Amazing Locations to visit in Los Angeles!

“We are all citizens of Los Angeles because we have seen so many movies.” —D.J. Waldie

Indeed, L.A. County is composed of many cities and neighbourhoods. Therefore, if you wish to see a lot while visiting Los Angeles, you should be prepared to travel around and become familiar with the bus routes. However, I found Uber very reasonably priced in Los Angeles! Furthermore, it’s a great option because the buses can be time-consuming and tricky to navigate. L.A. County is quite spread out, you might need to take multiple buses to get to where you want to go. Therefore, a lot of time can be wasted doing this. Also, remember that not all parts of Los Angeles are tourist-friendly. Subsequently, you don’t want to have to walk around a dodgy area while looking for a connecting bus!

Where to Stay

L.A. is a good option if you want to stay close to a beach but have activities too! Santa Monica is a great place to stay as a first-time tourist. Moreover, it’s close to the beach and has many connecting buses (including the free Cityline Shuttles bus that will take you from Santa Monica to Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood). However, I loved the Venice Beach area. It is quite eccentric, with a bohemian and creative vibe. Also, it has good options for dining here too.

Traveling to Los Angeles

If you are on a budget and would like to travel to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, Flixbus is a great alternative to flying. After I missed my flight from Vegas to L.A., I was able to travel by bus for just €17!

In This Post (click to navigate directly to the section)

• 1. Manhattan Beach
• 2. The Getty
• 3. Hermosa Beach
• 4. Downtown LA (Walt Disney Concert Hall, Broad Museum, Grand Central Market, Bradbury Building, NBA Game, Rooftop Bar)
• 5. Venice Beach
• 6. Big Bus Tour (Hollywood Walk of Fame, Dolby Theater, Guitar Center “Rock Walk”, The Comedy Store, Whiskey A Go-Go, Beverly Gardens Park, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Center, LACMA, Melrose Shopping)
• 7. Santa Monica
• 8. Still on my List!

1. MANHATTAN BEACH

When I arrived in Los Angeles, the first stop we made was for brunch and some fresh sea air by Manhattan Beach. Undoubtedly, this neighbourhood has a very laid-back beach vibe with some nice eateries and boutique shopping. Hence, it has several restaurants located close by the Pier. We dined at Rock’N’Fish where we could sit in its outdoor section and enjoy a glass of wine while relaxing in the nice weather. Manhattan Beach has a more community atmosphere than most other parts of Los Angeles that I visited. Indeed, Fortune magazine even rated Manhattan Beach as one of the most expensive coastal towns in America!! Subsequently, it has impressive apartments and houses lining the streets close to the beach.

2. THE GETTY

The Getty Center (not to be confused with the Getty Villa) was one of the highlights of my trip to L.A.! The Center is ranked highly among the top things to do in Los Angeles. Furthermore, another bonus is it is free to enter (though it is worth noting that parking can be expensive). However, the Getty is on the outskirts of Downtown L.A. Unfortunately, this was the opposite side of the city to where I was staying – the Center is quite a distance from most touristy areas so you will likely need to travel by bus or taxi to visit it.

Getting There

At first, I was checking out bus schedules to travel there. However, this would have been quite time-consuming as I would have had to catch connecting buses. Therefore, I decided to save time and opt for an Uber. To my surprise, an Uber only came to around $20 for nearly an hour’s journey to the Center! Thus, after this discovery, I called upon an Uber several times throughout my trip – it was very well-priced every time!

Artwork & Gardens

Undoubtedly, I love art! Therefore, this was the main reason why I initially wanted to visit The Getty Center. Indeed, it features artwork from medieval times right to the present day. However, to my surprise, I spent less time admiring artwork than I spent outside enjoying the fantastic views, colourful gardens, grounds, and beautiful architecture! Furthermore, there are several areas scattered around the grounds with awesome views overlooking Los Angeles – the balcony areas of the Center have stunning views over the city.

Also, there are some dining areas where you have the option to sit outside. Here, you can relax over a glass of wine and enjoy the scenery in the sun. The gardens are spectacular and full of colour!! Unfortunately, I lost most of my photographs from my day at the Getty Center because my phone was stolen that night!!! Thankfully I had uploaded a couple of pictures to Instagram. I spent a lot longer than I expected here. If you are visiting with a group of people, you could easily spend most of your day here enjoying a glass of wine, browsing the bookshop, and rambling around the grounds and building.

