Los Angeles Vacations

With Los Angeles weather, it is hard to find a bad time to go to L.A. and rates are competitive year-round. Get in on the action during peak season (June to September) when the beach is full, the temperatures range from the 70s and into the 90s, and dinner reservations are key. March and April, and October through November bring mild temps and sunny skies, as well as late fall's cool Santa Ana winds.

But if tourists and sunshine aren't a concern, visit during winter (December to March) when rain is common, and the scene is a little more laid-back (exception: the awards ceremonies). And to fill your itinerary with celeb spotting, start with the Golden Globes in mid-January to late February, and the Oscars in late February or March. (Television lovers, the Emmys are in late summer.)

Work your artsy mojo at Saturday Nights at the Getty. This Bel Air hilltop museum curates quite a party with music, dance, theatre and spoken-word events.

Make friends with the ocean's ultimate predators at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Touch bamboo sharks and see sandtigers and sting rays as they swim by. Swap stories over beer, wine and snacks.

Forget the malls - shake up your shopping routine at Manhattan Beach's first Friday event. Check out trunk shows, snag deals in funky restaurants and boutiques, and dig those ocean views.

Get on the right side of the tracks – this innovative restaurant pairs incredible architecture with creative eats and a California-focused wine list.

This film siren restaurant is filled with Mandarin glamour. If you can't stay for dinner, slink into the lounge for late-night jazz and signature Blood and Sand cocktails.

Sunset boulevard, the Hollywood sign and its famous city still leaves visitors star-struck. See which celebrities have gold star status on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and compare your hand and foot prints with screen legends outside Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Bring your little mermaids to Ariel's Undersea Adventure, and Padawans to Jedi Training Academy. Join the Disney Princesses and fanfare down Main Street USA at Mickey's Soundsational Parade.

Get into blockbuster thrills. Go behind-the-scenes on the legendary Studio Tour to explore where Hollywood movies are made. Get an insider’s peek at sets from your favorite movies and TV shows. Experience raging dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, and King Kong 360 3-D.

Grab a vitamin-packed juice and join the cast of characters. Check out the break dancers, mimes and seriously buff bods on Muscle Beach. Have your name written on a grain of rice, get a (temporary) tattoo, then take a dip in the Pacific Ocean.

Nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains (near the 405), this 110-acre museum is famed for its art collection, grounds and view. From Etruscan antiquities to Man Ray photographs, you can also see the LA skyline, San Bernardino Mountains and Pacific Ocean. Plus admission is free.

This carnival of to-dos is best known for its historic 1922 carousel. Take the tykes to the amusement park or the aquarium beneath the eastern deck of the pier. Sign up for a class at the trapeze school, or just unwind with cocktails and watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

This three-block stretch of retail nirvana will test your (credit card) limits. Chanel and Cartier may play coy, but Agent Provocateur and Gucci will unapologetically seduce. If haute couture doesn't faze you, it just might be the celebrity you swore you saw go into Prada.

The park, occupying more than 4,200 acres in the eastern Santa Monica Mountain range, features the Griffith Observatory, Greek Theatre and the L.A. Zoo. Or experience the outdoors with a picnic, hiking or horseback riding.

The Grove, an open-air retail and entertainment center, became The Place to Be in Los Angeles. Hear the glockenspiel coo-coo from the dome, shop Grove Main Street and catch the latest film. Watch the animated fountain show, and hop the trolley to the Farmer's Market.

Peer into LA's cruising culture on this 1.5-mile stretch in West Hollywood. From the Comedy Store to The Standard, and House of Blues to SkyBar, cruise your way through the stream of glittering Angelinos, billboards and rock history.

Bright lights, big city—the entertainment capital of the world is a sprawling oasis of more than 80 neighborhoods from the Pacific Ocean to the Hollywood Hills, where those seeking fame and fortune come to be discovered. A visit to the City of Angels arguably isn’t complete without at least a celebrity sighting or two, coupled with time spent at its beautiful Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice beaches. But unlike young Hollywood starlets who have tampered with their epidermal layers, La-La Land holds some surprises beneath its surface. Los Angeles is home to many important museums, from the Museum of Tolerance to the Getty Center, which also is a centerpiece of the area’s impressive architecture collection. Head to the La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park to see oil seep up from the ground in a reminder of what initially drew people to the West, hoping to make their overnight fortune. But most visitors on an LA vacation come for the great weather; visits to Universal Studios, Disneyland in nearby Anaheim and other theme parks; the city’s culinary and nightlife offerings; and, of course, the shopping. LA offers something for everyone—top luxury stores on Rodeo Drive, glass gallerias and vertical malls made famous in 1980s movies, local designer boutiques, vintage shops and weekend flea markets. Those seeking a bit of old Hollywood to take back home with them won’t be disappointed.

AOL Travel’s Los Angeles Guide

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