Your Guide To Shopping In Los Angeles This Holiday Season (and any time of the year!)

It's the weekend before Christmas and all through the house, everyone was stirring...because they gotta go Christmas shopping!

Have you gotten your shopping done yet? Don't worry, Humor Travel Life has you covered. Unfortunately, I'm not Santa and can't cover the entire world, so this post will focus on where to shop in Los Angeles. Technically, this blog post can apply all year 'round, so feel free to reference back anytime.

The first thing to know about Los Angeles is that it is rather annoyingly spread out, which means that shopping can greatly depend on where in LA you're located. The good news though, is that there is plenty of shopping almost everywhere in LA, so let's break it down by neighborhood.

If you're in...

West Hollywood
                    The Grove /Farmer's Market
                                   The Grove is also a major tourist spot, so be aware of that. It's a beautiful outdoor shopping destination and is one of those LA places where it also feels like people go to be "seen" - mainly because it's also a spot where you're more likely see a celebrity. As far as shopping goes, it really doesn't have a ton of stores to choose from and tends to cater to more expensive brands. However, there are stores like GAP and Barnes and Nobles there as well, so there is some budget variety. The coolest part of The Grove, however, is the farmer's market next door. This is a great spot to get locally-made gifts like popcorn and candies.

                    The Beverly Center
                                           The Beverly Center is set up like a traditional mall. The good news is that it's not nearly as busy at The Grove and offers more shopping. It's got both the fancy brands and the budget-friendly brands. The worst thing about The Beverly Center is that it can be confusing to navigate but other than that it's a pretty good shopping experience.

                      Melrose Trading Post
                                             This weekly event happens every Sunday from about 9AM-5PM in the parking lot of Fairfax High School. It's costs roughly $3 to get in, and it's a great local flea market in the heart of WeHo. This is a perfect LA spot to shop for original, unique gifts that you won't find in regular malls. Plus, you can venture over to the local stores along Melrose Avenue once you are done.

Hollywood
                  Hollywood & Highland
                                       If you actually live in LA, you're less likely to do your shopping at Hollywood & Highland. The biggest reason being that it is also the epicenter of Hollywood tourism. Nevertheless, there are plenty of residents who actually live in Hollywood and might prefer to stay nearby. This mall features popular stories like American Eagle, Forever 21, and GAP. Fun fact: it's also connected next to the Kodak theater, which is the home of the Academy Awards ceremonies.

Beverly Hills
                    Rodeo Drive
                                         I'm no aficionado when it comes to shopping in Beverly Hills, but it's true that Rodeo Drive is the main street for shopping in this famous Los Angeles neighborhood. If you have the budget for it, this is where you'll find those designer brands. 

West LA
                   Westfield Century City
                                         Another confusing outdoor mall, but the Century City mall offers popular chains like H & M, Banana Republic, and an Apple Store. 

Santa Monica
                 3rd Street Promenade
                                            You're probably sensing a theme that there's a lot of outdoor shopping in Los Angeles...and you would be correct. The 3rd Street Promenade is no exception. It's another popular tourist spot because Santa Monica is a top tourist destination in LA, so be aware of crowds. However, the shopping here is fantastic. Bonus points for being right off the ocean.

Burbank
                   Burbank Town Center
                                  Bubank is located in what's known as 'The Valley', which basically refers to the LA neighborhoods over the hill. It's a literal valley, go figure. The valley's not so bad really, and it seems to have more of a suburban feel to it. Don't be fooled by the suburban demeanor though - it's also where major movie studios like Universal, Warner Bros, and Disney are located. The Burbank Town Center is a traditional type of mall located in downtown Burbank, which is a cute neighborhood to hang out in. This mall is great for those regular chain stores we all know and love. There's also more shops outside the mall in the downtown center as well, including an Urban Outfitters.

Studio City
                  Ventura Blvd.
                                  Starting at the cross street with Laurel Canyon, you'll find stores located along the busy Ventura Blvd. Plenty of popular chains like Urban Outfitters, Banana Republic, and GAP offer clothing varieties, but there's also local spots to pick out more unique items as well.

Glendale
                   Glendale Galleria/Americana at Brand
                                          Technically, these are two different shopping centers, but since they are right across the street from each other, I'll  combine the two. The Glendale Galleria is a massive indoor mall with plenty of great shopping. Just across the street is the Americana at Brand. It's an adorable outdoor shopping space designed just like The Grove (without the tourists). 


My Top Pick:
When it comes to shopping in Los Angeles, my top pick is....the Glendale Galleria/Americana at Brand. 

Ironically, I didn't go there often because I never lived in Glendale and that traffic through Los Feliz can be brutal. That being said, when I did visit, it was awesome. The fact that you have two very different malls right next to each other means that this shopping space offers more than the majority of LA shopping centers. Plus, the Galleria is HUGE. That mall seems to go on and on and has every store imaginable. I felt like the Galleria offered everything, and if it didn't, just hop across the street to the Americana.

Well, that marks the last Humor Travel Life post for 2018, but I'll be back in 2019 with plenty of great travel tips and funny stories.

Coming up in 2019:   Ireland, Chicago, and much more! Stay tuned.