3. HERMOSA BEACH

Hermosa Beach is another beach town area in L.A. – it is not too far from Manhattan Beach. We went out here for a few drinks one evening. Indeed, it was quite a busy spot and seemed to be a good location for drinks. We first went to Patrick Molloy’s Sports pub, just by the Pier, then we continued to Baja Sharkeez (located next door). The Pier is the main shopping, eating, and party area of Hermosa. However, this was the scene of my crime – my brand new phone was stolen in Baja Sharkeez!! 😭

4. DOWNTOWN LA

Downtown Los Angeles has a reputation as being unsafe. However, I stuck to the following few tourist spots, and all was good! You can tell if you wander off-route that some streets may not be as comfortable to walk along on your own. Therefore, I wouldn’t advise wandering down here in the dark! Nevertheless, there are not many tourist areas to see Downtown – The Broad Museum was my main reason to visit here. The beautiful Walt Disney Concert Hall is just by The Broad Museum too. Tourists could avoid Downtown altogether (I did the first time I visited L.A.). Many of L.A.’s offices and high-rise buildings are in the Downtown area (the STAPLES Center is here too).

Dining in Downtown Los Angeles

If you are eating Downtown, I recommend Takami Sushi & Robata! It is located on the 21st floor and provides fantastic views over the high-rise buildings of Downtown L.A. Also, there is a seating area outside. Unfortunately, I had an embarrassing moment here! I thought my wasabi was avocado…I ate a full spoon of it in one swallow!!!! 😅 Tears were rolling down my face though I tried to play it cool! We loved it here so much that we ended up returning the following day after an N.B.A. game and enjoyed a few drinks in the bar area – the staff was lovely too!

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

If you find yourself in the Downtown area, I recommend a walk by the Walt Disney Concert Hall! It is a spectacular building. Also, the building has been in popular culture (t.v. shows, films, etc.) quite a lot. It is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

Go to the Walt Disney tour page for more information on a self-guided or a guided tour of the Concert Hall.

BROAD MUSEUM

I’m a big fan of Yayoi Kusama. I had previously been to Kusama’s ‘Infinity Rooms’ exhibition in New York City that I had loved! Therefore, I did not want to miss out on Kusama’s ‘Infinity Mirror Rooms’ exhibition in the Broad Museum while I was visiting. I was so focused on this exhibition that I had not much considered the rest of the artwork in the Broad Museum! I was pleasantly surprised when I got there! There was a great selection of modern and contemporary art throughout the Museum (such as work by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Roy Lichtenstein). I spent a lot longer than I had anticipated here.

Yayoi Kusama Exhibition

As expected, there was a waiting list to enter the Yayoi Kusama exhibition. However, there was a self-service ticket system whereby you could collect your ticket and wait for a text to notify you when to enter the exhibition. The ticket service also provided a rough estimate of how long the waiting time would be. This service is fantastic – it meant that you could enjoy wandering around the rest of the Museum while you waited for your text.

Unfortunately, as I had no phone, I could not receive a text (so I had to guess the timing and ask the staff!). We rely on technology so much nowadays! I enjoyed the Kusama exhibition but felt that even just another few seconds longer would have been beneficial (the staff shut the door behind you and re-open the door a few seconds later when your time is up). You only had time to snap a couple of photos. There wasn’t much time to stand still and immerse yourself in the artwork.

GRAND CENTRAL MARKET

Grand Central Market is a Downtown landmark since 1917. It also consistently receives fantastic reviews. The market is only a 10-minute walk from the Broad Museum. Therefore, I popped down here after I visited the Museum. I only had a quick walk around the market. However, there were plenty of vendors to select from so it is worth going in here if you are Downtown and in need of quick food!

Grand Central Market is not only an emporium of eateries; it also hosts events such as jazz, comedy, and art. Indeed, it is open seven days a week! A list of events is available on the event page of the Grand Central Market website.

BRADBURY BUILDING

The Bradbury Building is an architectural landmark in Los Angeles. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated a National Historic Landmark. It is just a minute walk from Grand Central Market, so it is also worth a quick visit if you are in the area. The building is known for its open elevators, large glass atrium, and beautiful cast-iron design.

Unfortunately, by the time I arrived the building had shut for the evening! 😭 I still managed a peep through the glass door window and could see the impressive cast-iron design and stairway (as seen in the above photograph)! Nonetheless, I would have loved to have been able to see the skylit atrium inside of the building as the pictures online show a beautiful interior. Walk-in visitors are only permitted up to the first landing of the building. Government workers are at the door to provide further historical information on the building. I have read of tours available of the building. However, these are also limited to the first landing.

