There are only so many star map tours and teacup rides you can handle. Here are five alternatives to some of the city’s most common attractions to take your holiday visitors to.

They want: Drinks at Skybar.
Try: The Edison. Once a power plant for the city, the basement-level bar has 100 years of history and a cosmo-free cocktail menu.

They want: Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Try: A hike through Will Rogers State Historic Park. Visit the famed actor’s ranch house, pack a picnic lunch to eat on the polo field, and take the easy walk up to the top of the property for views from downtown to Malibu. It’s not called Inspiration Point for nothing.

They want: Santa Monica Pier.
Try: The Malibu Pier. You won’t regret the scenic drive up the coast (dolphin sightings, anyone?) or renting paddleboards and kayaks from the Malibu Surf Shack across the street.

They want: Disneyland.
Try: Walt Disney Concert Hall. See a show, experience Frank Gehry’s remarkable architecture (the plans of which predate the Guggenheim Bilbao), or browse through books, home accessories, and souvenirs at the design-minded gift shop.

They want: Coffee Bean.
Try: Funnel Mill. More than a dozen kinds of drip coffee, 26 espresso drinks, and a $74 cup of joe made from beans digested by Sumatran tree-dwelling mammals. What’s more L.A. than that?

Photo: Sarahmichael / Flickr