City Guide to Los Angeles

By Lauren Elizabeth Campbell, Editor-in-Chief

Los Angeles is the largest city in California, with more than 100 cities and communities within its 500 square miles. As an epicenter for the world's entertainment, sports, fashion, and business industries, L.A. provides an open-minded, confident, and culturally diverse atmosphere making it one of the most sought-after places to live in the world. The miles of coastline, mountains, and deserts derive creativity from nature and a way to escape from the urban downtown. The city provides a sanctuary for artists looking to define themselves. This guide will help you navigate L.A. and its hidden treasures:

Stays

L.A. hotels are as unique as the city's residents. From uber-luxurious stays to boutique and themed hotels, L.A. has something for every type of traveler. Here are some of Rock & Roamer's top picks:

Sunset Tower Hotel

Established in 1929, Jeff Klein, a partner of New York City's Monkey Bar, bought the Sunset Tower Hotel in 2004. He then made it his mission to modernize "the lady," as he calls it, while keeping the character of the iconic art deco building - which is what he has done. The hotel has undergone several renovations to ensure it provides modern luxury in a chic and understated environment to guests in the heart of the Sunset Strip. A stay at the Sunset Tower is not complete without dining at The Tower Bar on the hotel's ground floor, housed in mobster Bugsy Siegel's former Sunset Tower apartment.

Farmer’s Daughter

If you are looking for Southern hospitality in the "City of Angels, " the Farmer's Daughter is the perfect boutique hotel. Surrounded by denim, plaid, hardwood floors, sweet tea, and welcoming staff, the Farmer's Daughter is where country meets comfort. Their onsite restaurant, Tart, keeps with the hotel's Southern charm by offering dishes such as chicken and waffles and shrimp n' grits, and is only a three-minute walk from The Original Los Angeles Farmers Market.

Freehand Hotel

Housed in L.A. 's historic 1920s Commercial Exchange Building is downtown's Freehand Hotel. The Freehand provides guests a retro, artsy vibe with clean, spacious rooms and a rooftop pool. It is a budget-friendly option that offers both private and shared rooms. Designed by the New York-based interior design studio Roman and Williams, walking into the Freehand, you expect to see your favorite writers and artists having a drink at the bar. The Freehand is a great place to meet new people and for artists to gather.

Chateau Marmont

If you want to splurge, West Hollywood's Chateau Marmont is the chicest location to stay in L.A. Inspired by the French castle Loire Valley, the hotel sits on a hill overlooking Sunset Boulevard. Built as L.A. 's first earthquake-proof apartment building, the structure transitioned to a hotel in 1927 and has become an iconic L.A. institution because of its old Hollywood history. Due to its strict security and no photo policy of guests, it is also a safe haven for stars to avoid paparazzi and socialize in peace. Harry Cohn, a co-founder and president of Columbia Pictures Corporation, once said, "If you must get into trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont. " Last year, the hotel owner, André Balazs, announced plans to convert the Chateau Marmont to a members-only hotel, so if a stay at the Chateau Marmont is on your bucket list book now!

Music

Home to the major labels, the iconic Capitol Records Tower, and your favorite music artists themselves, L.A. has everything a music lover could want. Here are three L.A. music icons you can’t leave town without visiting:

Hollywood Bowl

Surrounded by the Hollywood Hills, the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater is a 17,500 person venue owned by L.A. County. The Hollywood Bowl serves as the summer home to the L.A. Philharmonic and the year-round home to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, managed by the L.A. Philharmonic Association. The iconic venue also hosts a variety of concerts, film screenings, and musicals each year. Everyone from Kanye West to Tom Petty has played the Hollywood Bowl. The venue, constructed with acoustic fiberglass spheres, has optimum sound, making it a favorite location for artists to perform and for fans to attend.

Hotel Café

The Hotel Café gives a stage to singer/songwriters wanting to make it big and well-known artists such as John Mayer, Adele, and Sara Bareilles an interested, intimate audience. Located in a small alley off the Cahuenga Boulevard Strip, the Hotel Café began when two young writers decided to open a coffee shop in an abandoned alley storefront below a hotel. The coffee shop became a music venue when singer/songwriter Gary Jules, known for his Tears for Fears cover of "Mad World, " rode by on his bicycle and noticed a piano in the coffee shop's window. Jules convinced the owners to give him a Tuesday night residency. Singer/songwriters have been trickling into the venue ever since. However, if you go to a Hotel Café show today, stop at Groundwork Coffee Company down the street for your coffee fix as they have stopped serving food and coffee.

