The biggest mistake I see first time—heck even seasoned—travelers make when visiting Los Angeles, California is not knowing that the city is actually made up of a bunch of little cities.

With PLENTY of traffic in-between.

A lot of times, people pick a hotel in Los Angeles at random (or whatever is cheapest) and end up spending their entire vacation driving back and forth, and sitting in traffic, because they don’t realize just how spread out LA is and how different the areas in LA are from each other. So in order to have the best Los Angeles experience, you should cater your vacation to your personal interests and the areas you would naturally want to spend the most time in.

With that in mind, here is a quick breakdown of some of the most popular places to stay in Los Angeles so you can pick the right vibe for your perfect vacation.

Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills is what most people associate Los Angeles with: sports cars, tall street lined palm streets, and designer shopping on Rodeo (Row-day-o for out of towners) Drive. Even if you aren’t much of a glamourous person, Beverly Hills is really fun to visit, but those who would enjoy staying in Beverly Hills would be travelers craving a very luxurious vacation, indulging in the energy that the rest of the world feels from Los Angeles.

West Hollywood

Hollywood is another Los Angeles staple, but honestly…I wouldn’t recommend staying in the heart of Hollywood. Instead, allow me to introduce to you WEST Hollywood, or WeHo for short. This area is very lively and surprisingly walkable, which is great since you’ll want to bob between the bars playing live music. WeHo is also LA’s most focused queer-friendly neighborhood, so it’s not surprising it’s also one of the trendiest areas with the highest concentration of great restaurants.

Santa Monica

Santa Monica, admittedly, is not my favorite area in LA, but I do think it’s a fantastic spot for visitors. While it’s bigger than you may expect, the notable things to do are fairly walkable (a rarity in America, much less LA) so you wouldn’t necessarily need a car or deal with driving in the city if you stay in SM. It’s also my pick for family travelers who want to be near the beach because the pier and Third Street Promenade offer a lot of of entertainment for all ages.

Malibu

Aside from the Getty, Malibu is a bit secluded from the rest of Los Angeles. But maybe that’s just what you’re looking for. Malibu feels like a getaway for this exact reason, with some of the best beaches in Southern California without huge waves of crowds. Speaking of, it’s my favorite area for all things surf in Los Angeles county, but in the same breath is also home to fine dining restaurants like Nobu. Malibu is really what you make of it.

Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo is one of my favorite pockets of Los Angeles, but I do want to start by saying it’s very small. Walkable, yes, but if you’re staying more than two days in LA…you’ll run out of things to do in Little Tokyo. But if you only have a day, want a unique LA experience, or just don’t want to venture out too much, Little Tokyo could suit you just great. The neighborhood focuses on all things Japanese (and by extension Japanese-American) with amazing food and lots of fun shops. Also a great choice for family travelers as well.

Pasadena

Pasadena is just outside of Downtown LA, but feels like a world away. The city feels calm, but charming, with lots of cultural touches – great art and food scene as well. There’s no “iconic” sites here, but for some travelers that might be a positive if you’ve already seen that side of Los Angeles or if you prefer a slower travel experience. You don’t have to rent a car as it’s connected to the city by the LA Metro A Line, unless you want to head into some of the great hikes in the nearby San Gabriel Mountains.

Venice

cons: can be sketchy at night

Venice is another Los Angeles beach city, but a bit weirder and…gritter (for lack of better words) than Santa Monica. And for some travelers, that’s exactly what they’re looking for. The boardwalk is great for skaters and artists, with lots of the usual fun boardwalk shops. Off the beach, there’s some nice boutique shopping and of course the iconic canals. It is Venice after all.

Culver City

If I could live in the city-city of LA, I’d pick Culver City. Hands down. In fact, I’d move there right now. The only thing stopping me is needing a winning lottery ticket. But for visitors, it’s a comfortable in-between of pretty much everywhere in the city with easy freeway access allowing you to bounce around. Still upscale but not ultra luxurious, with a budding art scene that hasn’t been leaked to the gen pop – yet. Yes, there’s more art than just the Sony Studios, but I recommend that tour too. If I had to sum it up, Culver City is central without the rush.

Long Beach

And riiight at the edge of Los Angeles county, we have Long Beach. It’s actually the second biggest city, outside of LA proper, but flies under the radar for most visitors. Which…to be fair it is far away, but if you want a vacation off-the-beaten path, Long Beach could be your vibe if you want to enjoy the marina and the award winning Aquarium of the Pacific. But also if you want to stay on-the-beaten-path, it is the hub for cruises setting out of Los Angeles, so you may just find yourself in the area anyway!