When travels take you to the Los Angeles area, be sure to add this historic destination to your itinerary. Book a lunch or dinner at the hotel’s famed Polo Lounge, along with a stroll around the beautiful grounds and pool.

Opened 1912, the pink-painted palace is on Sunset Boulevard, and at first the typical nightly room rate was $25, a bit high for the time. Today, rates  start at $700 and up, way up. If scandal is your thing, consider some famous shack ups by famous stars. Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned six times in one of the hotel’s bungalows.

Bogart and Sinatra’s Rat Pack often gathered at the bar. Katharine Hepburn dipped into the pool after tennis without bothering to change to a swim suit. And the Beatles came to the hotel after a gig for a midnight swim in the pool. If you want to do the same, be sure to bring your camera or smartphone to record the historic visit.

At historic City Tavern, just a few blocks from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Order favorite dishes that Washington, Franklin, Jefferson and Adams enjoyed more than 200 years ago. They include Chesapeake crab cakes, pepper pot soup, roast turkey and all the rest. For more info, go to citytavern.com

When visiting LA, spend a night to scope out the stars from the beautiful Griffith Observatory. Parking, admission to the building and access to the telescopes are free.

Of course, you can still see stars during the day — the human ones from the movies and TV, that is. Spend the day in nearby Hollywood, Beverly Hills or Santa Monica beaches. Then keep an eye out for your favorite celestial celebrities who frequent local restaurants and clubs.

Take some time from gambling away your grandkids’ inheritances to visit this beautiful creation by Mother Nature. Just an hour’s drive northeast of Las Vegas in the Mojave Desert, the Valley of Fire features brilliant red-sandstone spires, arches and other eons-old rock formations.

The Anasazi Native American people flourished there more than 3,000 years ago, and their petroglyphs and other rock art are still visible. Follow the riding and hiking trails through the rock formations with camera and smartphone lens clicking away. Before returning to Las Vegas, spend an hour or two in the beautiful land. And if you’ll be picnicking in a shady spot, be sure to bring plenty of water to drink and cool off.