The Grove

Created by retail development superstar Rick Caruso, The Grove is a 575,000-square-foot European-style extension added on to the historic Los Angeles Farmers Market. The shopping mall contains more than 60 stores and restaurants, along with  a first-class movie theater in the heart of the mall. The Grove is also home to a unique fountain that is not only choreographed to music, but is only the second of its kind in the world, with only Las Vegas' Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas beating The Grove to the punch.

Boasting a family- and pet-friendly atmosphere, families with jingling leashes attached to their canine counterparts can be found roaming the cobblestone-eque walkways that guide their paths.

The Grove also plays host to outdoor carts that sell everything from Hello Kitty backpacks to knockoff sunglasses. These carts and the outdoor setting give the mall an energetic atmosphere similar to Boston's Faneuil Hall or Seattle's Pike Place Market. The Grove creates a warmth and intimacy unseen by traditional malls for its shoppers by creating a small-town environment within its borders.

The Grove features a gold-and-forest-green trolley that runs throughout the mall and into the Farmers Market. However, the trolley is not some glorified, kitsch monorail, but is actually constructed from undercarriage of a 1950s Boston streetcar. Even more, this trolley is actually a technological innovation - it is the first use of inductive power technology for transportation in the United States. Even more, near the center of the mall, renowned sculptor De L'Esprie created a pair of angels to represent the endless opportunities that the City of Angels provides for its residents.

During the holiday season, visit the mall and see the enormous Christmas tree that rivals that in New York's Rockefeller Center, along with artificial "snow" falling nightly from the Southern California sky while shopping for loved ones in this holiday shopping mecca.

Ultimately, The Grove is much more than a unique shopping experience; it's a one-stop center for a morning, afternoon or night of fun and an absolute must-see when visiting Los Angeles.