​N.B.A. GAME​

Growing up, I loved basketball. I played on our school team for most of my school years. Therefore, it was always a dream of mine to go to an N.B.A. game! I was so grateful when my friend told me they had tickets organized for us to go – even more exciting was that it was a playoff game between LA Clippers and the Warriors! It was on in the well-known STAPLES Center where we could enjoy snacks, drink beer, and chant along with the crowd. Indeed, there was a great atmosphere throughout the arena! The halftime show was so so good! Rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony featured as part of the halftime show. They were followed by a group performing acrobatic basketball stunts. I loved everything about this day and the group that I spent it with too!!

After the game, we walked about 15 minutes to the fabulous rooftop bar Broken Shaker at Freehand LA.

BROKEN SHAKER AT FREEHAND LA (Rooftop Bar)​

Broken Shaker at Freehand LA rooftop bar had a pleasant chilled-out vibe. It receives fantastic reviews online too. Here, you can lounge by the pool and enjoy a cocktail while a DJ plays on the rooftop. Also, there’s a nice view overlooking the skyscrapers of Downtown L.A. from here too.

We then returned to Takami Sushi & Robata for more drinks at the restaurant bar. We had great fun with the staff and, as mentioned, there are nice views overlooking the skyscrapers of Los Angeles from this 21st-floor restaurant.

5. VENICE BEACH

Most people have likely heard of Venice Beach. Indeed, it has been featured in many films and t.v. shows. I mainly associated Venice solely with the beach area. I was unaware of how nice and quirky its neighbourhood is! Also, it has quite a bohemian feel. Furthermore, I loved its boutique shopping!!

Boutique Shopping

If you go to Venice, I strongly recommend brunch and a wander around its stores. The Abbot Kinney Boulevard of Venice was even dubbed “the coolest block in America” by GQ! Thus, you will find a variety of designs, books, jewellery, clothes, and gift stores here (to name a few!). Undoubtedly, the Venice Beach area is a pleasant area for a relaxing afternoon. 

Dining

We went to The Butchers Daughter (it’s vegetarian!) for brunch. We sampled a selection of their juice shots – so so good! I knew this would be a fantastic place to dine as I had previously visited The Butchers Daughter in New York. I was excited to visit here with my friend as she is also a vegetarian! The interior design is slightly industrial but also bright and full of greenery. Thus, it has a very fresh feel. It has a white backdrop, partial brick walls, an espresso bar, and a 25-foot long juice bar! Indeed, the restaurant design has a very Los Angeles feel to it. Unfortunately, no professional camera pictures were allowed inside the restaurant! We also bought a lovely chai latte from a street vendor along the boulevard outside – which converted me into starting to drink chai lattes!

Beach Area

Venice Beach is a well-known beach area in Los Angeles. Venice Muscle Beach (a famous outdoor gym for bodybuilders) is another popular spot. Also, the boardwalk and beach area are very colourful and busy. There was many street performers/street art found here. I enjoyed a walk along the beach and ended up walking back to Santa Monica Pier from Venice beach (it takes about an hour to walk this). Check out the visit Venice Beach website to read more on what the Venice beach area has to offer!

Venice Canals

I was unaware at the time but located in Venice are the pretty Venice Canals. Indeed, I was very disappointed to have missed out on these!

6. BIG BUS TOUR (Hollywood Loop)

There are several bus tours on offer in L.A. I chose the Big Bus Tours – I opted for their Hollywood Loop (Red Route) as I had already spent a lot of time at the beach areas (they do a beach route too). It’s a great way to travel around Los Angeles and see different areas within a day or two. However, there’s quite a lot to see at some of the stop-off points. Thus, a two-day pass may be worthwhile if you want to spend time at several of these locations. The red route includes the following stop-off points:

1. Big Bus Visitor Center Hollywood 
2. The Dolby Theater at Hollywood & Highland
3. Guitar Center “Rock Walk”
4. The Comedy Store
5. Whiskey A Go-Go
6. Beverly Gardens Park
7. Beverly Hills / Rodeo Drive
8. Beverly Center
9. LACMA / La Brea Tarpits
10. Farmers Market / The Grove
11. Melrose Shopping
12. Paramount Studios
13. Hollywood and Vine

Not Enough Time in a Day!

