West Hollywood measures less than two square miles wedged between Hollywood and Beverly Hills, yet it’s packed with boutiques, galleries, restaurants, clubs and theaters. The population celebrates ethnic and lifestyle diversity, combining hipsters, immigrants and senior citizens; it’s accepting of virtually everyone. The city, often referred to as WeHo, includes the legendary stretch of Sunset Boulevard called the Sunset Strip, chic Sunset Plaza, trendy Melrose Avenue and stylish Robertson Boulevard. Santa Monica Boulevard is one of the liveliest stretches of historic Route 66, thanks to its thriving gay community. The CityLine (25 cents, 800.447.2189) runs Mon.–Sat. along Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards.

Sunset Plaza
Upscale boutiques line Sunset Boulevard between La Cienega and San Vicente boulevards; you’ll find free parking behind the storefronts. Consider this the city’s Euro hang; check out the collections at Catherine Malandrino, Leona Edmiston, Just Cavalli and the three H. Lorenzo shops. A lively outdoor cafe scene includes Le Petit Four, Chin Chin and Café Med. You’ll find platinum pampering at Ole Henriksen Face/Body Spa and Jessica Nail Clinic.

Sunset Strip
When the sun goes down, the action is on Sunset Boulevard between Doheny Drive and Crescent Heights Avenue.

The Strip is historically the city’s entertainment locus, with clubs such as The Roxy, Whisky a Go-Go and Rainbow Bar having boasted performances by the Doors, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley. The newly remodeled Andaz West Hollywood hotel is formerly known as Continental Hyatt House, aka the Riot House; Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Guns N’ Roses bunked there. Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable lived at the art deco landmark Sunset Tower Hotel, built in 1931. The mood at elegant Tower Bar fits right in at the historic hotel.

The party goes on. There’s the dimly lit Viper Room and the Key Club’s weekly tribute to ‘80s rock, Metal Skool. The faux ramshackle House of Blues books name acts and hosts a Sunday Gospel Brunch. Comedians including David Letterman and Robin Williams got their start at the Comedy Store. Swanky Skybar at the Mondrian admits hotel guests automatically; also at the hotel is the restaurant Asia de Cuba. Bar Marmont, adjacent to Chateau Marmont, is dreamily chic.

Don’t forget to look up: Sunset Strip is known for its billboards.

Design District
The Pacific Design Center, at San Vicente Boulevard and Melrose Avenue, is at the center of the city’s Avenues of Arts & Design; the district includes some 300 galleries and showrooms along Melrose Avenue and Beverly and Robertson boulevards. The center—itself distinctively designed—offers mainly upscale furnishings. It’s also home to the cubiform MOCA Pacific Design Center, satellite of downtown’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

Melrose Avenue
If Europeans influence L.A. on Sunset Plaza, L.A. influences the world on Melrose Avenue. It’s home base for the hip, where the trends begin. Choices include supercool consortium Fred Segal, upscale Maxfield, Diane Von Furstenburg and Paul Smith; farther east are Wasteland for vintage wear and indie boutiques with knockoffs and fast-fashion finds.

Just off Melrose Avenue is Melrose Place, L.A.’s chicest shopping street, where you’ll find the Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera and Marni boutiques.

Foodies head to Mario Batali’s Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza and to Suzanne Goin’s Lucques. Find some of L.A.’s best live comedy at The Improv and The Groundlings
theater. There’s more hip shopping around the corner on La Brea Avenue.

Robertson Boulevard
The sensibilities of Melrose Avenue and Rodeo Drive meet on Robertson Boulevard, where boutiques Steven Alan, Lisa Kline and Intermix are as hip as they get; the celebutante set goes to Kitson for posh bags and minidresses. Designers such as Tory Burch and Anya Hindmarch have outposts here; beauty boutiques include Kalologie.

Unwind at a number of upscale eateries including Michel Richard, and Ivy Restaurant, whose patio is paparazzi central for celebs seeking photo ops.

3rd and Beverly
West 3rd Street and Beverly Boulevard are first-rate destinations for boutique shopping and upscale dining between Robertson Boulevard and The Grove.

The two streets bracket the multistory Beverly Center, which is anchored by Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. H&M and Ed Hardy are big draws.

A hip restaurant row on Beverly Boulevard includes
French restaurant Pastis and Neil Fraser’s Grace; upscale boutiques include Beige and Eduardo Lucero’s atelier.

Fashion-forward boutiques on West 3rd Street east of the Beverly Center include House of Petro Zillia, Trina Turk and Satine; Polkadots & Moonbeams carries both vintage and current looks. Kitschy El Carmen bar adds to the street’s colorful character.

FAIRFAX DISTRICT
Historic Farmers Market offers some 100 open-air produce stalls, shops and restaurants at Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street. There are plenty of nooks in which to while away an afternoon, including a crêperie, a wine bar and a shop specializing in hot sauces. It’s hugely popular among locals.

Adjacent to the Farmers Market, The Grove, a retail-dining-entertainment center inspired by a grand old downtown, features stained-glass street lamps, a trolley, a multiplex movie theater and retailers such as Nordstrom, Michael Kors, Kiehl’s and Tommy Bahama. Rising stars and starlets are often spotted on weekends. Annually, The Grove tallies more visitors than Disneyland!

One mile south of The Grove is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), which boasts an exceptional collection of more than 150,000 works from around the world. The new Broad Contemporary Art Museum showcases nearly 180 works by contemporary artists including Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol. Adjacent to LACMA, you'll find the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, where the Ice Age comes alive.

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