Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles

Rodeo Drive is the most renowned shopping strip in Los Angeles. Appropriately found in the posh Beverly Hills neighborhood, this famous three-block stretch of shops is the place to be in LA if you're looking for haute couture fashion. Prada, Gucci, Chanel, and Bulgari all have stores on Rodeo Drive, and that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the designer labels. While many Los Angeles visitors won't have ample room in the budget for Rodeo Drive shopping, it doesn't cost anything to stroll the streets and peruse some of the goods. This famed shopping strip has become quite the tourist attraction over the years, and there are some more affordable shops close by for those who want to keep their spending in check.

Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills started to take shape in the 1970s, and it was partially made famous by the 1990 film, Pretty Woman. This isn't your typical shopping street, and the employees at the upscale shops are known to exhibit some attitude from time to time if you aren't waving a lot of cash around. Even with that being said, window shopping and ducking into a few stores on Rodeo Drive is one of the top things to do for Los Angeles tourists.

The stretch of shops on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills begins at Wilshire Boulevard to the south, and extends north to Santa Monica Boulevard. At Santa Monica Boulevard, the commercial section of the street starts to turn into an affluent residential neighborhood. Coincidentally, the celebrity home tours in Los Angeles highlight Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills on the whole, and they offer fantastic insight into how this upscale area works. No other shopping strip in the country is more famous than Rodeo Drive, so it's easy to see why so many visitors make it a point to book one of these tours.

Shopping isn't the only thing to do on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Some tourists head to Rodeo Drive just to see if they can spot any celebrities. This exclusive three-block stretch is where the rich and famous like to shop, and you never know who might be coming out of a boutique or taking a break at one of the cafes or restaurants. You might spot a celebrity at one of the Beverly Hills spas as well. Pairing some Rodeo Drive shopping with a rejuvenating session at one of the luxurious Beverly Hills spas can make for an excellent day. Perhaps you'll top the day off with a sunset viewing at the Griffith Observatory and a fine dining experience at any number of renowned LA restaurants.

Should the stores on Rodeo Drive be too pricey for your taste or budget, the surrounding Golden Triangle area is home to some more affordable establishments. The specialty stores on Little Santa Monica Boulevard, for example, can be fun to explore. Since the stores in the Golden Triangle are relatively upscale themselves, you might head elsewhere in the city to enjoy a more affordable shopping experience. The eclectic shops on Abbot Kinney Boulevard can prove tempting when you are the mood for a break from Rodeo Drive shopping, while Santa Monica's Main Street offers both upscale shops and less-pricey alternatives.