I Took a CosmoTrip to West Hollywood, and It Was the *Most* VIP

If there’s one place to live your best A-lister life, it’s West Hollywood. And I would know—I just experienced the glam myself. My brother and I took a trip to WeHo, as the locals call it, to help vet the itineraries for CosmoTrips, the new travel-booking biz where we do the trip planning for you and you do absolutely zero work. And let me tell you: Our vacay was just as five-star as we thought it would be.

Before we get into the deets re: how you, too, can live like a celeb in WeHo, let’s start with this: Smack dab in the middle of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, West Hollywood has its own entire thing going on. Seriously, the atmosphere is v chill, so if you’re looking for a vacation that’s young, wild and free, here’s your sign to book a CosmoTrip ASAP. Your trip won’t look ~exactly~ like my itinerary below, because there are a couple different trip options, so it’ll depend on which one you book. But this breakdown will still give you the general vibe, and trust me, that vibe is…very VIP.

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Your West Hollywood Packing List:

Where You’ll Stay:

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When you book a CosmoTrip to WeHo, you’ll be staying at either The Mondrian LA or Hotel Ziggy (for now…you never know what cool new hotels we might add 😏). My brother and I stayed at The Mondrian, a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of WeHo, which means we were literally living our best lives on the Sunset Strip. Once I entered past the thirty-foot mahogany doors, I was welcomed by the friendliest staff and some chilled bubbly in my suite. They def know how to give a warm welcome!

What You’ll Do

Take a hike

Hitting the trails is how the locals do LA—which is why CosmoTrips set us up with a Bikes n’ Hikes hiking tour of the Hollywood Hills. While we were sweating it out, our guide (hey, Noelle!) gave us all of the LA tea, from where to see celebs (BOA Steakhouse) to where to catch the prettiest happy hour (La Boheme). Pro tip: Stop by Earthbar for a smoothie before you go, lather on lots of sunscreen, and def go to the bathroom before you head out—there aren’t any restrooms on the trail.

Shop on Sunset Plaza

It’s always time to shop, and Sunset Plaza makes it easy, with all sorts of luxury stores and cool lil shops. Plus, there are so many things to see…and eat! My brother filled his stomach at the legendary Mel’s Drive-in, while I checked out the shops and filled my fashion heart.

Explore Sunset Strip on a Rock’n Roll walking tour

CosmoTrips also hooked us up with this well-known tour of the legendary Sunset Strip, led by LA native and musician Jon D’Amico. We walked the streets of WeHo as Jon told us about the town’s musical legacy, from the secret lives of entertainers to juicy details about the most iconic restaurants and hotels to peeks into the recording spots of some of the world’s greatest rockstars. We also walked by The Oppenheim Group (Selling Sunset, anyone?), and I even saw a Cosmo issue in the wild!

Eat your way through Venice Beach on the Secret Food Tour

They say you can’t go to Cali without trying In-N-Out once, but the burger on this food tour is actually way better (there, we said it). Other highlights of the tour include a ~secret meal~ (I’m not telling, sry!), and ice cream…such good ice cream.

Vibe out at The E.P. & L.P. Rooftop

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I looove me a good rooftop, and this one has crazy views of the Hollywood Hills and the Sunset Strip. In fact, it’s actually one of the largest rooftop patios in LA! Their global snack menu and hand-crafted cocktails don’t hurt the cause, either.

The Comedy Store

Hollywood is known for its old-school stand-up rooms, and the iconic Comedy Store (across the street from the Mondrian) is no different. My brother and I dropped in one night after dinner, and caught the tail end of Leslie Jones cracking up the crowd. There’s a two-drink minimum to stay and enjoy the show, JSYK.

Where You’ll Eat and Drink:

Katana for the Japanese cuisine + celeb vibes

Hello, celeb-status dining. Katana is an essential WeHo hotspot (and they have an outpost in Dubai, too). At the exclusive restaurant, you’ll dine on Japanese cuisine (the sea bass, beef and lobster skewer is *chef’s kiss!*), shimmy in your seat to a live DJ, and enjoy great views and immaculate service.

Bonus: The restaurant is right across from the Mondrian hotel. And their dessert options are sooo good—they lit up a fire cracker thingy like it was my birthday!

The Conservatory for all of the sweetness

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With gorgeous pale pink walls and dappled light everywhere, this place oozes as much sweetness as their famous Tres Leche French Toast (made with Fruity Pebbles brioche, Tres Leches broth, Chantilly cream, and raspberry preserves). Unfortunately, the toast is only served on the weekends, so I missed it on this trip—but I WILL be back.

The Pump to come alive

Reserve the Mondrian’s Lincoln House car (part of your CosmoTrips #perks) to take you to dinner at The Pump, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant owned by Lisa Vanderpump and her partner Ken Todd. The venue is stunning and v transportive (there are olive trees everywhere!), and the candlelit vibe makes for an intimate date night (or, ya know, a sibling hang). My brother and I loved everything we ate, from the ahi tuna tartare, rock shrimp tempura, and fried calamari to start, to the truffle mushroom chicken for dinner…followed by the best flan of my life for dessert.

BBCM Cafe to do it for the ‘gram

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The Butcher, the Baker, the Cappuccino Maker Cafe (try saying that three times) is *the* food spot for picture-perfect photos. I took one sip of this pretty drink and realized I’m still not a latte girl, but at least it made for a cute photo opp for the ‘gram! Oh, and there’s brunch ALL DAY. Cheers to rolling out of bed whenever.

How You’ll Relax:

Sure, the rooms at the Mondrian are amazing (the aesthetic is v ~surreal~), but you’re really here for the pool and the vibe. Make sure you spend an afternoon of classic Los Angeles luxury lounging poolside. There are drinks and food on the upper deck, views for days, cute servers ready to fill up your glass before it empties, and the music is A1. Seriously, the rooftop pool situation is so sweet, you won’t even miss the beach.

The Verdict:

So, do you need to go to West Hollywood? Yes, immediately. Go now, actually. JK (kinda). My favorite part was lounging poolside with seats reserved in my name, and taking scenic strolls around town. There’s just something about WeHo that allows you to do anything and be anyone. It oozes endless fun and ease—you really just have to experience for yourself.

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