Le Meridien Beverly Hills

Sunset Boulevard & The Sunset Strip
Unless you were raised in a cave, you've undoubtedly heard of L.A.'s Sunset Boulevard. The most famous of the city's many legendary boulevards, it winds dozens of miles over prime real estate as it travels from Downtown to the beach, taking its travelers on both a historic and microcosmic journey that defines Los Angeles as a whole -- from tacky strip malls and historic movie studios to infamous strip clubs and some of the most coveted zip codes on earth. In fact, driving the stretch from U.S. 101 to the Pacific should be a prerequisite for all first-time visitors because it provides so perfectly what L.A. is all about: instant gratification.Bam! From the start, you'll see the original CBS Studios, where The Jack Benny Show emanated; the Hollywood Palladium, where Lawrence Welk and the Dorsey Brothers performed; the Sahara Hotel, of many a movie shoot; the Guitar Center's Hollywood RockWalk, where superstars like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Santana, and the Van Halen brothers left handprints or signatures; the "Riot Hyatt," where The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Guns N' Roses crashed and smashed from the '60s through the '80s; and Chateau Marmont, where Greta Garbo lived and John Belushi died.Phew! And you've barely even started. Once you pass the Chateau Marmont, you're officially cruising the Sunset Strip -- a 1 3/4-mile stretch of Sunset Boulevard from Crescent Heights Boulevard to Doheny Drive. The tour continues with The Comedy Store, where Rosanne, Robin Williams, and David Letterman rose to stardom; Dan Aykroyd's ramshackle House of Blues, where the rock stars still show up for an impromptu show; Tower Records, the largest record store in the world; the Argyle Hotel, where Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and John Wayne once lived; the ultra-exclusive Skybar within the Mondrian hotel; Johnny Depp's Viper Room, where River Phoenix overdosed in 1993; Whisky A Go-Go, where The Doors were once a house band; and the Rainbow Bar & Grill, where Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Marley became legends.Once you emerge from the strip, things calm down considerably as you drive through the tony neighborhoods of Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, and Pacific Palisades. By the time you've reached the ocean you'll have seen a vivid cross-section of the city and a pretty good idea of what L.A. is all about.

The Arboretum of Los Angeles County
Tucked into the hillsides of the San Gabriel Mountains, this sprawling horticultural and botanical center was formerly the estate of silver magnate "Lucky" Baldwin -- the man responsible for bringing horse racing to Southern California -- who lived until 1909 on these lushly planted 127 acres overlooking the Santa Anita racetrack. You might recognize Baldwin's red-and-white Queen Anne cottage from the opening sequence of Fantasy Island ("de plane, de plane"); the gardens are also a favorite location for movie filming and local weddings. In addition to spectacular flora (every continent is represented here), the Arboretum boasts a bevy of resident peafowl who seem unafraid of humans -- one of the best treats here is being up close when the peacocks, attempting to impress passing hens, unfold their brilliant rainbow plumage. Avid gardeners will want to visit the nursery-like gift shop on the way out.

Paramount Pictures
Paramount is the only major studio still located in Hollywood, which makes the 2-hour cart tour around its Hollywood headquarters far more historically enriching than the modern studios in Burbank (even the wrought-iron gates Gloria Swanson motored through in Sunset Boulevard are still there) The tour is both a historical ode to filmmaking and a real-life, behind-the-scenes look at a working movie and television facilities in day-to-day operation; ergo, no two tours are alike, and chances of spotting a celebrity are pretty good. Visits typically include a walk-through of the soundstages of TV shows or feature films, though you can't enter while taping is taking place. The $35 tours (by advance reservations only) depart Monday through Friday on a first-come, first-served basis at10am, 11am, 1pm, and 2pm. You need to be at 12 or older to take the tour, and cameras and recording equipment are verboten. Tip: After the tour, have lunch at the Paramount Studio?s world-famous Commissary; you never know who might drop in for a bite, and the food?s pretty darn good.

Hilton Checkers Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles Financial District. Hotel is located between 5th and 6th streets on Grand Avenue. Within 5 minutes by taxi to Staples Center, Music Center (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion), Ahmanson Theater and Mark Taper Auditorium, Disney Concert Hall and Los Angeles Convention ...

W Los Angeles Westwood
Nearby Airports: * Santa Monica Airport - 5 Miles * Los Angeles International Airport - 9 Miles * Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport - 15 Miles * John Wayne-Orange County Airport - 45 Miles Nearby Cities: * Westwood - 1 Mile * West Los Angeles - 2 Miles * Beverly Hills - 3 Miles * Brentwood - 3 Miles * Century City - 3 Miles * West Hollywood - 6 Miles * Culver City - 7 Miles * Pacific Palisades - 7 Miles * ...

Holiday Inn LOS ANGELES-CITY CTR(CONV CTR)
The new destination in Los Angeles is Downtown, and in the center of it all is the Holiday Inn Los Angeles City Center. Across the street from the Staples Center (home of the Lakers, Clippers and Kings) and the Convention Center, within walking distance to the financial and cultural districts. Well appointed guestrooms, casual dining restaurant, relaxing lounge, outdoor pool and patio and exceptional service-all designed to make a difference in your stay. This hotel is committed ...