Many people dream of being Julia Roberts shopping on Rodeo Drive, but few can afford to buy from the array of high-end designers seen in the film 'Pretty Woman'. So window-shopping is the order of the day. Along the $200-million ersatz European cobbled walkway Two Rodeo, browsing tourists mingle with serious spenders. A hop away is Anderson Court, which is the only shopping mall designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Who invented the juicy beefy French dip sandwich? Where's the best place to eat one? The answer may well be Philippe the Original. It's been in business since 1908 and certainly claims to have whipped up the dip (but it's not the only one). Savvy customers opt for the traditional lamb or lighter turkey filling, and then ask the server to double-dip the bread in meaty juice, before adding a splash of house mustard.

You're never too old for Disneyland. This legendary theme park is packed with cool things to do, spread over seven lands. Stroll down Main Street USA to experience turn-of-the 19th century America, head Westwards at Frontierland and tune into the music of New Orleans square, minus the floods, poverty and booze.

If there's one thing that LA knows how to throw, it's a good party. You're welcome to enter into the spirit at Avalon, the city's pre-eminent superclub, which favours Europe's techno renaissance music. Or you could go street haunting to find the warehouse venue Smell. It has the look of a squat, but once you get inside, you'll discover the latest in indie-noise and political art-punk.

Puppetry is a dying art, but there's one puppeteer who is keeping the tradition alive. Since 1961, Bob Baker has been staging original shows in his own theatre. These whimsical puppets have appeared in many TV shows and films, but you can catch them on stage at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

Venice Beach has long been known as the kooky Mecca of California and while it has been getting more than a fair share of mainstream tourists, the area nurtures its eccentric spirit. Skateboarders, radical pamphleteers and body builders: the visibility is great if you enjoy people watching.Gobble lunch at the local Figtree's Cafe before scanning the shelves at Small World Books.

Hollywood celebrities are never far away in LA. To catch a glimpse of stardust, take the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where 2,000 figures from the entertainment world are immortalised in pink terrazzo with symbolic gold lettering. If you're a film buff, look out for the famous hand and footprints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Countless premieres and galas have passed through, adding to the renowned pagoda's star quality.

Culture vultures will be spoilt for choice at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. It's an ingenious multi-purpose venue, which hosts an art gallery, a library with substantial holdings and elaborate botanical gardens. A Desert Garden with cacti and old English Shakespeare Garden are among the attractions. Set aside a day to explore the highlights of this fabulous place, but don't expect to see them in depth.

The Getty Center is the envy of museums worldwide for its generous endowments. Although it doesn't match the rich collections of Old World galleries, it has some impressive works covering a vast sweep of history, from the Renaissance times to the present day. Among them are several paintings by Rubens, a couple by Gainsborough, and a sprinkling of Impressionists, including Monet, Renoir, Cézanne and Van Gogh.

You could happily spend a few hours browsing around the Griffith Observatory, even though you can't see anything through the telescope because of the relentless smog that hovers over LA. There's the popular Hall of the Sky and Hall of the Eye, a pair of complementary displays that explores the connections between people and space. The star attraction is the building itself, which featured in the film 'Rebel Without a Cause'.