The Grove, Los Angeles

The Grove is hands down, my favorite spot in Los Angeles. It is basically just an open air mall, but it's so beautiful and you bump into so many celebrities (it's right next to CBS studios). It has such a relaxing atmosphere, they have a beautiful dancing fountain, and at night, the lights all over the place makes you feel like you're transported away from the busy city.
Oh and don't even get me started on Christmas... My goodness it's like the North Pole threw up all over it... bright lights, santa flying over the sky, a big christmas tree - and SNOW!
It's very small too, so it's not overwhelming. If you are visiting LA, you MUST have lunch or dinner at The Grove, or just walk around, have a sprinkles cupcake! You must not miss it! :)

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Ah, the Grove! Its slogan is "Unique, like you" Hmmm... not to criticize so much, I say it's too city planned to be unique in the true sense of the word. Better put, this place is absolutely trendy. This is a must-stop for shopping and dining upscale trends- as well as possible celeb sighting, basic people watching, occasional outdoor concerts and movie going.

When I came here for the first time, it was for the grand opening day, back in February 2002. The atmosphere was- well, chaotic! It reminded me of Disneyland in the summer! Still, with patience as my saving grace, it was well worth the commotion.

The Grove is a nice place to go for a stroll, perhaps with the family or for a first date.Entertainment at the Grove includes dancing water fountains and pond area (one of the best landscaped in the city), a free trolley and beautiful, ultra hi-tech Grove cinemas.

In the summer, The Grove has been host to outdoor concerts of some fairly well known artists. Catch the schedule of events on the official website all throughout the year to know what's going on!

Warning: The issue of parking here is a big deal! At peak times, it is an absolute nightmare to find a space--forget finding it quickly. The multi-tiered parking structure, the main parking area, gets highly congested and can be very costly if not validated.

There are several deals for Grove visitors, including dinner+movie+ parking packages. Check the on-site oncierge for details.

Located next to the Famers Market, The Grove is a huge open-air marketplace. There area dozens of shops (everything from Abercrombie & Fitch to Baby Gap to Nordstrom to various boutiques) as well as various world cuisines including French, Italian, and American.

The Grove has choreographed fountains (really nice at night) and hosts free live concerts in the park and also special events. (See the website for further information.) While we were there we browsed the stores and caught a movie at the Pacific 14 Theatres (323-692-0829).

This is a very nice place to have dinner or sit at a patio table enjoying a drink and people watching.

Parking: Self parking may be accessed from either Fairfax Ave or The Grove Dr. between Beverly and 3rd Street.

HOURS
Mon. - Thurs.: 10 am - 9 pm
Fri. - Sat.: 10 am - 10 pm
Sun.: 11 am - 8 pm

I fell in love with this place the first time i came here. Its basically a shopping street with the normal shops, with small stalls on the sidewalk selling different stuff. It actually reminds me of the aircon street in Bugis in Singapore but much nicer and longer. There's a free cute tram plying the whole street thats lighted up beautifully at nite. There's a cinema also and some restaurants where u can dine al fresco and watch the ppl walk by. In the midst of it all, there's a nice fountain.

Since we drove on our recent trip, we got the chance to see the parking lot. It was the coolest parking lot i've ever seen. Ok maybe its just me being a "mountain tortise", but it was so beautiful! The entrance to the lot even had a huge sofa in the middle of it. What it's for i dont know but it just looks nice.

True, it may feel a little fake and made up, but the atmosphere and feel of the place is just so nice. Especially at night with the amber lighting and the lighted fountains, its such a romantic atmosphere!