Greystone Mansion & Park
Built in 1928 for the son of a prominent oil baron, the majestic Greystone Mansion located in Beverly hills today is surrounded by 18.5 pastoral acres of lush, city-owned parkland.
Greystone has had feature roles in dozens of famous movies including The Big Lebowski, There Will Be Blood, Ghostbusters, Austin Powers: Goldmember and Spiderman.
Visit Greystone Mansion and stroll through two public areas on the grounds-the beautifully maintained formal gardens with their centerpiece fountain, and the pool and inner courtyard area. If you’re looking to go inside the mansion, attend one of the special events including the annual Greystone Mansion Concours d’Elegance or many musical and theatrical performances held throughout the year, which unlock this special access.
Greystone Mansion & Park, 905 Loma Vista Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Fairytale Residences
While Beverly Hills is known around the world for celebrity homes and impressive real estate, two private residences stand out from the rest:
The O’Neill House makes you feel like you’ve stepped into Alice’s Wonderland. The home’s facade was inspired by the surreal designs of famous architect Antoni Gaudi. This house is just steps from the Golden Triangle. Be sure to walk or drive down the alley that runs along the house’s left side as the swirling exterior can be seen even better from the back.
The Spadena House, also known as the Witch’s House, appears to be plucked straight out of a fairytale. The house was built in 1921 for a silent film movie studio, Willat Studios in Culver City, to serve as its offices and dressing rooms. When the studio closed, the Spadena family moved the home to its current location in Beverly Hills, where it has been since 1934. Thanks to the pointy, lopsided roof, tiny windows and stucco with a distressed paint technique, the home has been described as the quintessential Hansel and Gretel house.
O’Neill House, 507 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Spadena House (Witch’s House), 516 N. Walden Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Both homes are private residences. Tours are not offered. Please be respectful of the current residents by viewing the homes only from public streets and sidewalks.
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
Cheese aficionados may think they’ve died and gone to heaven upon entering this shop that stocks over 500 varieties of the best cheeses from all over the world. While the store is known for its extensive cheese offerings, it also features wine and fine foods, including truffles, caviar, olive oils and charcuterie.
Say hello to owner Norbert Wabnig on your next visit and be sure to ask about their monthly cheese and wine pairing classes.
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, 419 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
photo by Amy Dickerson for The New York Times
Other Gourmet Food Shops
It’s hard to imagine another area so concentrated with specialty sweets shops than Beverly Hills. Lines wrap around the block for Sprinkles‘ cupcakes and ice cream, decadent brownies beckon from the counter at Beverly Hills Brownie Company and samples are plentiful inside Vosges Haut-Chocolate, including their popular Mo’s Bar (milk chocolate filled with hickory smoked bacon and sprinkled with salt). Open for tours, Edelweiss Chocolates was Lucille Ball’s favorite and inspired her iconic “Job Switching” assembly line I Love Lucy episode.
Beverly Hills Brownie Company, 315 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Vosges Haut-Chocolat, 311 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Sprinkles, 9635 S. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Edelweiss Chocolates, 444 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Parks
Beverly Hills is home to almost as many trees (33,000 species) as residents and has an impressive 14 parks! This commitment to urban forestry has been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation who has named Beverly Hills a “Tree City USA” community for over 25 years.
Head over to Beverly Gardens Park, the home of the famous Beverly Hills sign for a commemorative photo, but don’t miss some of the smaller pocket parks dotted around town. Beverly Canon Gardens is nestled beside Montage Beverly Hills and offers plentiful seating for a mid-day break. Will Rogers Memorial Park‘s central fountain filled with Koi fish, sweeping lawns, and countless palm trees that span the property, make it perfect for a romantic picnic.
Beverly Gardens Park, N. Santa Monica Blvd between N. Rodeo Dr. and N. Crescent Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Will Rogers Memorial Park, 9650 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Beverly Canon Gardens, 241 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Nightlife
With over two dozen signature martinis, Nic’s is one of the most popular hot spots in town, but it’s Nic’s VODBOX that lands the restaurant and bar on this list of hidden gems. VODBOX is the restaurant’s walk-in, exhibition freezer designed for tasting flights of vodkas from all over the world. One of L.A.’s most unique bar experiences will make visitors – who don faux fur while sipping on pure vodka – feel like they have just landed in the Ukraine in the midst of winter for an authentic tasting experience.
Tucked above Scarpetta Beverly Hills, inside the Montage hotel is the Macallan-dedicated bar £10 (10 Pound). Savor rare whiskey served in Lalique stemware in this dark, cozy space. The space seats just 35 patrons at a time providing the most intimate experience paired with unparalleled service. Reservations are a must and the Jimmy Mac cocktail is highly recommended.
Nic’s, 453 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
£10 (10 Pound) at Montage Beverly Hills, 225 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Trousdale Estates
Trousdale Estates is a 410-acre enclave of luxurious, mostly single-story homes in California. Developed in the 1950s and 60s, Trousdale Estates quickly became famous for its concentration of celebrity residents and the unrestrained extravagance of its architecture. Early houses were designed by renowned architects including Frank Lloyd Wright.
Celebrity residents have included the likes of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. More recently, Jennifer Aniston and Jane Fonda have lived in the neighborhood.
Trousdale Estates are located north east of Greystone Mansion. Head north from W. Sunset Blvd on Mountain Dr. (turn onto Loma Vista Dr.) or N. Hillcrest Road.
Virginia Robinson Gardens
Virginia Robinson of the Robinsons-May Department stores, whose family built this estate in 1911, was known as the “First Lady of Beverly Hills.” She was legendary for her card games and popular parties, which were frequented by celebrities like Fred Astaire and Maurice Chevalier. She also loved the tropics and transformed her six acres into a miniature tropical paradise complete with exotic and rare plants, pools and fountains.
Spanning 6.5 acres, the estate and its grounds include five distinct gardens: The Italian Renaissance Terrace Garden, The Formal Mall Garden, The Rose Garden with heirloom roses, The Kitchen Garden featuring vegetables and herbs and The Tropical Palm Garden. The Robinson Gardens are open to the public for Docent Tours, but only by advanced reservation by calling (310) 550-2065.
Virginia Robinson Gardens, 1008 Elden Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Beverly Hills has an international reputation for its celebrity residents and guests, grand mansions and chic shops along Rodeo Drive, but the city’s multitude of unique architecture, abundant parks and gardens, gourmet food shops and specialty bars are often overlooked. Go beyond legendary Rodeo Drive or the iconic “Beverly Hills” sign in Beverly Gardens Park and check out some of these lesser known gems tucked away throughout the city as well.