Fun Things to do in Beverly Hills

What was once a Spanish ranch that grew lima beans is now one of the world’s most recognizable names. Since it was first incorporated in 1914, Beverly Hills has represented the exclusivity early residents like movie legends Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks fought for. These luminaries voted against making Beverly Hills a part of Los Angeles back in the day, afraid they would lose the privacy and exclusivity of the enclave they called home.

Today, their legacy lives on as Beverly Hills remains the home of top Hollywood stars and pop royalty, business moguls, and high-net-worth celebrities of every stripe and persuasion.

Today, Beverly Hills is entrenched in Bloomberg’s annual ranking of the richest cities in the US. Residents had an average adjusted annual gross income of $627,800 in 2018. Moody’s Investors Service also rated it Aaa, its highest credit grade. And, according to Zillow, the median home price is $2.7 million.

While richer, trendier towns may rank higher in these annual lists, they can’t rub the sheen off a Beverly Hills address. Even pop’s wealthiest star, Rihanna, seems to understand the iconic status of Beverly Hills. She recently purchased a half-acre property worth $10 million next door to the $13.8 million mansion she bought just three months earlier.
The allure isn’t lost on tourists, either. Before the pandemic, Beverly Hills had 7.5 million visitors each year. They joined celebrity tours and shopped at Downtown’s Golden Triangle, the retail area comprising Santa Monica Boulevard, Canon Drive, and Wilshire Boulevard, with Rodeo Drive at its center. The fabled shopping district is often regarded as the pinnacle of luxury retail.

More than $2 billion was generated in direct and indirect revenue from tourists in 2018. Around $64 million came from lodging and sales tax dollars, which is 25% of the city’s general fund revenue.
If you’re thinking of investing in a home in Beverly Hills, it’s worth noting that this enclave remains a suburb of Los Angeles – it retains its small-town feel in spite of its reputation as a top tourist draw. Longtime residents enjoy living in a family-friendly and laidback community that doesn’t lack in upgrades when it comes to amenities and services.

As the US revs up for a return to normalcy, bookmark this page so you can choose the best and most fun things to do in Beverly Hills, CA when you travel again.

Fun places to dine in Beverly Hills

Celebrity sighting is a perk unique to living in Beverly Hills. You'll find some of Hollywood’s most elite TV and movie stars hanging in coffee shops or dining in their favorite restaurant. While you’re in the city checking out the tourist attractions, you might want to pop into these places – you won't just enjoy your meal, you might also rub elbows with a star in the table next to yours.

• Breakfast

  Be up bright and early to have breakfast in the iconic deli Nate ‘n Al Delicatessen. Since 1945, this Jewish establishment has been serving pastrami, matzo ball soup, and smoked fish to many celebrities such as comedian Mike Myers and TV host Larry King.

• Lunch

  The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel is renowned for its Michelin-starred Le Petit Belvedere. This French-Californian inspired restaurant is a popular lunch spot for celebrities. With dishes like Saffron Risotto Croquette and desserts like the deconstructed Baked Alaska, it’s no wonder that stars return again and again to this top-notch dining room. During Oscars season, the Belvedere becomes awash with stars who choose the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel to glam up for the red carpet.

• Dinner

  For more treats, book a table at Spago Beverly Hills, the renowned restaurant of celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, who catered Oscar after-parties for years. This 2-star Michelin restaurant serves elevated comfort food. You can’t go wrong with trademark fare such as Pizza with House Cured Smoked Scottish Salmon or Pizza with Shaved French Black Truffles. You'll also be treated to a piece of LA history when you sit down and admire the colorful wall of celebrity caricatures.

• Luxury/Fine Dining

  No visit to Beverly Hills is complete without venturing into the city's temples of fine dining. Just make sure you're dressed for the occasion. At Mastro's Steakhouse, their "upscale dress code" is so specific, it lists 12 items of clothing prohibited on the premises, including "clothing emitting offensive odors." In fact, the dress policy precedes the link that allows you to make a reservation on their website, saying that Mastro's "reserves the right to refuse service to patrons who are inappropriately dressed regardless of the reservation status." But the imposed decorum is worth the thick, juicy steaks and fresh seafood, along with live music and dancing. Try the New York Strip Steak with a side of their trademark Lobster Truffle Gnocchi. Mastro's is ground zero for celebrity sightings.

