Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

Drive up to twisting Mulholland Drive for exhilarating views over the city; the road runs for 50 miles from Hollywood all the way to the Malibu coast. There are also fine views from the Getty Center (+1 310 440 7300; www.getty.edu) in the foothills of the Santa Monica mountains; it’s one of LA’s finest museums of art, sculpture and photography (closed Mondays).

Arts and culture

Along Hollywood Boulevard is the Walk of Fame, where more than 2,000 industry greats from Orson Welles to Lassie are memorialised with marble stars in the pavement. This is also the location of the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, where the autograph patio is dotted with the handprints and footprints of screen legends (plus the odd cigar impression and hoofprint). Another result of the city’s movie wealth is the Walt Disney Concert Hall (www.laphil.org) on Grand Avenue in Downtown; it’s home to the LA Philharmonic but it’s worth a visit just to see a spectacular example of Frank Gehry’s cubist architecture.

Something for nothing

Almost everywhere in LA has been used as a set, and each familiar façade will frustrate forgetful film fans: play the Total Recall game (better known as, ‘Hey, I bet that diner was in Pulp Fiction/Pretty Woman’) and then settle scores online at www.movielocationsguide.com or www.movie-locations.com.

Shopping

West Hollywood is the place for retail excess, particularly on Rodeo Drive and Beverly Boulevard, but less label-conscious shoppers love Robertson Boulevard’s boutiques and Melrose Avenue’s vintage wonderlands. La Brea Avenue is great for homewares. If you prefer everything under one enormous roof, mega-mall the Beverly Center (www.beverlycenter.com) is the place for you. The Grove (www.thegrovela.com) on Grove Drive is a boutique shopping mall next to the Farmers Market (with butchers and bakers and peanut-butter makers) – worth a peek after you’ve exhausted the wealth of shopping possibilities on West Third Street. This is not to be confused with Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade – also good for browsing. For something a little more bohemian, head to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice; the best indie stores include Equator Books (+1 310 399 5544; www.equatorbooks.com), Japanese design emporium Tortoise (+1 310 314 8448; www.tortoiselife.com), and retro-furniture showroom Surfing Cowboys (+1 310 450 4891; www.surfingcowboys.com).

Daytripper

Palm Springs started life as a location for Hollywood Westerns and quickly became LA’s winter playground; in the 1950s and ’60s, anyone who was anyone had a place here. After decades in the doldrums, the town – and its mid-century modern marvels – is very much back in vogue. Tour the Jetsonian architecture with a Palm Springs Modern Committee map: pick one up from the Palm Springs Visitors Center (+1 760 778 8418; www.palm-springs.org).

Best beach

Venice Beach is LA at its weird and wonderful best. Beyond the sand and the Pacific surf, the Venice boardwalk is a playground for body-builders, tie-dye clad hippies, Baywatch beauties, rollerblading oddballs and chainsaw jugglers. Stroll along the Ocean Front Walk and the Promenade all the way to the fairground on Santa Monica Pier – you won’t regret it.

Walks

With perhaps the planet’s highest concentration of A-listers, Los Angeles is the home of the star safari. These elusive creatures can be hard to track down but, with luck and patience, you should enjoy a sighting. Guide yourself round their natural Hollywood habitat (or at least the security gates) with the help of a star map while reflecting on the fact that fabulous wealth rarely guarantees a tasteful house.

Activities

Going to the cinema here has special significance here, and there are several movie theatres with unique character, including Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. At ArcLight on Sunset (www.arclightcinemas.com), you can sip martinis with your movie at its 21+ screenings. LA is a basketball town, and the LA Lakers are the team to watch (www.nba.com/lakers). Surf dudes and divas can rent a board at ZJ Boarding House (www.zjboardinghouse.com) on Main Street, Santa Monica; mortals might want to try boogie-boards first, or take a few lessons. Learn to Surf LA (+1 310 663 2479; www.learntosurfla.com) also provides tuition. Watch whales breaching in winter off the coast of Santa Barbara, or kayak round the Channel Islands with Condor Cruises (www.condorcruises.com).