Descanso Gardens
Camellias -- evergreen flowering shrubs from China and Japan -- were the passion of amateur gardener E. Manchester Boddy, who began planting them here in 1941. Today his 160-acre Descanso Gardens contain more than 100,000 camellias in more than 600 varieties, blooming under a canopy of California oak trees. The shrubs now share the limelight with a 9-acre International Rosarium, home to hundreds of varieties. This is a very relaxing place, with paths and streams that wind through the towering forest, bordering a lake, bird sanctuary, Japanese Garden & Tea House, and Boddy House art museum. Each season features different plants: daffodils, azaleas, tulips, and lilacs in the spring; chrysanthemums in the fall; and so on. Monthly art exhibits are held in the garden's hospitality house, and the Courtyard Café offers light meals daily from 10am to 3pm. Guided tram tours, which cost $2, run Tuesday through Friday at 1, 2, and 3pm; and Saturday and Sunday at 11am and 1, 2, and 3pm. Picnicking is allowed in specified areas.

California Science Center
A $130 million renovation -- reinvention, actually -- has turned the former Museum of Science and Industry into Exposition Park's newest attraction. Using high-tech sleight-of-hand, the center stimulates kids of all ages with questions, answers, and lessons about the world. One of the museum's highlights is Tess, a 50-foot animatronic woman whose muscles, bones, organs, and blood vessels are revealed, demonstrating how the body reacts to a variety of external conditions and activities. (Appropriate for children of all ages, Tess doesn't possess reproductive organs.) Another highlight is the new Air and Space Gallery, a seven-story space where real air- and spacecraft are suspended overhead.There are nominal fees, ranging from $2 to $5, to enjoy the science center's more thrilling attractions. You can pedal a bicycle across a high-wire suspended 43 feet above the ground (demonstrating the principle of gravity and counterweights) or get strapped into the Space Docking Simulator for a virtual-reality taste of zero gravity. There's plenty more, and plans for expansion are always in the works. The IMAX theater boasts a screen seven stories high and 90 feet wide, with state-of-the-art surround sound and 3-D technology. Films are screened throughout the day until 9pm and are nearly always breathtaking, even the two-dimensional ones.

Mulholland Drive
Los Angeles is the only major city in the world divided by a mountain range, and the road on top of this range is the famous Mulholland Drive. It travels 21 miles along the peaks and canyons of Hollywood Hills and the Santa Monica mountains, separating the Los Angeles basin from the San Fernando Valley. The winding road provides amazing views of the city (particularly at night) and offers many opportunities to pull over and enjoy the view 1,400 feet above sea level.Completed in 1924, it's named after William Mulholland, the engineer of the aqueduct connecting L.A. and the Valley. Yes, there are celebrities up in them thar hills -- Marlon Brando, Kevin Costner, Barney -- but you'll never find them, as most of the mansions are well hidden. You don't need to drive the whole road to get the full effect. From Cahuenga Boulevard (near the Hollywood Bowl), take the Mulholland Drive turnoff heading west. After a few miles, you'll see the scenic view area on your left. Park at the small paved parking lot (which closes at sunset), ooh and aah over the view of the L.A. basin, and then drive a few miles farther west until you spot the other scenic view area on your right (dirt this time) overlooking the Valley. The whole trip should take you less than an hour. Tip: Don't drive here after 3pm on the weekdays -- the rush hour traffic in this area is horrible. Also, no matter what your map says, there is no Mulholland Drive exit off of U.S. 101; you have to get on Cahuenga Blvd.

Miyako Hotel Los Angeles
Find the Spirit of Japan at the Miyako Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The handsomely appointed and spacious guest rooms feature all the comforts of being home while away from home. The decor of the 174 guest rooms brings a blend of Japanese elegant flair with the spacious contemporary comforts of home to make your stay more enjoyable. All rooms are equipped with complimentary high speed internet connections, in-room safe, work desk, coffee maker, iron and ironing boards, hairdryer, mini ...

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 * ...

Elan Hotel Modern
Vibrant, culturally balanced and perfectly located. Just steps from the Beverly Center, at the cutting edge of West Hollywood, where the world of entertainment and design meet to conduct business and expand pleasure. Neighborhood cafes invite one to linger. Antique shops and art galleries beckon to browse. The Pacific Design and Beverly Center just 2 blocks. The hub of Los Angeles Commerce and the incomparable "Sunset Strip" 1 1/2 miles. Uncluttered, soothing modern accommodations with a ...