Los Angeles
Check out our dedicated Los Angeles travel guide site for a more in-depth look at the city.
Los Angeles gets, and deserves, a lot of criticism from locals and travelers alike, but there is no place in the world like it and it's a place that you just have to see with your own eyes at least once. If you could take away about half the people and two-thirds of the cars the place would be paradise, but you can't so it's not. Still, if you do it right you can efficiently see everything you want to see and have a great time in the process. From movie and TV studios in Hollywood to Beverly Hills to gorgeous beaches to Disneyland and countless other famous attractions there is never a shortage of exciting things to see and do in Los Angeles.
What to do
The movie industry is based in and around Hollywood and Burbank and there are many really interesting tours and attractions that some people make fun of but are actually well worth doing once. Beverly Hills is just next to Hollywood and everyone has to see this famously ultra-rich area at least once even if you can only afford to pass through on a tour bus.
Disneyland and Magic Mountain are a long way apart and neither is too close to the center of Los Angeles, but those two theme parks are the highlight of many people's visit so trying to hit at least one is worthwhile. Santa Monica is probably the most famous beach community in Los Angeles, but there's also the exclusive Malibu, the funky Venice Beach, the locals-only Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo beaches, and some really nice ones down in Orange county as well.
Getting there
If you are coming from more than 1,000 or so miles away you'll likely book a flight into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) but there are many smaller regional airports in the area so you might be able to get a deal into one of those. If you intend to stay in Hollywood then Burbank (BUR) is the closest, but LAX is almost always the cheapest.
More than any other city on the planet, you'll want to rent a car when you visit Los Angeles. They tend to be reasonably priced, especially at the airports, and having a car is almost like having a key to the city. Public transportation has improved lately, but doing Los Angeles this way is slow, clumsy, and very limiting. And forget walking except within just a few small areas because the rumors about LA being spread out are very true.
Where to stay
But once you've arrived and secured a car you are in great shape. There are hostels in Los Angeles, but not as many as there should be, however there are plenty of Los Angeles hotels to choose from in all price ranges.
The most popular places to stay are in Hollywood and in the beach areas south of there, particularly around Santa Monica. Hollywood is very central, but it can also be frustrating, and the best nightlife is still rather spread out through the nearby city of West Hollywood. Santa Monica and next-door Venice are better options if you want to spend much time outdoors and especially at the beach itself.
Downtown Los Angeles is on the upswing and there are a few things to see, but there still isn't much reason to stay there. For a pleasant place that's slightly off the main tourist routes consider staying in the beach communities just south of LAX known as the South Bay. Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo Beaches have the most pleasant lifestyle and setting in the area, and still have a good infrastructure for visitors. Disneyland is 40 miles away down in Orange County and there are loads of hotels nearby, but if you want to stay in that area a much better choice would be ritzy Newport Beach or surf-obsessed Huntington Beach.
And don't forget to grab the free map at the rental car counter. You are going to need it.
Attractions in Los Angeles
Address: 1200 Getty Center DrLos Angeles, CA 90049
Only open since 1997, the Getty Museum is already one of Los Angeles’ most popular attractions. Rather than one large building like most museums, the Getty Center was built into a huge complex at the top of a hill with 360-degree views of Los Angeles. There are many different buildings that house the priceless art collection, and they are placed among gorgeous gardens and nature trails.
The architecture of the buildings along with the gardens are reasons enough for a visit, even if art in a museum setting isn’t your thing. The permanent collection mostly features European paintings from the 19th Century and earlier, but a newer photography exhibit and other temporary exhibits vary enough that there should be more than enough to interest most people.
Visiting is an adventure in itself, as it requires those with a car to park either at the bottom of the hill or at another lot a couple miles away, which is served by frequent free shuttle buses. Once at the entrance, visitors board a free electric tram that winds up the side of the mountain to the museum level on top. Even children find a relatively short visit to be fascinating based on this part. More information is available on the official Getty Center site.
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, Sunday – 10am to 6 pm, Friday and Saturday – 10am to 9pm, closed Mondays.
Admission: Free for all, but parking is $8 per car and is sometimes in short supply at the main lot.
Address: 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027
This giant urban park is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, but is itself mostly comprised of forests on a mountaintop. It’s a nice breath of fresh air during a visit to Los Angeles, and if it isn’t too smoggy there are quite a few excellent places in the park for views of the entire Los Angeles Basin.
There are hiking trails and many nature areas throughout the park, but it’s probably best known for a few key attractions that are completely contained within its borders. The Griffith Park Observatory has the best city views and is also a worthwhile attraction itself. You might recognize it from many movies and TV shows, most notably some key scenes in James Dean’s Rebel Without a Cause.
