Even if you’ve never set foot in the City of Angels, chances are there’s a version of Los Angeles in your head. The golden-age glamour of the silver screen; sun-drenched beach towns; palm-lined boulevards; the city of the stars. All these versions exist in their own way. The sheer sprawl of the city gives way to a multitude of identities.
LA’s neighbourhoods are as vast and varied as the landscape itself. To the west, Hollywood and Beverly Hills embody cinematic legacy and undeniable glamour. Head east to the creative energy of Silver Lake and Los Feliz, where independent cafés and hillside homes are king. In the valleys beyond, Pasadena and Burbank offer a quieter charm, blending historic streets with a slower pace.
Follow the Pacific coastline and LA reveals another side. Santa Monica is all beachside buzz. While further north, Malibu stretches beneath the Santa Monica Mountains, a sun-soaked haven of dramatic coast and understated luxury.
Not sure which neighbourhood is right for you? Read on for a closer look at the areas that shape this iconic city, then browse our villas in Los Angeles to find your perfect base. However you plan your trip, Los Angeles is an inspired choice for a 2026 villa holiday.
Hollywood
The birthplace of the silver screen, Hollywood’s story stretches back to 1911, when H.J. Whitley persuaded the first movie studio to set up shop beneath the sunlit hills. The flicker of film reels spins on; Charlie Chaplin, king of the silent age; Technicolor bidding farewell to black and white; the first blockbusters, queues around the block for Jaws.
For film lovers, this is something of a pilgrimage. Trace the Hollywood Walk of Fame and spot names that defined generations, step inside the Dolby Theatre – the home of the Oscars – or catch a screening at iconic cinemas like the TCL Chinese Theatre,the Egyptian Theatre, or El Capitan.
Beyond Tinseltown, Hollywood remains endlessly compelling. Catch an open-air performance at the Hollywood Bowl, wander through the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the final resting place of screen legends and a peaceful place to reflect. Or admire Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, a sprawling arts complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Rising above it all is the iconic Hollywood Sign, an enduring symbol of ambition and reinvention. You can see it from across the city, a reminder that in Hollywood, myth and reality are never far apart.
Koreatown
Koreatown rarely sleeps. Dense, vibrant and electric, this neighbourhood slips deep into the night. Its streets glow with neon signs and the scent of K-BBQ drifting through the air. This is one of the most walkable parts of the city, layered with history, nightlife, and some of Los Angeles’ most enticing eats.
By day, Koreatown reveals its architectural mix. Art Deco apartment blocks sit alongside glassy high-rises, a reminder of the area’s long evolution (Los Angeles is home to the largest Korean population outside of Korea). By night, it comes alive. Karaoke rooms echo until dawn, cocktail bars hide behind unassuming façades, and restaurants buzz with locals gathering over sizzling grills.
Beverly Hills
Few neighbourhoods are as synonymous with luxury as Beverly Hills. Palm-lined streets, manicured gardens and perfectly polished storefronts create an atmosphere of glamour. The pace feels slower, and everything a little more refined.
Rodeo Drive remains its most famous artery, as much a symbol of high fashion as the shops themselves. Beyond the labels, Beverly Hills offers quieter pleasures: shaded residential streets, elegant parks, historic hotels that have hosted Hollywood royalty for decades. It’s a neighbourhood that’s instantly recognisable, and unmistakably LA.
Laurel Canyon
Tucked into the Hollywood Hills, Laurel Canyon feels like a world apart. Winding roads climb through lush greenery, giving way to wooden homes perched high above the city.
In the 1960s and ’70s, this quiet enclave became a crucible of counterculture. Joni Mitchell, Jim Morrison and Cass Elliot all called it home – just listen to California Dreamin’ as you wander the surrounding trails or play Ladies of the Canyon and watch the whole world light up.
Today, Laurel Canyon retains that bohemian spirit. It’s peaceful, leafy and distinctly unflashy: a quiet reminder that some of LA’s most influential stories were born away from the spotlight.
West Hollywood
West Hollywood, or WeHo as it’s known locally, is compact, confident and unapologetically expressive. Long a centre of LGBTQ+ culture, it’s played a vital role in shaping LA’s social and creative identity.
