California had been on my travel list ever since The O.C. first aired. There was just something about palm trees, sunshine, and the laid-back California vibe that had always stuck with me. So when my friend Emily went to Los Angeles for her exchange semester, it was the perfect excuse to finally make the trip. From exploring Melrose Avenue and Venice Beach to strolling along the Walk of Fame and Beverly Hills, I could explore many of the city’s popular sights, while a celebrity sightseeing tour through Hollywood and a quick getaway to Las Vegas added a lot of fun to the trip.

But let’s start from the beginning. After a 12-hour non-stop flight and a two-hour wait at immigration, I made it out of LAX and into a cab bound for Emily’s place. After freshening up, we spent that first afternoon heading straight to Melrose Avenue, soaking in the street art and stylish boutiques. For dinner, we booked a table at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood and finished the night with some late-night ice cream.

Surprisingly, jet lag didn’t hit too hard. I was up early the next morning and set out solo while Emily was at university. I made my way to Venice Beach, watched the skaters and performers do their thing, and then met up with Sarah in Santa Monica, where we spent the afternoon before meeting Emily for dinner at Elephante, a stylish rooftop bar with ocean views in a chic, laid-back setting.

The next day was all about tourist mode. The three of us joined a celebrity sightseeing tour that took us through the Hollywood Hills, Mulholland Drive, Rodeo Drive, and ended at a scenic viewpoint overlooking the City of Angels. We later walked along the Walk of Fame, wandered through Beverly Hills, and even stopped by The Grove.

The following day, Emily and I headed out for some vintage shopping and coffee on Melrose Avenue and a stop at LACMA to see those iconic lamp posts. Then, I headed to the airport as I had squeezed in a short detour to Vancouver during my trip, but was ready to do some more exploring once I got back to LA.

Back in the city, Sarah and I spent the morning at Griffith Observatory, offering stunning views of the city skyline and the Hollywood Sign. That night, our girls’ group was then finally complete when Vicki joined us after arriving from Canada, and we were ready to hit the road for Las Vegas. After our wild but wonderful desert getaway, we returned to LA again for one last stretch of sunshine.

The next morning, we started the day with breakfast at Great White in Venice, wandered around Abbot Kinney Boulevard for some shopping, and then hit the beach one more time. In the afternoon, we met Michelle for a scenic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. There, we had a gorgeous lunch at Malibu Farm, strolled along Malibu Pier, and soaked up the sun at the beach. As golden hour approached, we drove back to the city, picked up Michelle’s sister Angela, and headed to The Cheesecake Factory at Marina Del Rey. Sitting by the water, watching the sunset, and having a piece of that famous cheesecake for our last dinner was the perfect end to the trip.