48 Hours in Los Angeles: Where to Go & What to Do

My family and I like to use the time between Christmas and New Year’s to experience a new destination, while spending time together as a family. And when it comes to family travel, lately we have been interested in exploring more of the West Coast. Here are some of the highlights from our recent trip to Los Angeles to make any future planning of visiting the large, spread out city a little bit easier.

48 Hours in Los Angeles

Where to Stay: The Montage Beverly Hills

Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, The Montage was named the No. 1 hotel by Conde Nast Traveler. It’s only 30 minutes away from LAX, and due to its location, it’s a short walk from Rodeo Drive and many upscale boutiques for when you’re ready to shop. The hotel also includes a rooftop pool and restaurant that has a clear and scenic view of the Hollywood Hills.

Want to spend a day full of relaxation? Head to Spa Montage, the hotel’s two-level 20,000-square-foot spa that even has a heated magnesium-infused relaxation pool. The best part? You can use any of Spa Montage’s pools and amenities without having to pay for a service.

The Montage Beverly Hills is an ideal place to stay due to its proximity to shopping and its scenic views. Image: Yelp

Enjoy the California sun — or some cabana shade — at the rooftop pool at The Montage.

Where to Eat

Georgie

For breakfast each morning, we ate at Georgie. Owned by Chef Jeffrey Zukarian (from Food Network’s “The Kitchen” and “Cook vs. Con”), Georgie offers everyone’s feel good breakfast favorites — French toast, waffles, omelets, frittata … the list goes on! But if you miss the breakfast hours, lunch and dinner are also served at Georgie.

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We dined at Georgie for breakfast each day (yes, it’s that good), but they also serve lunch and dinner as well.

Wolfgang Puck’s Spago

On our first evening in Beverly Hills, we headed to celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, Spago. This long-time, much-lauded restaurant allows guests to sit outside in a lush, enclosed terrace, or you can be seated inside, surrounded by his curated pieces of art. According to the servers at Spago, the most popular dish on the menu is a $155 pizza. The reason for the hefty price tag? Freshly shaved, imported truffle is the star ingredient. Spago is the perfect place to get a taste of the Beverly Hills lifestyle while enjoying a delicious meal.

Madeo

For traditional Italian food, head to Madeo. Located in West Hollywood, Madeo is decorated in a way that makes you feel like you’re in an old Hollywood film and you are bound to see a star any second. From home-fired pizzas to pastas and seafood, there’s something for everyone in your party.

What to Do

The Broad Museum

There is a plethora of art museums in LA, but we headed to The Broad Museum. We primarily went because we got tickets to the coveted Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors exhibit, which isn’t showing at the museum anymore, but definitely be sure to head to The Broad as the architecture of the building is stunning, and Eli Broad’s collection of art is fun, punchy and bright.

The Broad Museum offers a collection of bright and enjoyable art.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour

For “Full House,” “Ellen” and DC Comic Fans alike, the Warner Brothers Studio Tour is a must. Tour guides drove us on golf carts around the Warner Brothers campus, where we were able to see movie sets and sound stages from features and shows like LA LA Land, “Friends,” Batman and “The Big Bang Theory.” We also learned about the process of producing some of the world’s most popular films and television. If you are a fan of the sitcom “Friends” or a longtime lover of Looney Tunes, this is the tour for you! Find out more at wbstudiotour.com.

The Pantages Theatre

On our last night, we went to see Hamilton at the historic Pantages Theatre. Although the award-winning show isn’t in Los Angeles anymore, seeing a show in the beautifully designed theater is a fun way to end a visit. In 2018, the Pantages Theatre will be featuring shows like Aladdin, The Color Purple, Stomp and Waitress.

LA Whirlwind Tour by Glitterati Tours

As one of LA’s most top-rated tour companies on Trip Advisor, The LA Whirlwind Tour by Glitterati Tours was the perfect way to get a gist of Los Angeles in a short amount of time. Our tour lasted about two hours, and in those two hours, we were able to get a closer look of the iconic Hollywood sign, look at the outside of some celebrity homes and learn about the history of Los Angeles and the Beverly Hills area.

Where to Shop

Melrose Place

Rodeo Drive is a must when in Beverly Hills, but Melrose Place is also worth perusing. Melrose allows to you get a perfect feel for LA culture as the streets are lined with bright street art, cool coffee shops and tons of stores at varying price ranges. For homewares, my mom loved looking at celebrity interior designer Kelly Wearstler’s namesake store. We also enjoyed a newer store called Outdoor Voices, which had colorful and unique workout clothes.

Discover additional ways to enjoy this unique city at discoverlosangeles.com.

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