Quirky. Exciting. Eccentric. The magnetic lure of Los Angeles is undeniable. Renowned as the epicenter of the nation's film and television industries, this dazzling West Coast metropolis is synonymous with glamour, fantasy and ambition.

From luxury window shopping on palm-lined Rodeo Drive and the cinematic glitz and glitter of Hollywood to the melding of cultures and food types, Los Angeles has that "something for everyone" kind of feel. And due to its mild temperatures, the climate-blessed region is a great year-round destination.

The "City of Angels" can be overwhelming for first-time visitors, so here are some of our not-to-be-missed favorites.

No one should visit L.A. without a journey through time along famous Hollywood Boulevard. This cultural icon is filled with museums, landmarks and other Hollywood attractions celebrating the city's rich film and entertainment heritage.

Every year, millions of visitors walk in the footsteps of Hollywood legends like Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart at the quintessential TLC Chinese Theatre-previously known as Grauman's. It's virtually a requirement to place your hands and feet over the prints of famous stars immortalized in cement at the theater entrance and have your photo taken for posterity.

Nearby, the world's most famous sidewalk, the Hollywood Walk of Fame honors more than 2,500 stars of motion picture, television, radio and live theater.

In Los Angeles, even the dead maintain their magnetic appeal. Never is this more apparent than at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Known as the resting place for Hollywood's immortals, this is one of L.A.'s oldest cemeteries. With meticulously manicured lawns, ponds and fountains, the fascinating yet bizarre resting place for the rich and famous captivates you with its rich history. Our plan to stop by to "check it out" resulted in over an hour's visit as we found ourselves compelled to find the gravesites and mausoleum vaults of familiar Hollywood legends like Judy Garland and Rudolph Valentino.

You have to do it. At least once. In the heart of Beverly Hills sits one of the wealthiest and most famous shopping streets in the world-the renowned Rodeo Drive. Showcasing the glam of L.A., Rodeo Drive is home to such couture high fashion names as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Fendi and Versace.

Located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel is the grand dame of Beverly Hills. Built in 1928 in the Italian Renaissance style, the elegant hotel, with crystal chandeliers, elegant oak paneling, crown molding and frescos gracing the walls, has hosted presidents, foreign dignitaries, and of course, the rich and famous. But, the hotel is most noted for its featured role in the film Pretty Woman.

It's hard to describe a museum that not only holds an unbelievably spectacular art collection, but whose setting sports equally spectacular views of the Santa Monica Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and the city of Los Angeles.

The J. Paul Getty Museum houses an extensive collection of European paintings, drawings, sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts and photography, all representing medieval times to present day. Collections are divided by genre throughout various loges and pavilions. Famous original art by Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne and others is beautifully displayed. If the collections aren't impressive enough, the architectural splendor of the Getty with its sculptured gardens and tree-lined walkways are a work of art themselves.

Established in 1934, the Original Farmer's Market is the granddaddy of the L.A. markets. With its amazing array of clapboard stalls and over 100 vendors, the market sells everything from baked goods, fruits and vegetables to fresh meat, poultry and fish.

Cuisines from across the globe can be purchased as meals, making the market a sensationally international melting pot of food choices.

No trip to Los Angeles would be complete without a visit to Pink's Hot Dogs, a quintessential Hollywood foodie experience.

In 1939, Paul and Betty Pink sold their famous "juicy snap" hot dogs in a perfectly steamed bun from a pushcart near the corner of La Brea and Melrose. The restaurant opened in 1946 and since then patrons have lined up in droves to enjoy one of Pink's 39 famous Hollywood-themed hot dog combinations, from chili dogs to those covered in pastrami, guacamole, mushroom, coleslaw and more. One bite and you'll understand.

Southern California's gateway to the cosmos, Griffith Observatory is an art deco landmark built in 1935 that features a high-tech planetarium, an astronomy museum with telescopes available to the public for viewing.

The observatory is known for its commanding vistas of the Los Angeles basin and the famous Hollywood sign, but, most importantly, for the ability to witness amazing starlight and planetary views on clear nights. Incredibly, admission to the observatory and programs are free with only a nominal fee for planetarium shows.

Smack dab in the middle of urban Los Angeles is the last place you'd expect to find a bizarre primal pool of hot tar that's been bubbling from the earth for more than 40,000 years. La Brea Tar Pits is a fascinating sticky asphalt swamp and site of the world's most famous ice age fossil excavation. Nearly 400 species of mammals, birds, amphibians and fish became trapped in the gooey tar, resulting in their bone preservation.

Established in 1781, one of downtown's biggest surprises is the historic district located in the oldest section of the city known as El Pueblo Los Angeles. The old pueblo, preserved as a historic park, contains the oldest house in the city.

Olvera Street, known as the "birthplace of Los Angeles," is a lively brick-lined Mexican marketplace filled with historic museums, colorful shops, outdoor markets, cafes, restaurants and plenty of live Mexican entertainment.

Home of the L.A. Philharmonic, the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall breathed new life into the city's downtown when the architectural masterpiece opened in 2003. Lillian Disney made an initial gift of $50 million to build the performance venue as a gift to the people of Los Angeles and a tribute to Walt Disney's devotion to the arts and the city.

The hall is known for its curvaceous stainless-steel exterior but its amazing acoustics are praised worldwide. Even for those not seeing a concert, it's worth a visit to gaze at this awe-inspiring structure.