The Greek Theater is a large open-air auditorium that holds big name concerts, mostly in summer. Of course, if you want to attend an event there it is best to try to get tickets in advance. Parking can be tricky near the Greek, but the facility itself gets great reviews.
A large equestrian center and the famous Los Angeles Zoo also draw many visitors, especially during the summer months. You really need a car in order to appreciate the park since it’s sprawling and most of the roads are steep.
Admission: Entering the park is free, but many things inside charge admission
Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, but many attractions inside have separate normal daily hours.
Address: 2301 N. Highland Avenue. Los Angeles, CA 90078
Opened in 1922, this world famous outdoor concert venue is a Los Angeles icon that is just as popular with locals as it is with visitors. The notable bandshell has been changed several times over the years, but it’s still recognizable even to those who’ve never been here. With over 17,000 seats, the Hollywood Bowl is one of the larger outdoor venues of its type in the United States.
The concert season typically only runs from June through September, even though the weather is agreeable year round. Most concerts are classical music performances, but jazz and even rock show up on the calendar every year as well. Tickets are almost always fairly expensive, and of course should be purchased in advance if possible. Seating is reserved so even if seats remain for a performance on the same day, walk-ups will usually be watching from far away.
The Hollywood Bowl is also famous for its picnic policy, whereby food and even alcohol can be brought in from the outside. Most of the seating has table space with it, so a picnic at the Hollywood Bowl is a summer institution among Angelinos.
Hours: Performances can be day or evening, but usually only during summer.
Admission: Each concert is different, and purchasing tickets in advance is wise.
Address: Redondo Beach PierRedondo Beach, CA, 90277
This area is what’s locally known as the South Bay, and is passed over by most tourists. It’s not particularly close to any other major attraction, but those who venture to this area are rewarded with more of a locals-only beach community. Redondo Beach is far larger than Hermosa, and its focal point is a huge triangular pier complex standing over the Pacific, with many shops and restaurants on top, as well as a fish market on the land-side. Downtown Redondo Beach is just off the water, and it’s filled with small and charming shops, so it’s a pleasant place for a stroll before or after a meal.
Hermosa Beach is only one square mile, and even further off the tourist map, although world-class beach volleyball players from as far as Europe train here during the winter so it does have something of an international flavor if you look hard enough. Pier Avenue is a pedestrian-only zone that connects the pier itself with the quaint downtown area, and it’s lined with bars and restaurants so it’s a very popular place for nightlife among people from all over the area.
Hours: Always open
Admission: Free
Address: 350 Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica, CA 90401
Opened in 1909, the Santa Monica Pier is one of Los Angeles’ most famous landmarks and is by far its most famous pier. It’s also the only pier in the Los Angeles area that has an amusement park and retail shopping based over the water. It’s been in countless films and TV shows, including Forrest Gump, which is one reason there is an outlet of the dubious chain of Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurants out on the pier.
The amusement park near the end is called Pacific Park, and its famous ferris wheel is the easiest thing to see at a distance, but there is also a roller coaster, bumper cars, and several other rides. It’s free to enter Pacific Park, but of course the rides each cost money. There is also a mini-golf course, an arcade, an aquarium, and various shops and restaurants within the large complex that overhangs the Pacific Ocean.
Parking can be challenging, but there are large lots beneath and next to the main portions of the pier itself. Just follow the signs as you approach. Not surprisingly, the Santa Monica Pier gets very crowded during summers and on nice weekends.
Hours: May – August, 9am to midnight Sun-Thurs, 9am to 2am Fri-SatSeptember – April, 10am to midnight Sun-Thurs, 10am to 2am Fri-Sat
Admission: Free to get in, but the rides cost different prices
Address: 1305 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA
Venice Beach is quite unlike most of the other beaches that surround it. The sand and water part is quite similar, but the neighborhood behind the beach and the crowds it attracts are far from typical in the region. Venice Beach is well known for its counter-culture and artist communities. A multi-use bike and skating path winds through the sand, but the main action is along the boardwalk, which is lined with shops and restaurants.
There is usually an outdoor flea market in the central area, with plenty of souvenirs for sale, but here you’ll also find smoking paraphernalia, tie-dye clothing, and other things associated with hippie culture.
The original Muscle Beach was located just northwest in Santa Monica, but now that name is used by a weightlifting pen just next to the sand on Venice Beach, which is in near constant use by bodybuilders. The area is a little more run down and a little more dangerous than most other beach areas in Los Angeles, so visiting late at night is not recommended, although things seem to be getting better lately.
Hours: Always open and usually packed all summer
Admission: Free
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