Day Trips From LA: Catalina Island
LOS ANGELES Shopping
Los Angeles Shopping
Shopping in Los Angeles is a full time job in itself beyond all the sightseeing for those visiting the city. With them maze of freeways, traffic, neighborhoods and styles it can be difficult to pick out the best areas to shop. From the high end glamour of Rodeo Drive to the edgy, hip and punk look of Melrose Ave, LA has every taste and budget covered when it comes to shopping.
Rodeo Drive and Robertson Blvd hold the crown as being the most expensive and high end selections in town. Both offer every kind of store from the biggest names in fashion to the tiny boutiques that cater to movie stars. Rodeo definitely draws the tourist crowd more than Robertson. Several stores that are on Rodeo are also in Century City, Beverly Center and the 3rd Street Promenade. The store managers will always tell you that they carry different merchandise from one store to the next so that shopping on one by the beach will be different than shopping at the same store on Rodeo Drive.
The Beverly Center and Century City mall attract the local clientèle who tend to live in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood and be consumed with looking their best. The 3rd Street Promenade attracts a hybrid of out of towners and locals to the areas of Santa Monica, Brentwood and the Pacific Palisades.
Melrose Shopping District is for those looking to rock out and explore their wild side. This strip in the heart of Hollywood offers a variety of off the beat fashions that both locals and tourists alike enjoy.
The Grove offers some shopping but has also become a premier entertainment destination for those looking to check out the crowds and see what is in the store windows.
- If you follow the daily tabloids, you'll know Robertson Blvd is a hotbed for celebrity sightings and the paparazzi that chase them. Geared mostly to women, the Blvd is lined with upscale independent boutiques specializing in a variety of clothing lines and fashion accessories. Many of these stores are unique to Robertson, NY and London/Europe only. Definitely as sister shopping area to Rodeo Drive to the west.
- Situated in Hollywood and extending all the way west to West Hollywood, the Melrose district is divided into two areas, the edgy, punk-counter culture-tatoo lined and hard clothing stores east of Fairfax, and the more trendy, hip, in yet conservative names west of Fairfax. In addition numerous fun dining options line all of Melrose.
- Adjacent to Beverly Hills and located at the foot of high rises housing Hollywood's power players is the Century City Mall. A variety of shops that range from main stream retailers to local boutiques. An extensive food court and very high quality restaurant row as well. Very popular with the local LA crowd
- Just a block inland from the ocean, the 3rd Street Promenade offers a variety of shopping choices from hip, edgy and alternative to upscale business attire. In addition to the shopping there is a large number of dining choices and on weekends live performers take stage on the central walkways between shops
