Beverly Hills Travel Guide

Located in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, Beverly Hills was inhabited by the Tongva tribe of Native Americans who considered the land to be a holy site and namesd it 'El Rodeo de las Aguas,' meaning 'The Gathering of the Waters' in Spanish. With the development of winding roads and tree-lined streets in 1906, the community was designed to allow buyers to build custom houses on the land they purchased. It was then that the Rodeo Land and Water Company decided to name it Beverly Hills, after Beverly Farms, Massachusettes, hoping to create a west coast replica. Beverly Hills then transformed over the years and became an official city of its own in 1914.

The city is nearby world famous Hollywood, making Beverly Hills home to the rich and famous for the large stylish mansions of famous movie/singing stars. By the 1950s, the stables and trails were eventually annexed and an expensive housing development began to take shape in the hills above the city, developed by Paul Trousdale of Trousdale Estates. The city is home to some of the most glamorous mansions and places to shop with Wilshire Boulevard, "the" place for famous shops and restaurants, and Rodeo Drive, the apex of chic shopping and fashion.

The city's unique personality is favored by show business people as well as powerful professionals such as doctors and lawyers. The city's image has then been enhanced and over-rated by television shows and movies. However, the democratic advantage made Beverly Hills one of the more liberal cities in Southern California, governed by a five-member city council. With several private schools and nearby famous University of Los Angeles (UCLA), Beverly Hills is home to various landmarks, fashion trenders, and show business.

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