Ask an Angeleno which of their city’s 400-plus disparate neighbourhoods takes top honours and they’ll likely all plump for their own with gusto. Eastsiders will happily forsake the beach for galleries and wine bars, but for those craving quintessential California vibes, little can compete with the city’s languid, semi-tropical western coast. From Malibu to Santa Monica to Venice Beach, you’ll find surf shops, farmers’ markets and historic spots with enough Old Hollywood throwbacks to rival Hollywood itself, all within view of the Pacific Ocean’s crashing waves.

Stay

THE GEORGIAN- Steps from the kitschy Santa Monica Pier stands The Georgian, a landmark art-deco hotel that originally opened in 1933, once hosted the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin and has recently been restored to its 1930s glory. Its turquoise facade is a preview of the kind of flourishes you’ll find inside, from a golden U-shaped lobby bar flanked by flamingo-feathered sculptures to the 84 retro-beachy rooms and suites. With details like bellhops wearing seafoam-green caps and a lobby phone that plays a conversation between guests who stayed there in the 1930s, it seems the designers might have taken a page from Wes Anderson. Summon bubbles, Prohibition- style, in any of the 28 one-bedroom suites by hitting the “press for champagne” button and a bellhop will roll to you with a cart of vintages in tow.
Dinner is served on the terrace with a dreamy sunset backdrop, and the menu is coastal-Italian-inspired, with offerings of fresh seafood and contorni from the nearby Santa Monica farmers’ market. Close out your classic Hollywood fantasy with a nightcap at The Georgian Room, a speakeasy piano bar serving up old-fashioneds and hefty nostalgia via framed prints of the restaurant’s original menus. Look closely and you’ll see a train pattern woven into the carpet—a reference to the long-gone Mile Long Pier railroad, which extended into the Pacific on a long wharf in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Do

EAMES HOUSE- This mid-century landmark is hiding in plain sight in Pacific Palisades, an affluent neighbourhood just a short drive from Santa Monica. Designed and constructed in 1949 by famed husband-and-wife duo Charles and Ray Eames, the house is an homage to the geometric, gridlike de Stijl style, with swaths of primary colours painted on its sliding walls and windows and a now ubiquitous open-concept floor plan. (Viewings are available by reservation only, so make sure you book your tour ahead of time.)

LOS LEONES CANYON- No trip to L.A. is complete without a hike through one of the city’s eye-popping canyons. First- timers may prefer to visit Runyon Canyon or the trails near the Griffith Observatory, but we love Malibu’s Los Leones Canyon for its unparalleled views of Santa Monica Bay with the city in the distance. When visiting outside of wildfire season (and you should always check the conditions before you head out), you’ll find the area incredibly lush and verdant, with plenty of shady spots.

Shop

SURFING COWBOYS- Strip malls in L.A. are packed with gems, including this vintage and collectibles shop in Malibu Country Mart, an outdoor shopping centre set against the backdrop of the Santa Monica mountains. The shop showcases Americana at its finest, from rare concert T-shirts (think Fleetwood Mac and Tammy Wynette) to surfboards from the ’60s and ’70s. There’s something here for both surfing enthusiasts and those who’ve only watched Blue Crush once.

LCD- You’ll find pieces by hot emerging designers, like Luar, Vaquera, Sandy Liang and Collina Strada, showcased alongside hyped sneakers from brands like Salomon and Vans at this stylish Venice outpost. The cult-favourite boutique combines idiosyncratic fashion with colourful home decor as well as special-edition magazines and trendy coffee-table books.

Eat

BAR COUCOU- If you just learned that Cali-French cuisine is a thing (you’re not alone) and are curious about it, look no further than this Venice bistro, which serves up snacks like “L’Haute Dog,” a sausage topped with fondue cheese. Coucou’s cocktail menu is equally cheeky, with drinks including the Bitches of the Seizieme, a blend of brandy, bubbles and creole bitters. The laid-back space balances vintage patina with contemporary charm and is done up with paintings and photographs by emerging artists—like the airy and surreal still-life snaps by local photographer David Kitz—and mini table lamps that bring an intimate Parisian feel to dinnertime.

BAR MONETTE- Down the block from The Georgian, you’ll find this buzzy wine haunt, which was opened by Toronto-born chef Sean MacDonald earlier this year. The candlelit bottle-green space boasts a short but mighty menu of small plates served on antique tableware, wood-fired pizzas dotted with zucchini blossoms or caviar and a not-to-be-skipped section of fancy dipping sauces, including burnt romesco and jalapeno tonnato.

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