Los Angeles is home to many wonderful shopping venues, but the city has plenty more to offer than just shopping. There are restaurants, a vibrant arts community, amazing architecture, and plenty more! All of these things help create an unique atmosphere to enhance your shopping experience.
One place that offers a great shopping combination is the Beverly Center, which has its own large selection of luxury and midrange brands as well as plenty of dining, technology, and department store options. It's great for travelers who want a wide variety without having to navigate all over the city.
Another great option is the Westfield Century City which has a great selection of stores and a newly renovated movie theater. There is also a wide selection of food options to enjoy including international options as well as lots of space to walk around, unlike traditional shopping malls.
The Grove is the most extravagant shopping area in the city. Its design features an idealized version of a European style street. The overall atmosphere is meant for walking and not rushing. With the addition of shops, dining, a cinema, and even a vintage trolley, a garden and several fountains enhance the ambience. It's elaborate decorations for the holiday season are very popular, drawing in large crowds. Even for those not interested in shopping, the Original Farmers Market is worth visiting for the food and the vibrant local atmosphere.
For discount shopping, Citadel Outlets is the most practical option. It is located around 12 kilometers from downtown Los Angeles with easy access to over 130 stores. Rather than focusing on top-tier luxury, Citadel takes a more familiar approach in terms of fashion, sportswear, accessories and contemporary brands like Coach, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein, and more. Travelers are advised to start at the service center as extra discount vouchers are often distributed. A shuttle service from Union Station to the outlets has made it a convenient choice for visitors without a car.
When it comes to luxury shopping, nothing can compare to Rodeo Drive. This street in Beverly Hills, California, is surrounded with palm trees and filled with global fashion houses, couture stores, designer boutiques, galleries, and restaurants, cafes, and bars. The stores themselves are part of the attraction. The brands in Rodeo Drive are in architecturally unique buildings where the exterior is as carefully designed as the merchandise inside. While Rodeo Drive may feel over the top, this is what attracts customers to take a walk and go window shopping to see the more luxurious side of Los Angeles.
Melrose Avenue marks the beginning of a younger, louder, and more experimental part of Los Angeles' fashion scene. The western stretch of the avenue is home to many streetwear retailers, multi-brand shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, vintage stores, and galleries. It also boasts some of the best street art and photo-op walls, including the famous pink wall from Paul Smith. This part of the city is rich in fashion with Maxfield and H. Lorenzo sitting alongside Bape, MadHappy, Acne Studios, and Chrome Hearts. A visit to Melrose Avenue complements a trip to Beverly Center perfectly.
If you are looking for genuine streetwear culture, the Fairfax Avenue area is the best place to get started. The avenue is home to a culture of graffiti, hip-hop music, sneakers and caps, and limited edition clothing. Supreme, Diamond, Golf, and Dope are just a few of the influential streetwear brands that have made the area a fashion hub. Flight Club, a store that is considered a sneakerhead's paradise, is also located on Fairfax Avenue. It boasts a large collection of Air Jordans, Yeezys, and other highly sought after collaboration sneakers. With the La Brea Avenue area just a short distance away, shoppers will find more stores including Undefeated, Stussy, and Union. The Grove also adds to the number of stores you can visit in one trip.
ROW DTLA offers a completely different shopping experience. It is slower, independent, and more focused on design. The area is a creative campus that has been built in what was once a historic warehouse district. It is made up of small fashion boutiques, artist-run shops, homeware stores, galleries, bookstores, and cafes. You will not find the typical mall stores here. Instead, you will find items that are more distinctive and other emerging designers. Dining options vary from upscale chef driven meals to casual cafes, along with polished bakeries. The 7th Street Produce Market retains a piece of the district's past. Instead of a retail complex, it feels like a working neighborhood thanks to markets, music, and events, and The ROW DTLA's downtown views.
For those of you who enjoy the arts more than the traditional kind of luxury, the Arts District, which is nearby, is just as rewarding. The area is home to former industrial buildings that have transformed into galleries, coffee shops, independent shops, restaurants, and venues for nightlife. Street art, including murals from some renowned artists, is abundant in the area, and urban wandering is encouraged. The district contains Alchemy Works, Art Share, Urth Caffé (an organic coffee shop), and many restaurants and bars. The restless creative energy and industrial aesthetic of the Arts District represents a more authentic side of Los Angeles than any of the shopping centers.
When considering shopping as a collection of worlds from Los Angeles to the Arts District, it is a good idea to separate them by a purpose. The options include retail shopping (Beverly Center & Century City), leisure (The Grove), discounted quality (Citadel Outlets), upscale shopping (Rodeo Drive), fashion (Melrose & Fairfax), and unique shopping (ROW DTLA & Arts District). In Los Angeles, the best shopping is located in the district that aligns with the type of city experience you desire.
