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Just last week I went to Los Angeles for the first time with my cousin! When two girls get together you can bet your bottom dollar we’re gonna sniff out the fun things to do and the chic places, so I’m recapping our trip and wanted to put together this little guide on things to do in LA that would be perfect for a girl’s trip or weekend!
The Chic Girl’s Guide to LA
To Stay
Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The Millennium Biltmore is a hotel like no other! Built in the 1920s, it’s a stunning place to stay with incredible architecture. It’s a 4-star hotel with history and luxury around every corner.
The Biltmore used to host the Oscars back in the day. Tons of movies were filmed here as well, such as A Star is Born, Ghostbusters, National Treasure, and about 50 other tv shows, movies, and music videos! In fact, Warner Bros was filming in the exquisite bar as we were staying here. Now I just gotta wait about 3 years to see what movie that was haha!
This hotel is located downtown and from my understanding, the downtown area used to not be so good, but it’s come a long way in the past 7 years. I always felt safe FYI!
Getting Around
In my opinion, Uber is really the most convenient way to get around! You don’t have to worry about parking or bus schedules. I’m usually a “say hi to me then leave me alone for the rest of the trip” type of person, haha, but for the most part, people were really friendly and had such interesting stories. There were 3 conversations that really stuck out to me during this trip.
One guy was trying to convince me to move here by telling me that “anything is possible”. I didn’t quite follow his whole story, to be honest, but he got an in with a rich person that led to another connection and next thing he knew he was working for the designer Max Aria and jetting with Linda Evangelista (the supermodel) to New York and back. I quite like my little house in Iowa (at times haha) so I don’t want to move there, but if you’re reading this and thinking about it, maybe this is your sign!
Another uber driver was telling me stories of the celebrities he’s shuttled around (such as Noah Cyrus- Miley’s little sister), the experiences he’s had (like dropping someone off at Eddie Murphy’s house), and how he used to manage a restaurant on Sunset Boulevard and after time you don’t even recognize celebrities because they’re “normal people”. Stars, they’re just like us! 😉
And finally, our last uber that was bringing us to the airport told me I was sitting in the same spot where he just picked up Mandy Moore last week! He also drove around Tom Hanks (who is apparently the nicest guy ever) and even picked up Lady Gaga’s friends at her house. He said Lady Gaga’s house has the most security he’s ever seen!
Celebrity stories aside, I think having the right expectations helps. As you may know, LA is very spread out and traffic is terrible. It took 79 minutes to go 16 miles one trip. Yeah, yikes. At times I felt like I was doing more driving than exploring, but that’s just the way it is and it helps to keep that in mind when planning!
Eat
The Ivy
113 N Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
You get champagne while you wait, so that should be your first clue as to what type of place this is! Tucked away in a spot you wouldn’t expect, it’s small and charming with beautiful flowers and lemons everywhere.
The cheapest entree is around $25 and going up to $120+. So yes, pretty pricey, but I think the experience is worth it. The food was pretty delish and who knows, with this being a celebrity hot spot, you may just dine with one!
They say reservations are a must, but they seemed pretty accommodating to walk-ins. Just in case, make a reservation!
Perch
448 South Hill Street Los Angeles, CA 90013
A French-inspired restaurant with amazing views, you can’t say no to a place that has twinkly lights, rooftop seating, and quiet mood music.
This is definitely more of a fine dining place, as some of the words on the menu I couldn’t pronounce or even understand haha. I got a pasta dish and it was good! But then again, you can’t go wrong with pasta.
Expect to pay around $30+ for an entree. They also say reservations are required, but we didn’t know and were still seated. You should make one just in case if you really want to go here!
Perch Restaurant also owns the Perch Rooftop bar (read more under drink).
Chateau Marmont
8221 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Another celebrity hot spot (there was an Oscar party hosted here), this place feels like a castle in a different world!
We went for breakfast and this place is on the more expensive side ($9 for cold cereal as a reference), but it’s good. My cousin said their orange juice was the best she’s ever had! Indoor dining feels like you’re in a castle and the outdoor dining looks like the chicest of chic cafes!
Ladurée
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
I love this place in Paris, and now I love it here too. Though small, it is just so stunning inside! And the macaroons are mmm so good. Pick up a couple treats with an espresso for a little afternoon break.
This place is in The Grove (more under shopping), so you can knock out a couple of things at once!
Drink
Perch Rooftop Bar
448 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
I felt like a hot shot going to this place! The building is pretty nondescript, like a secret club, and when you enter the building someone leads you to an elevator who leads you to another elevator, where a beautiful rooftop bar is waiting for you with amazing views! Drinks will cost you $15, but it’s worth it to just have one, sit in the sun, take in the views, and listen to some live music.
Alfred Tea Room & Alfred Coffee
tea- 705 N Alfred St, Los Angeles, CA 90069
coffee- 8428 Melrose Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Alfred Tea Room is all pink and oh so cute! You can get baked goods here too.
If you’re not a tea person, just take a short walk to Alfred Coffee. Be prepared to wait for your coffee though, because this place is hopping! I got an Americano and though a basic drink, I really liked it. Prices weren’t much crazier than Starbucks, though they do have a $10 latte which is called as such! I mean, are there gold flakes in there or something??
Crepes De Paris
Prominade Towers, 123 S Figueroa St #122, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Though we ate here for breakfast, I’m putting this under a place to get a cup of coffee because I gotta admit, despite high ratings, the crepes weren’t that good. But the atmosphere is really cute so I thought it at least deserved an honorable mention!
Shopping
The Grove
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Some locals would probably tell you to skip The Grove because it’s a touristy spot, but honestly, I loved this place! It’s an outdoor shopping mall that is so cute and almost feels like a movie set. They have stores ranging from Barneys to Topshop and though I didn’t shop, I enjoyed just looking around at everything. Cute outdoor cafes, fountains, and twinkly lights all set the atmosphere!
The Original Farmers’ Market
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036
This place can go under both shopping and eating, but either way, it’s a must do/see. Tucked right next to The Grove, it’s a huge outdoor shopping market of food, cafes, desserts, and a little shopping. Though locals may skip The Grove, they definitely go here! Whether you’re in the mood for authentic New Orleans food, homemade lemonade, or Italian food, you’ll find all that and more here! It may seem small, but it keeps going and going and you could make your way around the world without ever leaving this spot!
Melrose Avenue
Maybe you’ll actually buy, maybe you won’t (high-end places like Oscar De La Renta). But this street is full of shopping, cafes, restaurants, and cute things to look at!
This avenue also has some of those instaworthy photo ops, such as the Made in LA and pink Paul Smith walls!
Do
Santa Monica Beach
Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90401
To be honest, I think you can skip the pier, or at least not stay long unless you’re really into overpriced souvenirs, small rides, or people hassling you for money.
But no trip to LA is complete without a visit to the beach! There’s a scenic path for you to walk or bike ride to Venice. My cousin and I started this and during walking, we thought we must be there soon because we were really tired, only to realize we were still closer to Santa Monica than we were Venice haha. So, in all honesty, we didn’t finish the walk, but maybe you have more stamina than us! 😉
Sunset Boulevard
Also the Sunset Strip, this is one of the most iconic things to do! Whether you want to eat, drink, or just look around, this is an LA must!
Full of boutiques, restaurants, and nightclubs, there’s something for everyone!
I was there for maybe 2 full days and that’s not nearly enough time to do everything, but even a week wouldn’t be enough time!
This is a place you would definitely want to keep coming back to again and again and discover something new each time.
Pin this post to save it for your next girl’s trip! 🙂
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