How to Get Around Los Angeles for the LACMA Art+Film Gala
Arriving via LAX or Van Nuys, moving between Beverly Hills and Wilshire Boulevard, leaving the evening without waiting: how a stay works in a city where everything is done by car.
Last updated 5 October 2026 · 4 min read
In Los Angeles, everything is done by car. To arrive: a long-haul flight into LAX, the international airport, or a private jet into Van Nuys, a general aviation airport in the San Fernando Valley. Once there, a dedicated chauffeur for the length of the stay is the reliable answer: they know the journeys between Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and the museum on Wilshire Boulevard. On gala night, arrivals and departures concentrate on the campus: a chauffeur who drops you off, waits nearby and returns at the agreed hour spares you the wait. By day, the Wilshire/Fairfax metro station, opened in May 2026, stands opposite the museum.
Arriving in Los Angeles: LAX or Van Nuys
Two main gateways. LAX, Los Angeles International Airport, south-west of the city, receives direct long-haul flights from Europe; a meet-and-greet as you leave the plane and a chauffeur at the terminal spare you much of the wait. Depending on the hour, the journey to Beverly Hills can be short or very long: we time the arrival accordingly.
Van Nuys, in the San Fernando Valley, is a general aviation airport opened in 1928, much used by business aviation: you arrive by private jet, pass through a private terminal, and reach Bel Air or Beverly Hills through the hills. Hollywood Burbank, further east, is another option depending on your address.
| Gateway | For whom | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| LAX (Los Angeles International) | Direct long-haul flights from Europe | Meet-and-greet and chauffeur at the terminal; journey time varies widely with the hour |
| Van Nuys (VNY) | Private jet | General aviation, San Fernando Valley; private terminal, access through the hills |
| Hollywood Burbank (BUR) | Domestic flights, private aviation | Further east; convenient depending on the address |
The time difference: nine hours
On Saturday, November 7, 2026, Los Angeles is nine hours behind Paris: both cities are then on winter time. A flight arriving the day before, or even two days before, leaves time to adjust before a long evening.
We compose the first day accordingly: arrival without waiting, the suite ready, a light dinner, and a free morning the next day. The stylist comes at the hour that suits you, not the one in the programme.
The dedicated chauffeur: the condition of the stay
Los Angeles is not a city where journeys are improvised. Distances are long, rush hours unpredictable, and a stay's appointments follow one another between Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and the museum. A dedicated chauffeur, reserved for the length of the stay, with a vehicle suited to the number of passengers and to your eveningwear, settles the essentials.
They follow a timed itinerary, reviewed each morning: times, drop-off points, waits, late-night returns. For a group, a second vehicle keeps a delay from spreading.
Gala night on Wilshire Boulevard
On the night of the evening, arrivals concentrate on the museum's campus on Wilshire Boulevard, and the surroundings are very busy. If you are taking part in the evening through the museum, it informs its guests of the arrival arrangements; your chauffeur follows them, drops you off and waits nearby rather than leaving.
At the end of the evening, finding a car at the exit often takes longer than the journey itself. A meeting point agreed in advance, and a departure time of your choosing, spare you the wait. If you are not taking part in the evening, it is wiser to dine elsewhere: Beverly Hills and West Hollywood stay clear of the crowds.
The museum by day: car or metro
By day, the museum can be reached by car, or now by metro: the Wilshire/Fairfax station on the D Line opened on May 8, 2026, opposite the campus. The museum is open every day except Wednesday — from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, until 8 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the weekend.
We place the visit at a quiet hour, and plan the return journey: the David Geffen Galleries stretch some 900 feet (about 275 metres) above Wilshire Boulevard; there is a great deal of walking.
Excursions, security and discretion
A stay in Los Angeles often leaves a day to leave the city: Malibu along the Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Barbara or Palm Springs. Depending on the distance, a car, a helicopter or a short-haul jet suits the purpose; we compose the excursion according to the weather and your programme, on a tailored quote.
Gala night draws photographers and onlookers. For those wearing valuable pieces or who value their discretion, close protection is coordinated with the chauffeur: arrivals through the designated entrances, waits out of view, returns without detours. The arrangement is sized on a tailored quote.
Frequently asked questions
LAX for a direct long-haul flight from Europe; Van Nuys for a private jet, with a private terminal and quick access to Bel Air and Beverly Hills. Hollywood Burbank is another option depending on your address.
It is strongly advised. Everything is done by car, rush hours are unpredictable, and on gala night a chauffeur waiting nearby spares you looking for a car at the exit.
A few miles along Wilshire Boulevard: a short journey outside rush hour, considerably longer at certain times. We time departures accordingly.
Yes, by day: the Wilshire/Fairfax station on the D Line, opened on May 8, 2026, stands opposite the museum. For gala night, in eveningwear, the car remains the simple solution.
Nine hours on Saturday, November 7, 2026, both cities then being on winter time. Arriving at least the day before allows you to adjust.
Departures concentrate at the end of the evening and the surroundings of the campus are very busy. A meeting point agreed in advance with your chauffeur, and a departure time of your choosing, spare you the wait.
Take it further
Your journeys, settled in advance
Tell us your dates, your address and your programme: we arrange the flight, the chauffeur and every journey of the stay, on a tailored quote, with availability and terms confirmed before any commitment.