. Stop in the designLAb to see the latest exhibition at the rotating gallery, or simply wander the magnificent complex. Designed by influential Argentine-American architect César Pelli, the center consists of three notice-me glass buildings—one race-car red, one cobalt blue, and one forest green.

Dozens of surrounding shops offer one-of-a-kind home goods, apparel, furniture, beauty products, and gifts. Kelly Wearstler sells architecturally inspired women’s wear, jewelry, and home goods. Part gallery, part shop, Leica Store LA offers some of the most coveted photography equipment in the world, while Duroque, Niche, and Christopher Guy all sell high-end art pieces that also serve as functional furniture.

In line with the designer lifestyle, a strong coffee culture permeates the district. Grab a cold brew and an iced matcha croissant at Alfred Coffee in the Alley to better fuel your window shopping. Or sip a vanilla latte with a raspberry-pistachio doughnut from The Assembly as you enjoy the area’s handful of arresting outdoor murals.

There may be no greater concentration anywhere of the young, hip, and beautiful than in the bars and clubs of this infamous stretch of roadway. The 1.6-mile strip of Sunset Boulevard is situated in the lively city of West Hollywood and upholds that lively city's reputation as a nightlife hotspot.

From the heights of swank hotel rooftops like the Mondrian’s SkyBar and the Tower Bar at Sunset Tower Hotel, to the glam-grunge of rock clubs like The Viper Room and Whisky a Go Go, there’s a setting to suit your style and mood. In addition to venues that showcase artists ranging from indie singer/songwriters to major-label headliners, there are iconic comedy clubs such as The Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store. Or head to The Roxy—where Rocky Horror Picture Show premiered in 1974—for live music in an intimate, 500-capacity venue.

Grab a fireside cocktail at The Den on Sunset or pair a hand-selected Irish whiskey with sliders at Rock and Reilly’s Irish Pub before or after a show. Hotels aren’t just for sleeping—popular venues like Bar Marmont (at Chateau Marmont) and the super-secret Mmhmm cocktail bar at The Standard are sleek spots to see and be seen.

The Sunset Strip isn’t just rock and roll. Spend the afternoon shopping at Sunset Plaza, which contains more than 20 stores, like Armani Exchange and H&M. Book lovers, don’t miss the iconic Book Soup, L.A.’s largest independent bookstore, with floor-to-ceiling shelves that contain more than 60,000 titles, many of which are limited edition. The store hosts frequent author readings, so check its calendar to meet your favorite novelist or hear from up-and-comers.