I regret that I didn’t start the tour earlier in the day! I arrived at Hollywood Boulevard to catch the bus but spent far too long wandering around Hollywood Boulevard. I was not great at keeping tabs on the bus times either. I kept just missing one and then wasting half an hour waiting for the next bus. Therefore, the day slipped by quite quickly – though I had probably planned to do far too much in one day anyways! Most of the stop-off points are quite a distance from each other so it’s hard to navigate all of these areas on your own (unless you are willing to spend money on Uber everywhere). This tour is thus a great way to fit in different areas without having to worry about taxi money or searching routes and bus timetables.

In the above gallery, you will see pictures of Paramount Studios (where you can take a studio tour) and the beautiful Petersen Museum (one of the world’s largest automotive museums). I didn’t make it to either of these – I would have liked to visit Petersen just to admire the architecture of the Museum!

HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD / WALK OF FAME

The walk of fame was where I chose to start the tour. There’s a lot of hustle and bustle here. However, there’s not much to see except the Walk of Fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. I found this section of Hollywood Boulevard to be like the Times Square of L.A. – full of crowds, a bit tacky, and many street artists who constantly stop you trying to get money from you! Nevertheless, there are several tour bus stops along here (with queues at each stop!). Also, in the hustle and bustle, make sure you don’t waste time in the wrong bus queue – like me. 🤭

The Walk of Fame, Dolby Theatre (where the Academy Awards were held), the TLC Chinese Theatre (in Hollywood & Highland Center), Roosevelt Hotel, and Ripley’s Believe it or Not are located within a few minutes walk from each other. Also, there is a good view of the Hollywood Sign from the Hollywood and Highland Center.

SUNSET BOULEVARD

Guitar Center

The tour bus then continued along the famous Sunset Boulevard. Firstly, it stopped at the flagship Guitar Center store that has undergone an impressive refurbishment in recent years. As a Jimi Hendrix fan, I especially loved the large mural artwork on the Guitar Center building. At the time, I was unaware of the Rock Walk at The Guitar Center – it features handprints from over 100 legendary musicians. Undoubtedly, this is something that I want to go back to see on my next visit!

Laugh Factory

Just a few minutes walk from the Guitar Center is the popular Laugh Factory. Indeed, The Laugh Factory has had numerous famous stand-up acts. USA Today even named it “the #1 comedy club in the country”. It is well known as the club where Michael Richards had his terrible racist outburst. Also, other performers include, Tim Allen, Jim Carrey, Dave Chappelle, Ellen DeGeneres, Bob Hope, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, and Jerry Seinfeld to name a few!

The Comedy Store

The first all stand-up comedy nightclub in the world! Many famous sitcom stars of that era had roots dating back to the Comedy Club. For example, Robin Williams, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Andy Kaufman, and Michael Keaton have performed here. The time following its opening was considered an important era in the history of comedy.

Whiskey a Go-Go

We then proceeded to Whiskey a Go-Go. Dating back to 1964, this live club has hosted some of the best in Rock’n’Roll acts with artists such as The Doors, Janis Joplin, and Led Zeppelin performing here! It continues to host some great up-and-coming Rock musicians of today!

Viper Room

Just opposite Whiskey a Go-Go, you will find the famous Viper Room. This is a legendary Rock Club in Los Angeles. When it opened in 1993, it was partially owned by Johnny Depp. It is well known as the place River Phoenix, unfortunately, suffered a drug overdose and died.

BEVERLY HILLS / RODEO DRIVE​

Beverly Hills Park

This is a small park area – the main feature is the Beverly Hills Sign (by the pond). Scroll through the above gallery to see a photograph of this sign – this is where everyone was gathering for photos. There is not much else to do here. However, it’s only a few minutes’ walk to Rodeo Drive from the Park. It is worth stopping here first if you intend to visit Rodeo Drive.

Rodeo Drive

Rodeo Drive is known for its immaculately kept, high-end designer streets and shops. However, unless you intend on shopping, there is not much else to do. It is still worth seeing this famous area and having a quick walk up and down the streets of Rodeo Drive. The Walk of Style, founded in 2003, features bronze plaques along the sidewalk for each person being honoured. The walk of style founding ceremony was attended by Giorgio Armani (who was the first honoree). The famous Beverly Wilshire Hotel is here too – this was the hotel where Pretty Woman was filmed!

​LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART (LACMA)​

I skipped the next stop at Beverly Center (shopping mall). Instead, I got off at the following stop – LACMA. LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States. It holds works spanning from historical times right up to the present day. This Museum was on my list of places to visit while in Los Angeles mainly due to the pretty pictures of the Urban Light sculpture (by Chris Burden). Images of these lights kept popping up on my online searches as one of the most popular places to visit in L.A.

