Just two days to spend in the Los Angeles area?  Make the most of every minute as you explore Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood.

Marina del Rey

•    Start your morning on the coast with a jog or stroll before breakfast along the Marina’s mile-long Waterfront Promenade, a great area to gaze at the bobbing boats by the harbor.

•    Stop off at Joni’s Coffee Roaster Café, a favorite hang-out for local boaters, and a perfect spot for a steaming café latte. Then head to Fisherman’s Village, a replica of a New England fishing village, the center of recreational boating in the community, and a great place to watch the on-going spectacular parade of power and sailboats in the harbor.  A fun and affordable way to get out onto the water here is to take a 45-minute narrated harbor tour by Hornblower Cruises, or hands-on adventure, rent a kayak, jet skis or powerboat at Marina Boat Rentals (no experience necessary) and head out to sea for some do-it-yourself fun on the water. Bike rentals are also popular; pack a picnic and head north to Venice Beach or south to Playa del Rey.

•    Make a short stop at 10-acre Burton Chace Park. Surrounded by water on three sides, this park is one of the crown jewels of Marina del Rey, offering what may be the best vista point in the area. This is also the location of free waterside summer outdoor concerts and “marina movie nights” during the summer months.

•    Walk to nearby Venice Beach. Here, there is plenty of free entertainment with sidewalk vendors, street performers, and lots of souvenirs. This is the home of famous Muscle Beach, and a great place to people watch on the always active Ocean Front Walk.

•    During the summer months, take advantage of the Marina Beach Shuttle (free) and Marina WaterBus ($1.00) to get around town.

Santa Monica

•    Wiggle your toes in the sand while enjoying lunch at Back on the Beach, an outdoor café located next to the restored Annenberg Community Beach House, where diners sun bathe while eating at tables planted in the sand, or dine at Perry’s Café where you can also rent a bike or other equipment for a ride along the South Bay Bicycle Trail. For something new but just as enjoyable, rent a Segway, a self-balancing, electrically powered two-wheeled human transporter!

•    Next, browse at the one-of-a-kind shops along Main Street or pick up a Design District Map at the Visitor’s Information Center and wander along Fourth Street browsing the many design shops – it’s just a block east of the well-known Third Street Promenade shopping district and the new Santa Monica Place mall. Bloomingdales and Nordstrom’s anchor this brand new shopper’s paradise with luxury brands, well known favorite retailers and a third floor open air dining deck with views of the Pacific and Santa Monica Pier.

•    Head to Santa Monica Pier for the evening and watch the sunset while taking a spin on the solar-powered Ferris wheel in Pacific Park, perched high above the ocean. Play arcade games, go fishing or take a spin on the historic carousel in the Looff Hippodrome before sitting down to a seafood dinner and testing your Forrest Gump knowledge at the family-oriented Bubba Gump Shrimp Company or grabbing a beer and a bite at Rusty’s on the Pier. For a seafood dinner with 180-degree views of the Pacific, opt for The Lobster, located near the famous Santa Monica Pier entrance sign.