GRAMMY Museum

Located next to the Staples Center, where the GRAMMY Awards are hosted each year, is the Recording Academy's GRAMMY Museum, an interactive, educational museum experience devoted to the history and winners of the GRAMMY Awards. Learn how artists go from the recording studio to the GRAMMY stage, hear how your favorite artists sound on an actual gramophone, pose on the GRAMMY red carpet, and see actual GRAMMY Awards up close and personal.

Culture

L.A. has the benefits of a big city while being surrounded by beautiful beaches, mountains, valleys, and deserts to escape. With yearround good weather and a health-conscious mindset, outdoor recreation is a priority to Angelenos, who on rainy days can be found inside one of L.A. 's many world-renowned museums. Take advantage of all L.A. has to offer, and explore these activities like a local:

J. Paul Getty Museum

Commonly known as The Getty, the museum component of the multi-billion dollar Getty Trust encompasses the world's wealthiest art institution. The Getty has two locations, the Getty Center in Brentwood and the Getty Villa Museum in Pacific Palisades. The Getty Center features art collections from the Middle Ages to today, surrounded by beautiful gardens and modern architecture. The Getty Villa Museum features Greek and Roman antiquities housed in a re-created Roman country home. Admission to both museums is free.

Hiking

Take advantage of L.A. 's beauty by hiking one of the city's many trails. Runyon Canyon Park provides 160-acres of natural beauty along the park's West and East Trails. It is one of the trendiest hiking areas in L.A., "the see and be seen trail" of L.A. 's hiking community. Access the park from N Fuller Avenue, N Vista Street, or Mulholland Drive. For a distinctly L.A. experience, hike to the top of the Hollywood Sign. Several trails will get you there, but the Wonder View Trail is arguably the best. To take this hike, park on Lake Hollywood Drive and walk up the street to Wonder View Drive to the end, where the trailhead starts. A sign warns there is no access to the Hollywood Sign, but that is only true if traveling by car. For more secluded hikes, try one of the many trails in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood or in Malibu.

Surf Malibu

Surfers come from all over the world for the Californian waters for a reason. With nearly 300 days of sunshine a year, consistent year-round waves, and a legendary surf history, Malibu provides a playground to surfers and a place for beginners to learn. The iconic Malibu Surfrider Beach, located inside Malibu Lagoon State Beach, is a surfer’s paradise and a great place to learn how to catch a wave.

Rollerskating

Much like surfing, rollerskating is a quintessential L.A. sport. Angelenos have been skating along the pacific coastline since the invention of metal-wheeled boots. The best place to skate is by the beach while you are enjoying the year-round warm weather. Head to Venice or Santa Monica and rent some skates. From there, travel to the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, or what locals call "The Strand, " a paved 22-mile path that runs along the L.A. County coastline from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance County Beach. Spend a couple of hours taking in the sun and people-watching skating on The Strand before taking a dip in the ocean.

Farmers Markets

Angelenos are known for their sustainable, healthy eating, and their farmer’s markets match this lifestyle. To shop where the chefs do, head to the Santa Monica Farmers Market held every Wednesday and Saturday on Arizona Avenue year-round, rain or shine. It claims to be SoCal’s largest certified groweronly market and hosts more than 75 farmers selling fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, meats, flowers, and processed farm products.

Marijuana

Go to Georgia for your peaches, but head to a California legal recreational marijuana dispensary for your weed. Cannabis is legal here, and you don't need to meet a sketchy dealer to find it. Whether it is your first time trying weed or you are a seasoned user, Sweet Flower is a great dispensary to shop. They have four locations around L.A. that look and feel more like a luxury boutique than a marijuana dispensary. The highly knowledgeable and approachable staff can help you find what you're looking for with their diverse selection of brands, including BIPOC-owned businesses such as Roots and Pure Beauty.