  CUT by Wolfgang Puck is another upscale steakhouse worth dressing up for. Located at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, CUT earned its first Michelin star in its first year of operation. It was also named an AAA Four Diamond restaurant and offers specialty Japanese Wagyu beef and 21-day aged, bone-in rib eye steak.

Fun night spots in Beverly Hills

When the sun goes down, it's time to experience the Beverly Hills nightlife. One of the best places to check out is The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The Polo Lounge, which opened in 1941, has served every Hollywood great since Charlie Chaplin and Fred Astaire.

Bar Nineteen12, on the other hand, was named after the year the Beverly Hills Hotel opened. Down your cocktails at the indoor bar or drink in the million-dollar view at the terrace overlooking the city's iconic palm trees.

Fun to shop in Beverly Hills

If “revenge shopping” is the order of the day now that coronavirus restrictions have eased, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills has certainly felt its effect. Retail sales have doubled, exceeding expectations with a nearly 10% increase in March 2021, according to the Department of Commerce. Shops operate at regular business hours and international visitors are starting to return. “There’s a real sense of community on the street,” Rodeo Drive Committee President Nicola Cagliata told California Apparel News.

The palm-lined, two-mile long shopping hub hosts the shop fronts of ultra luxury brands like Dior, Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Armani, and Cartier, among others. Explore Two Rodeo Drive, the city’s European-style shopping center, festooned with vintage street lamps and colorful flower beds. Follow the cobblestone walkways to get to the shops of Versace, Lanvin, Jimmy Choo, and Tiffany & Co.

Aside from being an upscale shopping destination, Rodeo Drive is also known for its fabulous restaurants and open-air cafés that are perfect for people watching.

Just like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Walk of Style was created at Two Rodeo Drive to pay tribute to the legends of fashion and design. Their names are inscribed with plaques on the ground.

Fun at the weekly outdoor market in Beverly Hills

Hit the Beverly Hills Farmers' Market every Sunday. The outdoor market offers California’s seasonal best, from fruit to veg. Bring home breads, juices, and specialty items as well. The weekend market can be found along Civic Center Drive between Third Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. It is open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fun to rejuvenate at the spas in Beverly Hills

Have a luxurious and sensuous spa experience at a private, poolside cabana when you set an appointment at The Spa at Four Seasons Los Angeles. Your worries will melt away when you choose to get Swedish-Thai massages, custom organic facials, or full-body exfoliations. The good news is that when you rent a cabana for the day, you also get to enjoy exclusive poolside amenities.

Or, opt for an authentic Eastern spa experience at Tomoko Spa in Beverly Hills. You’ll be provided with a pair of traditional Japanese sandals and a yukata, a bathing cloth that resembles a kimono, as you enter the minimalist, Japanese-style relaxation area. All treatments end with a soothing cup of herbal tea and mochi ice cream.

Fun to chill in Santa Monica Beach

Beverly Hills is just six miles away from the world-famous Santa Monica Beach that draws visitors from all over the world. The three-mile-long beach is renowned for the Santa Monica Pier, which is the location of the world's only solar-powered ferris wheel. Called the Pacific Wheel, this innovative ride gives people a breathtaking view of the Southern California coastline from a height of over 130 feet.

You and your family will have a grand time spending a sunny Southern California afternoon exploring the nautical-themed Pacific Park. This oceanfront amusement park has 12 thrilling rides, including a steel roller coaster that rises 55 feet above the Santa Monica Bay. Go for a spin on the historic 1922 carousel or rent an electric scooter from kiosks scattered on the pier.

Fun must-see attractions

• Home of the Oscars
  Film enthusiasts will be thrilled to visit The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, which oversees the annual Oscar ceremony. Its headquarters is based in the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, which has a stage flanked by two giant gold-plated Oscar statues. The Academy hosts screenings of exceptional films that are open to the public.
• Popular museums
  The Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation is housed in a Mediterranean-style villa where over 400 works of art are on display. The collection contains the work of Picasso, Cezanne, Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol.

