No place evokes the image of Southern California swank more than Beverly Hills. Located in the heart of Los Angeles County, the city’s iconic palm tree-lined boulevards are revered for their luxury retail. The chic Golden Triangle, home to famous Rodeo Drive, is a hub of high-end shopping and celebrity-sighting restaurants that draws browsers and buyers from all over the world.

But beyond its high-dollar shopping sheen, Beverly Hills boasts stunning architectural gems and lush gardens, including the Greystone Mansion and Gardens and the Virginia Robinson Gardens. Beverly Gardens Park is situated on an eleven-block pedestrian trail and is home to the iconic Beverly Hills sign and lily pond. Explore the city’s thriving arts scene with a trip to one of the many museums found here, including the Petersen Automotive Museum, Museum of Dream Space, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. And Beverly Hills’ prime location in Los Angeles County makes it a great base for exploring neighboring towns and cities.

If you’re flying into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the 12-mile drive to Beverly Hills takes around 20 minutes, though traffic in the area usually prolongs the journey. Public transportation is somewhat limited, though there is a bus that runs from LAX to Beverly Hills that takes around 90 minutes. Taxi and ride-hailing apps provide more convenient options for reaching Beverly Hills vacation rentals and other accommodations in the area exploring the city. Renting a car may be the best option for getting around, as it provides the most efficient way to reach the city’s major attractions and explore neighboring cities throughout Los Angeles County, such as Santa Monica, Malibu, and West Hollywood. Depending on your itinerary, Beverly Hills is walkable, with many of the city’s main attractions close to one another.

Southern California’s warm summers and mild winters make Beverly Hills pleasant to visit throughout the year. During the winter months temperatures can dip, so be sure to pack an extra layer or two. On Sundays, you can peruse stalls of locally grown seasonal produce, specialty items, baked goods, and fresh juices at the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market. For a weekend in October, two blocks of Beverly Garden Park serve as the venue for the Beverly Hills Art Show, which features paintings, jewelry, sculptures, and mixed media as well as local food trucks. Every year around Father’s Day, the city hosts the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance, a display of coveted vintage and luxury automobiles.

Rodeo Drive

If you’re coming to Beverly Hills, chances are you’ll spend some time on Rodeo Drive, a two-mile-long pristine boulevard brimming with luxury retail. The iconic street is lined with popular high-end stores, trendy cafes, and fashion boutiques housed in sleek, gleaming buildings. You can take in Rodeo Drive’s buzzing atmosphere with a stroll along the sidewalk, or grab a coffee at a nearby café, where you might just bump into a celebrity.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is the largest art museum in the western United States and covers more than 6,000 years of artistic expression throughout the world. On the museum grounds you’ll find the artwork Urban Light, a collection of more than 200 restored street lamps dating from the 1920s. Together they comprise a stunning large-scale sculpture that’s become a popular photo spot, especially at night when the warm glow of the lamps softly illuminates the space.

Greystone Mansion

The Greystone Mansion, or the Doheny Mansion, is a spectacular Tudor Revival house that you’ll likely recognize from many Hollywood movies, music videos, and television series. Situated in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, the 46,000-square-foot mansion sits on 16 acres and features exquisite English gardens, which are open to the public daily.