As much as we all can’t wait to see the iconic La La Land sights, explore studio back-lots and spend time at theme parks, there’s one thing we all REALLY want to do in L.A. and it’s the thing completely left to chance.
Meet, bump into, take a sneaky selfie or even pretend not to gawk at celebrities.
Don’t deny it. Even the foreign ‘I don’t have time for TV’ beings secretly want to brag about eating at the same restaurant as a famous person.
But if you’re one of the few people you know that trekked across the Pacific, touched down at LAX, had the most amazing time exploring L.A.’s diverse cities but came back short of a celebrity encounter, it’s because you were probably doing something wrong – you were exploring and staying in the wrong part of town.
While Hollywood is often associated with the rich and famous and may seem like your best bet at seeing a celebrity, sadly it isn’t – unless treading over a couple of hundred hand-and-footprints counts (which it doesn’t).
No, you need to head over to the city with a similar but slightly more directive name – West Hollywood.
Visit West Hollywood’s Board Chair, Greg Harless and Chief Executive Tom Kiely told KarryOn that the experience visitors receive in the city is one they won’t find anywhere else and that’s in large part to its celebrity hook-up.
Exploring West Hollywood is like trekking through the natural habitat of the rich and famous because according to the pair…
“Celebrities live in West Hollywood, they own restaurants there, they shop there and they certainly mingle there.”
Greg Harless, Visit West Hollywood Board Chair
“You see paparazzi all the time in front of clubs and restaurants. It’s where you go to maybe see somebody famous or certainly see where lots of films and TV shows are filmed.
“That’s really appealing to Australians and people that come to Los Angeles in general. That whole celebrity angle is very popular.”
Of course, celebrities aren’t the only unique asset in West Hollywood, the city itself is revered for its street fashion, glamour, internationally known nightclubs, boutique stores, non-commercialised restaurants and of course, its central L.A. location.
“We have a lot of unique things in the city but it’s also very easy for people to get out and see the theme parks, the studio tours or the beaches.”
Tom Kiely, Visit West Hollywood Chief Executive
To push the destination’s one-of-a-kind appeal, Visit West Hollywood recently rebranded with a new look which encapsulates the city’s sassy, sexy and controversial sides.
Kiely said the aim was to “present an accurate representation of who we are as a community and the people that make up that community”.
“The new branding, website and imagery is a reflection of how fun and sexy West Hollywood is,” he explained.
“We aren’t for everybody, as no destination is, but we know who we’re most attractive to and that’s 30-50 year old groups, singles and couples.
“We welcome families, but they’re probably not our most significant piece of the pie.”