  For something completely different, head east of Beverly Hills to visit the La Brea Tar Pits. Tens of thousands of years ago, the tar pits trapped countless prehistoric animals in the sticky pools. Excavated from the tar (or “brea” in Spanish) were mastodons, mammoths, bison, camels, lions, horses, bears, giant sloths, dire wolves, and saber-tooth tigers.

Fun parks in Beverly Hills

Located along Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Gardens Park is famous for its 40-foot Beverly Hills sign fronted by a reflecting pool known as The Lily Pond. Cypress and ficus trees surround this idyllic location, which stretches nearly two miles along Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards.

Another park worth visiting is the Virginia Robinson Gardens where you can stop and literally smell the roses. The six-acre property, which was built in 1911, is situated in the heart of Beverly Hills. The mansion on the property was the first luxury estate built in Beverly Hills and was as legendary for the parties it hosted as it was for its combination of Beaux Arts and Renaissance Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The various gardens have unique styles that will delight visitors. Be mesmerized by the Rose Garden‘s heirloom roses or the jaw-dropping Australian King Palm Forest. Find tranquility in the Italian Renaissance Terrace Gardens where you can spend time under the shade of magnificent trees or admire the beauty of gardenias, azaleas, and camellias.

Book a guided tour so you can enter the grand mansion, the gardens, and pool pavilion. See the opulence of the early 1900s in this historic mansion that once had Elvis Presley, Glenn Ford, and Lillian Disney as neighbors.

Fun community events in Beverly Hills

Formerly known as the Affaire in the Gardens Art Show, the Beverly Hills artSHOW drew more than 200 artists and exhibitors from across the United States pre-pandemic. It is held every May and October at the Beverly Gardens Park. Art enthusiasts enjoy a carnival atmosphere while appreciating the art that's displayed along four blocks of Santa Monica Boulevard, as well as from Rodeo to Rexford Drives. You'll find everything from watercolors to jewelry, sculpture to pottery. The event also features live performances, food trucks, and a children’s art station and craft booth.

Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance is another noteworthy event held annually on Father’s Day. Frommer’s Travel Guide once called this annual car show “one of the 300 unmissable events in the world,” a showcase of luxury cars and rare motorcycles in Beverly Hills. For over two decades, thousands of car enthusiasts and professional drivers have gathered for this extraordinary display.

Fun to check out real estate options in Beverly Hills

Living in Beverly Hills means enjoying the great California weather while being in close proximity to beaches and mountains. You and your family will enjoy the high-end shops and fine dining options in what's known as the luxury capital of the world. People who live in Beverly Hills also enjoy the convenience of being close to downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood.

Choosing to move to this neighborhood means being spoilt for choice when it comes to property options. From single-family homes and condominiums to townhouses and luxury estates, there’s a place with your name on it in Beverly Hills.

Browse Beverly Hills homes on our dedicated Community Page.

Whether you have something specific in mind or are still just looking around, Valerie Fitzgerald and her team are ready to answer all your queries.

Our mission is to provide each of you, our clients, with extraordinary service. We operate on honesty and integrity, and freely share all the insights we gained over more than 20 years of being in the real estate business. We will also negotiate the best possible price on the home you intend to purchase.

Valerie herself has unrivaled familiarity with current market properties and trends, with a career of closed transactions worth over $3 billion. When representing first-time buyers, business managers, CEOs, and celebrities in their own fields, Valerie and her team do so with discretion and the utmost privacy.

For her stellar work, Valerie has been featured in Angeleno Magazine's “Dynamic Women of Los Angeles” in 2019 and received a Pulse Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction during the same year. She was also a TEDx Women Speaker in November 2020.

Said Colin Kingsmill, director of sales of Playground Real Estate Inc.: “Valerie is an exceptional individual and business professional. I have had the privilege of working with her on demanding projects, and hope to continue doing so in the future. I believe she brings a caring, compassionate eye to whatever she puts her mind to.”

For the kind of exceptional service Valerie Fitzgerald provides, give us a call at 310.285.7515 or send us an email at info(at)valeriefitzgerald(dotted)com. We are excited to help you find your place in Beverly Hills.

Valerie Fitzgerald also represents properties in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Bel-Air/Holmby Hills, BH Post Office, Sunset Strip, Santa Monica, West LA, Westwood Century City, West Hollywood, Venice, and Marina del Rey.