Our Top 10 Activities for the Perfect Trip To Los Angeles
A place where dreams are made of — and home to Hollywood — Los Angeles is a city full of rich culture, amazing architecture, and famous sights. When planning your next trip to La La Land, ensure you get the whole experience. With sandy beaches, close to nature, and never-ending sunshine, it can be hard to pick where to go in this incredible city.
We’ve put together a list of the top 10 must-see activities in Los Angeles. You can put your best foot forward, knowing you’ve got the top spots on your itinerary as soon as you arrive. Even if you only get to 5 of these things, don’t worry! It’s the perfect excuse to plan a second visit to the City of Angels.
10 Things for your itinerary
Home to 50 million tourists all year round, you must plan your accommodation well before arrival. For short stays, a hotel or AirBnB might be the best option for you, but be mindful that this can work out to be quite expensive. If you’re staying longer — anywhere over a couple of days — your first search should be ‘room for rent Los Angeles’. This should end up being much more cost-effective in the long term, allowing you to meet new people and explore these LA spots together! A win-win for everyone. Now that accommodation is sorted… on to the activities!
1. Hike to the Hollywood sign
© Travel + Leisure
No trip to LA is complete without visiting the famous Hollywood sign. Now the sign is not just a sign, because there are some interesting facts about the Hollywood sign that you just never knew about. You’ve seen it in countless movies and photos, so make sure you visit it in person! There are many different hiking trails to visit this iconic spot, so make sure to pack comfortable walking shoes to marvel at the sign that means so much to dreamers everywhere.
2. Soak up art at the Getty Centre
Photo from Adobe Stock
The Getty Centre is a billion-dollar art museum that showcases some of the best pieces of art in the world. Marvel at panoramas and starry Van Gogh scenes, and after you’ve finished looking inside, stroll around the gardens with stunning flowers and famous sculptures at every corner. Want to know the best part? It’s completely free!
3. Visit Santa Monica
Photo from Pixabay
Santa Monica is one of the more hipster areas of Los Angeles, where you’ll find top-of-the-range restaurants and many farmer’s markets. You’ll also find beaches — perfect for those parents traveling with kids — and the famous Santa Monica Pier to lounge on and enjoy a delicious ice cream or corn dog.
4. Follow the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
©Photo by M Vaughn on Pixabay
You might not get to meet all the celebrities in LA, but you can see the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, home to 2,752 stars. If you want to see most of them, it’s best to give yourself a few hours to get the whole experience and snag those all-important pictures of your favorite star to remember this visit for life.
5. Go on a movie studio tour
Photo from Adobe Stock
Los Angeles is the world’s movie-making capital, home to some of the most famous studios in the world. If you’re a movie fanatic, take a trip to Universal Studios for theme-park rides, or if old Hollywood movies are more your style, visit Paramount Pictures, the second-oldest studio in all of America.
6. Visit the Griffith Observatory
Photo from Pixabay
Hovering over LA like an aircraft is the Griffith Observatory. This is one of the city’s true icons, where you can marvel at the sky and galaxies above. It’s also an incredible spot to enjoy sweeping views of LA, with miles of skyscrapers, hills, and the Hollywood sign all visible.
7. See Downtown LA
Photo from Adobe Stock
When you’ve had enough of Hollywood and need a bit of history, art, or culture, visit downtown LA for music venues, restaurants, and some of LA’s best museums. The area of downtown LA is amazingly diverse, with cool hangouts and many highlights to visit. Try Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and the Grand Central Market, where you can enjoy delicious food from all over the world.
8. Go to a talk show
Photo from Adobe Stock
Did you know that many of our favorite talk shows are actually filmed in LA? Well, you do now! If you are a fan and want to turn watching links on YouTube into a reality, try your hand at getting tickets. These shows need audience members to create their magic, and tickets are often free! So, do your research, pick your show like James Corden’s Late Late Show, or Jimmy Kimmel, and enjoy the magic in person!
9. Learn some history at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, aka LA Plaza, is home to a wonderful museum celebrating and educating visitors about the role of Latinx, Mexicans, and Mexican-Americans in shaping the Los Angeles we know today. Exploring topics of Spanish colonization in the 18th century, the Zoot Suit Riots, and the Chicana movement, there is so much history to explore here
10. Walk to Venice
Photo from Adobe Stock
Add Venice to your visit list if you want to get a feel for the real LA vibe
. You’ll find great art, bohemian vibes, and the famous Venice Beach in this iconic area. The beach has a 2.5-mile walking promenade, where you’ll see many street arts, coffee shops, and the outdoor muscle beach. It’s the perfect place if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Central and dip your toes in the sand.
Conclusion
Next time you plan a trip to Los Angeles, we hope this list serves you well. With so much to see and do, and a lot to take in, make sure you’ve organized the right itinerary when you’re there. No other American city delivers this combination of great architecture, rich entertainment, and role models. We hope your trip to LA is an unforgettable one!
