There’s no doubt Los Angeles is a pretty large city to explore. However, if you plan well, you can hit some nice spots in a short time. From downtown L.A., to the museum row, to the west side, and finally to the beaches, there’s a good amount to take in. Let’s start with the popular destinations.
Popular Destinations
Downtown Los Angeles and the East Side
Like most tourists, you’ll probably want to hit the most popular sites. And why not? They’re popular for a reason. Starting in downtown Los Angeles, spend at least half-a-day exploring the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the
Broad Museum. They’re right next to each other, which makes it easy. The Broad Museum is free, but you do have to reserve online. Then head for lunch nearby at the
Grand Central Market.
Spend the rest of the afternoon on the East side of Los Angeles, a mere 20 minutes away. You’ll want to catch the sunset (and a planetarium show) at the
Griffith Observatory, located in the upscale neighborhood of Los Feliz. The traffic at the top is paid parking and it tends to fill up fast, so park at the bottom of the hill in Griffith Park and take the free shuttle up.
After an afternoon sunset, eat dinner in Los Feliz or Silver Lake. In Los Feliz, take your pick of restaurants on Hillhurst or Vermont Avenue. In Silver Lake, you’ll find unique restaurants lining Silver Lake Boulevard.
Miracle Mile
Reserve the next day for Museum Row on Miracle Mile. This refers to a stretch of museums between La Brea and Fairfax Avenue. This is where you’ll find the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscars museum), the Korean American Museum, the Craft Contemporary Museum, and the Petersen Automotive Museum. Regarding the latter, you may not like cars, but you won’t be disappointed. The automotive museum doesn’t just display L.A.’s car history, it also showcases cars from movies like Batman and James Bond. If cars don’t interest you at all, however, take a walk around the building. It’s pretty spectacular.
Hollywood
On the third day, visit Hollywood, Grauman’s Chinese theater, and the handprints. And, yes, it’s a must-see if you come to Los Angeles – even if it’s a little on the tackier side. The Academy Awards ceremony has moved to the Highland Complex, so make sure to tour the area and see where the celebrities flock to for the Oscars ceremony.
Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive
After hitting the heart of Hollywood, head west into Beverly Hills and stop at Rodeo Drive. If you can afford to shop here, spend an afternoon doing so. If not, ogle the stores. Just the price tags and the luxury cars are worth checking out.
The Getty
Before you travel all the way to the ocean, visit the Getty and/or its sister museum, the Getty Villa. If you can do both, it’s worth it. If you have to choose one, head to the Getty. The white building is set atop a hill overlooking Los Angeles. It’s one of the best views in all of L.A. The Getty Villa is right by the beach, so it’s worth an afternoon, too. Visit the museum and then cross the street to eat at
Gladstones. You can catch a nice beach sunset from the restaurant or walk along the shore.
The Beaches
Which brings us to the beaches. Los Angeles has two major ones: Venice Beach and Santa Monica Beach. Venice Beach is a little wilder, with tattoo parlors, the skateboarding park, and the street artists selling their goodies. There are also a lot of impromptu live performances along the Venice boardwalk. If you prefer a tamer beach, head north to Santa Monica Beach. Their 3rd street is lined with great restaurants, and it’s right across the street from a serene beach. The Santa Monica pier is here, too. If you can, take a ride on the Ferris wheel and then watch the sun go down. Southern California sunsets on the beach are a photographer’s dream.
Where the Locals Go
Like tourists, locals love the Griffith Observatory, the Broad Museum, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and of course the beaches. But there are other special places locals love to spend their time.
In “mid-town,” locals love the
Farmer’s Market and the Grove. Not only is there great food at the Farmer’s Market (the Brazilian BBQ restaurant Pampas Grill is a great example), but you can shop at the Apple store, the Nike store, and a host of other outlets. If you’re lucky, you may also catch a live performance on the grass.
Ever heard of Glendale? Glendale is a suburb in East Los Angeles that’s mainly famous for the
Forest Lawn Memorial Park. It’s probably one of the most beautiful cemeteries you’ll ever come across, and it’s where Michael Jackson, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and a slew of other famous people are buried. This cemetery is breathtaking.
They say Los Angeles has no “center”, but the truth is the center is probably in West Hollywood. If you want busy, bustling streets where you can people watch from the restaurants and bars that line the street, Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood is the place to go. It’s extremely difficult to find parking here, but start at the corner of La Cienega and Santa Monica Boulevard and go from there.
How to Get Around
It’s true that Los Angeles is a very spread-out city. Having said that, there is a subway that connects downtown to Santa Monica Beach. In fact, you can get from downtown L.A. to Universal City in Burbank, the West side in L.A., and even downtown Long Beach. If you prefer to use a ride-share app, Uber and Lyft are another way to get around. To stay safe, verify the driver’s identity when using ride-share apps. Check the license plate with your app and make sure it matches the license plate on your ride-share app. Don’t enter a car if the license plate isn’t the same as your designated driver. Because Los Angeles is such a spread-out city, though, you may want to rent a car as soon as you arrive.
Where Should You Stay?
Picking a place to stay in L.A. will depend on your itinerary. If you plan to visit downtown, the east side, mid-town, the west side, and the beaches, pick a hotel in the center. The center, in that case, would be West Hollywood or mid-town.
If you’re a beach person for the most part and see yourself spending hours on the beach, pick a hotel in Venice, Santa Monica, or even Marina Del Rey. If you feel like you’d rather just do a lot of walking downtown, there are plenty of hotels in the downtown area. For lower budgets, head to hotels in Burbank, Glendale, or Pasadena.
Los Angeles is truly a magnificent city to explore. From Frank Gehry’s architectural work to museums overlooking the city to breathtaking sunsets on the beach, what’s not to love?
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