However, it was a bit disappointing because it was still daylight when I visited the Museum. The pictures look so much better in the evening – due to the lights turned on in the evening. Unfortunately, I spent too long at some of my prior stops and didn’t have enough time to enter the Museum. It is such a large Museum that you would likely need a lot of time to visit here. 😭 

MELROSE AVENUE​

As time was starting to slip by, I didn’t stop at The Grove / The Farmers Market though I had hoped to stop here. I very much had planned for too many stops on the bus tour – I should have started it earlier in the day or bought a two-day ticket!

I was super excited to get off the bus at Melrose Avenue because I had read that it is a very cool and trendy area to visit. The Avenue stretches much longer than I had expected (like most streets in L.A.!). I was surprised by the diversity of upscale and quirky shops, the variety of dining options, and the fantastic street art found along the Avenue. Again, I wish I had longer to enjoy my walk around here. Shopping includes everything from antiques and designer boutiques to New Wave and Punk retailers. There is also a Sunday outdoor flea market. Melrose Avenue is a very Insta-friendly area with plenty of photo ops featuring cool backdrops of street art.

There are several cool cafes along here too. As an Instagram follower of Carrera Cafe, I was determined to make it here! I rushed for about half an hour walking from the Big Bus stop to visit the cafe …it was worth it! The chocolate waffles were sooo good (see the above gallery for pictures of these)!

Paul Smith Pink Wall

I knew that the pink wall of the Paul Smith store, beside Carrera Cafe, was a popular place for pictures. However, I was pretty shocked at the number of people taking photos here! I had to rush back for the last bus and had a bit of a panic fearing that I wouldn’t remember the location of the bus stop (there were no bus signs along here for the Big Bus tour!). It’s always a good idea to take a picture or screenshot of the bus stop location on Google maps before you wander too far and forget where it is!

7. SANTA MONICA 

One of the most iconic pictures, when you think of Los Angeles, is Santa Monica Pier! Many films and t.v. shows have featured Santa Monica. Famous for its beaches, the original Muscle Beach is also just by here.

Third Street Promenade is a few minutes walk from the Pier. Here, you will find pedestrian streets with street performers and plenty of shops to wander around. The shops along Third Street mainly consist of high street stores. I preferred wandering the streets of Venice and Melrose Avenue. There, you will find a quirkier collection of boutique stores. However, it is still a pleasant walk along Third Street. There are usually street artists here too. Pacific Park is on the Santa Monica Pier. It may be worth a visit if you like theme parks. As previously mentioned, you can do the Ocean Front walk from Santa Monica to Venice beach (in about an hour). However, walking along the Beach between both areas is probably a better walk. 😊

STILL ON MY LIST

L.A. is so spread out, it’s difficult to fit everything on your to-do list in only a few days! There was so much more I was hoping to fit in. I was still happy with how much I covered in just a few days. However, the biggest disappointment (for me) was not making Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory. Moreover, I was hoping to hike from Griffith Park (where you will achieve one of the best views of the Hollywood sign) or at Runyon Canyon Park.

I previously took one of the Celebrity Hollywood Star tours though this is not something that I would be interested in doing again – it felt like it was just something that had to be done and ticked off while in L.A. on my first visit! Other locations still on my to-do list include Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, Getty Villa, L.A. Conservancy Walking Tour, and Arts District. Read the 12 best art things to do in L.A.’s Art District for more information on the Arts District.

Los Angeles Studios & Theme Parks

On a previous trip to L.A., I visited Warner Brothers Studio. I loved this tour, especially the Friends set! I may have had Paramount Studios or Universal Studios (including CityWalk) on my to-do list except for having already done the Warner tour. Disneyland and Pacific Park are popular tourist spots too – they were not high on my list. Though, I know quite a few of you may be interested in these!

Day/Overnight Trip from Los Angeles

If time had permitted (and I had a car!), I would have loved to have taken a day/overnight trip to Santa Catalina Island, Malibu, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, or Santa Barbara. Also, Palm Springs is not too far from L.A. (Joshua Tree National Park is close by here). San Diego is just over a two-hour drive from L.A. I made it to San Diego on my prior visit to L.A. It’s another lovely location if you have the time to visit too.

Let me know if you have any further tips for my next trip to L.A.!

Thanks for reading,

Anita

xx