Fathom Favorites: Los Angeles

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We are rolling out our Los Angeles cheat sheet, a.k.a. Fathom Favorites, to paint a picture of Lalaland in all its city glitz and California crunchiness.

Our highly opinionated guide mixes the tried and true, new and iconic, unsung and beloved — favorite morning hikes, an adorable mobile bookshop, the best spot to sit with a coffee and watch the surf break in Malibu, a hidden cafe in nature. 

LA is big, so we organized our recs into four main areas:

• Malibu: including the Palisades
• Westside: Santa Monica, Brentwood, Venice, Mar Vista, West LA, Marina del Rey
• Central: Culver City, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood
• Downtown + Eastside: Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Echo Park

Read this, save it, and you won’t need much else, whether you’re visiting or live here. Drop a line at higuys@fathomaway.com with suggestions and feel free to chime in with your favorites. Let’s get into it.

Beaches, Hikes, Strolls

In some cities you socialize over drinks. In LA, you catch up while getting in your steps.

Malibu
Surfrider Beach — the wave that California dreams are made of
Zuma Beach — wide stretch of family-friendly fun
El Matador Beach — watch the sun dip beneath dramatic rock formations
Los Leones Canyon —  low key with dramatic city views
Temescal Canyon — booty burner with rewarding waterfall 
Malibu Lagoon — kid-friendly spot where Malibu Creek meets the Pacific 
Will Rogers Park — actor’s sprawling ranch with mountainous trails 

Westside 
Venice canals — visionary Italian-inspired waterways  
Mandeville Canyon — take the sunny West Ridge Trail
Venice Beach — treasure trove of characters, body builders, skaters, surfers
Dockweiler Beach — the only beach where you can BBQ and have a firepit

Central
Runyon Canyon — panoramic views from mountains to sea
Hollyridge Trail — all roads lead to Hollywood (sign)
Baldwin Hills — Culver City’s staircase to heaven
Hollywood Reservoir — serene glimpse of Hollywood sign, Wisdom Tree

Downtown + Eastside
Griffith Park — hike urban wilderness to Dante’s Peak

Bars 

Malibu 
Duke’s — post-surf beers and tiki cocktails
Aviator Nation Dreamland — outdoor bar and music venue for surf rock

Westside
The Georgian Room — elegant, exclusive speakeasy
Élephante — scene-y for sunset cocktails 
American Beauty — feels like NYC: martinis, fries, late-night scene
Venice Beach Wines — laid back for natural wines
The Brig — one of last surfer dive bars (since 1952)
Gran Blanco — Japanese izakaya and creative cocktails by the beach

The rest of this article — our 189 picks for the best restaurants, ice cream parlors, sites, shops, big splurge and good value hotels, and more — is for subscribers. Sign up for our newsletter Way to Go for your all-access pass.