Make The Most Of Your L.A. Work Trip

Traveling to Los Angeles for business is enough to give anyone a taste for the SoCal lifestyle. Spend a few days in the gorgeous weather, going at a leisurely Cali pace, people-watching gorgeous humans, and you might just end up wondering if you should relocate permanently. But if you don't make an effort to actually see the city on your trip, you could really miss out. That's not hard to do, owing to that famous Angeleno traffic.

We've partnered with Hilton Hotels & Resorts to help you make the most of your next business trip to Los Angeles, by staying at the iconic institution The Beverly Hilton. Nestled in the heart of Beverly Hills, staying here puts you in the heart of everything that will give you the glamorous L.A. experience. After all, The Beverly Hilton plays home to some of the most renowned Los Angeles events and award ceremonies of the year.

Lounge by the famous Aquastar pool with a drink in hand, listening to power-lunchers discuss their next big deal. Enjoy happy hour on the patio at Circa 55, the hotel's world-class restaurant. Even if you're answering emails and jetting off to meetings, you'll still feel like a bona fide movie star when you're staying here.

We know your time is precious, so we've broken down some of the best things to do in the city during your down time — whether you have two, four, six, or eight hours of it.

L.A. weather is famous for reaching 72 sunny degrees nearly every day. That means that even in the middle of November, you can enjoy a perfect pool day. Luckily, The Beverly Hilton has the pool of your literal movie star dreams. With bright blue clear water, surrounded by tall palm trees and midcentury lounge chairs, is its famous Aquastar Pool. If you have two hours of down time between meetings, you're not going to want to do much more than just lounge in this mini-oasis. It's the literal perfect place to decompress from being professionally "on."

Follow up pool time with a treatment at Upgrade Labs, The Beverly Hilton's on-site spa, and you can really get in some intense relaxation — but make it "digital age." The labs offer over 15 customized high-tech treatments targeted to rejuvenate your body and mind. A little bit of "me time" here, and you'll be ready to close that big deal, no sweat.

4 Hours: Stroll Rodeo Drive & Do A Power Lunch

There are just some things you have to see if it's your first time in L.A. One of those things, especially if you're in Beverly Hills, is the world's most notable luxury retail drag: Rodeo Drive. The Beverly Hilton offers a courtesy car free of charge to shuttle you to anywhere within a one-mile radius of the hotel. (You can order the car from the convenience of your room, on the in-room tablet, which saves you plenty of time.) Rodeo is just within that radius, at about a 6-minute drive. Cruise down the Rodeo "Walk of Style" on foot and window shop some of the world's most famous designer brands. (Or actually shop... You do you!) Once you're done with that, The Paley Center For Media is right around the corner. It has one of the most notable collections of classic film and TV memorabilia — a can't miss thing in Tinseltown!

Return to The Beverly Hilton for a working (or not working) lunch... or a power-lunch, as they call it in the biz. Sit al fresco at Circa 55 and enjoy some healthy lunch food along with a coffee or a Beverly Bellini. Whether that's some grilled octopus or a fresh Cobb Salad, these four hours of down time will have you feeling fabulous, and then some.

6 Hours: Take A Hike & Grab Some Tacos

A huge part of the California wellness lifestyle revolves around the fact that there are so many beautiful places to hike. If you have almost an entire afternoon of downtime, unplug from work and take advantage! You'll be able to experience some of that SoCal culture, and keep up with your fitness routine while on the road. (Talk about two birds with one stone.)

A great place to do that is Franklin Canyon Park. About 20 minutes by car from The Beverly Hilton, the nature preserve comprises over 605 acres and has almost five miles of hiking trails. Nestled at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, you'll get some incredible views on some of the more moderate walks.

After you've worked up an appetite there, you're going to want to re-fuel with the city's prided delicacy, tacos. Guisado's tacos, with locations throughout the city, serves up some of the best homestyle tacos around. Braising its meat in a signature style, these little tortilla rounds of heaven are simple but packed with flavor. Check out the location in West Hollywood! From The Beverly Hilton, it's just a 12-minute drive in moderate traffic, and a straight shot down Santa Monica.

8 Hours: Explore Venice Beach

Perhaps you flew in a day before the big meeting, or are staying on a day afterwards. If you have eight hours of downtime, you're free to pretend you're a Californian for almost a full day! That means you need to get to the Pacific Ocean. Spend a day soaking up the signature offbeat beach culture at Venice Beach, just a half hour by cab from The Beverly Hilton. Start at the Pier, and pick up a scooter along the beach. Ride along the bike path next to the sand, all the way to the boardwalk, where you'll find bars, street performers, and people from all walks of life congregating.

Watch some daredevil skateboarders zoom through the skate course for a while, and then grab a bite on the boardwalk. A great place to do that, which has a front row seat to all the endearingly weird boardwalk action is The Waterfront. They serve up casual beach fare — from burgers (both classic and Impossible) to tacos, and Kale Caesar salads.

Afterwards, scoot on over to Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Known as the main drag of Venice, you'll find plenty of bars, restaurants, and cute little shops all along there. With an eclectic selection of cute little going out dresses and effortless beach wear, Principessa is this writer's pick. (Beware: you may leave the area with a whole new wardrobe fit for your fantasy life as a surfer girl. Don't say we didn't warn you.)

Return to the pier to watch a breathtaking sunset, or just sit on the beach and take it all in. A day full activity should leave you ready to return to The Beverly Hilton, where you can enjoy a craft cocktail poolside by the fire pits. If you're in more of a cozy mood, you can retire to your room and order room service via the in-room tablet. A perfect ending to a perfect day... and it all happened on a work trip!

For more content on making the most out of your business trip, visit our "Doing The Most" hub.

This post is sponsored by Hilton Hotels & Resorts.