Garages W/Vu

Santa Monica Place

395 Santa Monica Place,

Santa Monica

Cost: Three hours free

Highlights: Escape to the fifth floor for fresh air and a clear look at the murky waters of Santa Monica Bay and the Ferris wheel, game booths and carousel on the pier.

Lowlights: Avoid looking straight down. You’ll get an eyeful of the McDonald’s drive-through across the street.

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Los Angeles International Airport Parking Structure No. 3

300 World Way, Westchester

Cost: Two hours, $3

Highlights: Since the official observation deck in the Theme Building is closed in the evening, the north-end rooftop level of parking structure No. 3 provides an unofficial nighttime vantage point. Watch international and domestic flights launch toward the Pacific or arrive from over Inglewood.

Lowlights: South end of structure overlooks parking structure No. 4.

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Glendale Galleria--Nordstrom

200 W. Broadway, Glendale

Cost: Free

Highlights: Sweeping downtown Glendale panoramas: Pep Boys, Lamps Plus, Unocal 76 and the former Masonic Temple. In the evening, the rooftop offers a glimpse of downtown L.A.

Lowlights: The Galleria itself.

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Westside Pavilion

10800 W. Pico Blvd., West L.A.

Cost: Free

Highlights: North end of the pavilion level provides a bird’s-eye view of the gold-leaf statue of the angel Moroni atop the Mormon Temple; east end features Century City skyscrapers.

Lowlights: Fence obstructs too many of the perspectives.

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Beverly Center

8522 Beverly Blvd., L.A.

Cost: Three hours, $1

Highlights: On smog-free days, from sections 4C, 4D, 5C and 5D you can pan L.A. all the way to the Hollywood sign. From sections 4G and 5G, you see a little bit of Beverly Hills; 4H and 5H are taken up by the Blue Whale of the Pacific Design Center. With a zoom lens from 4A and 5A, catch outgoing celebrity patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Lowlights: Sections 4B and 5B offer a tiny glimpse of downtown only on the clearest of clear days; Sections 4A and 5A, a full frontal peek at the Flynt Publications building.