Beverly Hills - Beverly Hills, California

Beverly Hills - Beverly Hills, California

 

Beverly Hills is considered the richest town in America.  People come from all over the world to shop in the exclusive shops on Rodeo Drive; they visit all the places that are discussed and envied all over the world. Although this area is only three blocks long it constitutes the most famous shopping district in America and probably the most expensive three blocks in the world.

In fact, Rodeo Drive is the home to the single most expensive store in the world: Bijan (at 420 Rodeo Drive).  You have to have an appointment just to shop there.  On a typical visit, the average customer spends in the neighborhood of $100,000 on men’s fashions, which range from a $50 pair of socks to $15,000 suits.

This community of 33,000 inhabitants is completely surrounded by the metropolitan area of Los Angeles.  Beverly Hills was first laid out in 1906.  The Beverly Hills Hotel was built in 1912.  At that time the community was growing very slowly and in 1920 there were just 674 people living there.  Then came the film industry, the impact the industry had on the community was phenomenal, the people in the industry wanted to live on the tree lined streets in the wonderful homes.  Then they discovered the hills at the foot of the Santa Monica mountains where they decided to build large villas such as Pickfair (1143 Summit Drive).  This villa was the home of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks from 1920 to 1935 when they separated.  Mary Pickford continued to live there in complete seclusion until her death in 1980.

The community now is perceived to be the “place to be seen” in the film industry so you will see many tourists on vacation in California shopping in the stores, eating in the restaurants and looking at everyone to try to see a movie or television star.  It’s part of the charm and attraction of Beverly Hills. 

On the city’s pristine street-lined streets you will see more stretch limos, shining Mercedes-Benzes, and sleep Ferraris per square mile than anyplace else on earth.  In keeping with the image of the city, even the fireplugs are painted a gleaming silver!  Even the post office has valet parking.   Its residential thoroughfares are lined with multi-million dollar mansions, towering trees and of course, the manicured lawns.

You may want to see the largest home ever built in Beverly Hills, Greystone manor.  You can actually drive through the gates of this mansion, stroll the 16 acre grounds and admire the 55 room castle up close, and the price is right, it’s FREE.

The fortress-like Tudor mansion was built by famed oil-tycoon Edward Doheny in 1928, as a gift to his son.  There are over 46,000 square feet of living space.  At the time of construction it cost more than $4 million to build.  The mansion is consistently used in movies and TV shows.  The estate has been leased on a semi-permanent basis by the American Film Institute.

The home is now empty, and is closed to visitors; there are no regular public tours of the house.  Most months are limited to exploring the grounds and an occasional peep through a dusty window for a brief glimpse of the fabulous interior.

The park grounds are open daily from 10 – 5 (6 in the summer).  Parking is in a free hilltop parking lot within the gates.

Location: Beverly Hills CVB

239 South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90121

Phone: 310-271-8174

 

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