Boutiques, galleries and cafés line Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Place, while Sunset Strip on Sunset Boulevard anchors the neighbourhood’s world-famous nightlife, live music venues, and rooftop bars, drawing crowds from across the city.
Venice Beach
Venice Beach has long been LA’s most free-spirited address. Born from Abbot Kinney’s early-20th-century vision of an Italian-inspired coastal retreat, it has since evolved into a hub of creativity.
The boardwalk is alive with street performers, skaters, muscle-bound gym regulars, and murals competing for attention.
Abbot Kinney Boulevard offers a more curated experience, with independent boutiques and thoughtful design stores. Venice is chaotic and charming in equal measure, entirely, unapologetically itself.
Culver City
Culver City sits at the intersection of old Hollywood and modern California. Once home to MGM Studios, it played a pivotal role in early filmmaking, a legacy that still echoes through its streets today.
Since the early days of the silver screen, Culver City has reinvented itself as a cultural capital. Contemporary art galleries cluster along its industrial corridors, restaurants are alive with a creative crowd, and restored theatres nod to its cinematic past. It’s a neighbourhood that understands reinvention, honouring its history while looking forward.
Eastside
On the Eastside, Los Angeles feels more intimate. Silver Lake‘s hillside homes overlook the city, with independent cafés, record stores, bookshops, and vintage boutiques forming the neighbourhood’s backbone. The reservoir draws joggers and sunset-watchers, while the area has long appealed to artists, writers, and musicians with its quiet confidence.
Neighbouring Los Feliz leans more classic in character, with tree-lined streets, Spanish Revival homes, and a village atmosphere. In the shadow of Griffith Park, hiking trails and observatory views offer an easy escape into nature.
Nearby, Echo Park brings a more social energy, its lotus-lined lake a communal heart, surrounded by restaurants, bars, and creative spaces.
The Valleys
Beyond the city’s core, the valleys offer a gentle retreat. Glendale blends suburban calm with cultural diversity. Burbank has close ties to the entertainment industry as home to major studios like Warner Bros. and Walt Disney.
Pasadena stands apart for its elegance. Known for its historic architecture, leafy streets and cultural institutions, it feels refined yet relaxed. From Craftsman homes to world-class museums, the valleys offer a slow sojourn into the history and culture of LA.
Santa Monica
Though not strictly a neighbourhood (Santa Monica is a city in its own right), this gloriously sunny slice of California is LA at its most balanced. Santa Monica sits between ocean and hills. Along its clifftop, Palisades Park offers sweeping views across the Pacific. Meanwhile inland, neighbourhood streets are alive with cafés, markets and a steady stream of locals.
The pier remains its most recognisable landmark, part nostalgia, part spectacle, but Santa Monica’s appeal lies just as much beyond it. Browse the stalls of the farmers’ market, have lunch on the sand, or spend an afternoon drifting between shoreline, shopfront, and ocean.
Malibu
North along the coast, Malibu – also a city, part of the wider Los Angeles County – feels more elemental. Stretched beneath the Santa Monica Mountains, this narrow ribbon of coastline offers space to breathe. Rugged landscapes meet some of Southern California’s most celebrated beaches, as surfers line the rocky coves and Hollywood legends wander the streets.
Mornings start on on the sand and end with the sun retreating into the Pacific. Hidden trails lead to waterfalls and canyon hikes, while waterfront restaurants offer front-row seats to the ocean. Relaxed yet refined, Malibu distils the fantasy of coastal California into something quietly, convincingly real.
From hillside hideaways to beachfront icons, Los Angeles is a city best understood by its neighbourhoods. Each area offers its own rhythm, character, and way of life, inviting you to experience the city on your own terms. Whether you’re drawn to the creativity of the Eastside, the cinematic legacy of Hollywood, or the calm of the Pacific coastline, your perfect base awaits. Explore our handpicked villas in Los Angeles and start planning your 2026 villa holiday. For more inspiration, explore our Extraordinary Characters to find destinations that match your travel style.
