From coastline to desert, city to suburbs, malls dominate the LA shopping landscape. Many of the more famous ones, such as Santa Monica Place (at Colorado Avenue & Fourth Avenue, CA 90401, +1-310 394 5451, www.santamonicaplace.com) and the huge Beverly Center on the edge of Beverly Hills (8500 Beverly Boulevard, CA 90048, +1-310 854 0071, www.beverlycenter.com), don't offer much in the way of surprises. However, you'll find more character at some newer malls: in particular, try the glossy Hollywood & Highland complex (6801 Hollywood Boulevard, CA 90028, +1-323 817 0200, www.hollywoodandhighland.com) and the open-air Grove (189 The Grove Drive, CA 90036, +1-323 900 8080, www.thegrovela.com).

Fashion hounds with cash to splash are directed to Rodeo Drive and the streets surrounding it in Beverly Hills, which attract the haute couture clothing lines. Nearby on Robertson Boulevard, between Beverly Boulevard and W 3rd Street, are a number of designer stores with a little more appeal. And at the other end of the scale, Downtown's Fashion District is teeming with stores hawking budget threads, designer knock-offs and all manner of accessories.

Although chains are everywhere in the city, a number of streets are lined with independent retailers that together bring a little more charisma to LA's shopping circuit. Try Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice; W 3rd Street east of La Cienega Boulevard, on the fringes of Beverly Hills; Melrose Avenue between La Brea and Fairfax Avenues; and the stretch of W Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake. All are lined with characterful local indie stores, selling everything from stationery to shoes.

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