Gardens of the World

One beautiful, restful spot nearby is the Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks.  View on link at:

http://www.gardensoftheworld.info/    


Closed on Mondays.

Map of area around Hyatt

Useful links:


Map of area near Hyatt and the temple
file:///Users/Laura/Desktop/Fun%20Map.pdf


Hyatt fact sheet:
file:///Users/Laura/Desktop/Hyatt%20Westlake%20Plaza%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf


Hyatt images:
file:///Users/Laura/Desktop/Hyatt%20images%20all.gif

Starbuck's close to Hyatt Westlake

See links at the following:

1) http://www.starbucks.com/store/8672  which is closest to hotel, and on the way to the temple with just a slight corner detour.  (Across Westlake Blvd. from this Starbucks, and just North on Westlake Blvd. from the rear entrance of the Hyatt, is the Westlake Promenade outdoor mall where there are several restaurants, the best of which are Farfalle, Cafe Marmalade, and Macaroni Grill, and a low key food court with Pik up Stix, an adorable little french cafe, Rubio's) Barnes and Noble, movie theatre, Chico's, and, at that time of year, stunning Channukah and Xmas displays.  Music played in courtyards on weekends.)

2) http://www.starbucks.com/store/15953 also close to hotel but the other direction (Southeast) from temple.  This is part of an older outdoor shopping center with some good restaurants, some with entertainment on weekends.  (Galetto, Natural Cafe, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf but I don't recommend Fin's nor Tuscany, , etc.)

If you can leave time in your trip for some sightseeing, there are two stunning locatons of the Getty Museum, the modern architectural marvel in Santa Monica and the restored Villa in Malibu.  View at link:

http://www.getty.edu/museum/

There are lovely beaches in the Malibu area from Zuma beach to the small Paradise Cove.  As you drive along Pacific Coast Highway, there is also a host of restaurants from biker beach joint Joe's Crab Shack to Gladstone's 4 Fish and Charthouse.  For the beach club feel without the beach club price, if weather permits and it's open in Winter, try the newly renovated Marion Davies estate, now called the Annenberg Public Beach Club with stunning tile pool, cafe and beach with chairs and volleyballs for rent.  Further down the coast, you can enjoy the famous Santa Monica pier boardwalk now restored with Ferris Wheel, bumper cars and eateries, or go a bit further West for tchotchke shopping and wild people watching at Venice Beach, where you can also rent bicycles or surreys and ride the sidewalks.