15 things to do in Los Angeles
1. Venice Beach
Venice is a great neighbourhood to visit if you’re looking to take it slow, do some people watching and relax by the beach. We walked down the Venice boardwalk and it wasn’t overly busy in October. You can expect some touristy shops and stands along the way. There is a bike path that runs through the beach, which I think would be a really scenic ride! About a 10 minute walk from the beach are the Venice Canals. It’s a residential area with canals and bridges inspired from Venice. The paths along the canals are publicly accessible and it’s incredible to think that this is someone’s backyard! Not too far from this area are the Abbot Kenny Blvd shops, which is a street filled with many cafes, dining and shops to visit.
2. Santa Monica Pier
Take a ride on the ferris wheel.
Feel the ocean waves.
Close your eyes as golden hour touches your skin.
And stay for the California sunset.
Could the evening have been any better?
3. Griffith Observatory
An observatory where you can see beyond the sky and learn all about the history of astronomy – constellations, space and planets. You might have seen the observatory in a scene from the movie La La Land. It’s free to visit and to walk around the different exhibits. They do have a planetarium, which is a paid exhibition. And another great place for golden hour and pretty sunsets. The views from the observatory overlooking Los Angeles is really dreamy. You can also see the Hollywood sign from here too!
4. The Getty Museum
Admission to The Getty is free, you just have to reserve an entry time prior to your visit. Parking is $20 USD if you’re driving there. Once at the entrance, there is a tram that whisks you away to the top of the hill where The Getty is located. I enjoyed this little ride so much, as there was even cute music playing inside the tram. I think the garden was my favourite. There were so many pretty flowers in bloom. The green maze-like centre piece of the garden was gorgeous at any angle. At any point of exploring The Getty, there were more and more view points that lead you to seeing the landscape differently. Inside The Getty are art exhibits showcasing art from the Medieval times to Modern day.
5. Melrose Shopping and the Pink Wall
We stopped by Melrose Avenue for an afternoon break from the sun to get some milk tea from Alfred Tea Room. Melrose Avenue is a long street with many cafes, boutiques, home decor and clothing stores. This is also where you’ll find the iconic pink wall at Paul Smith that you see on instagram.
6. LACMA lamps
The Urban Light Collection can be found outside of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). It’s free to visit this outdoor exhibit made of 202 antique lamps from the 1920’s around LA. It was so lively and fun here! We didn’t purchase tickets to see the indoor exhibit, as we were just passing buy to catch a couple photos.
7. Shopping at Americana at Brand
This was a fun place to spend a couple hours doing some shopping. You can find stores like Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville. This was an outdoor mall, so even if you’re not looking to buy anything specific, it was nice just walking around! There’s a trolly that goes around the property as well, which made it really fun. In the centre is a pretty fountain surrounded by a grassy area where you can go to enjoy an afternoon coffee.
8. Little Tokyo
A sweet collection of souvenir shops and authentic Japanese eats. The best time to visit is when the shops and restaurants are just about to open (around 11-12pm). There is a Sanrio store here and surprisingly a long line to get inside this small shop! We had lunch at Kura Revolving Sushi and boba at Sunright Tea Studio. Other notable restaurants include Daikokuya and Marugame Monzo.
9. The Broad Museum
A contemporary art museum in downtown LA. Also free admission, you just have to book in advance. Make sure you book the tickets which include Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Room – The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away. These are popular tickets and spots are limited for this exhibit. When you first step into the small mirrored room, you’re transported into deep space and the sparkling lights shine through with this infinite effect. There’s this feeling that you’re in the infinite space and it was so beautiful! You only get about 2 minutes in the room, but every second was so dreamy and reminded me of the exhibit at teamLAB planets in Tokyo.
10. Disney Concert Hall
We walked by the Disney Concert Hall on the way to the Broad Museum and had to stop to take it all in. The architecture of the concert hall is so unique and grand. The design started out as a vision which became reality after 16 years in the making. Next time I’m in LA, I’ll be sure to book tickets to experience the music at the concert hall.
11. The Last Bookstore
This is not your average bookstore. What’s unique about it is that you can find many creative art pieces made of books around the store. Here you’ll find a book tunnel lit up with fairy lights, a circular book window and some flying books. You’ll find a wide array of genres and books on the first and second floor, both old and new. The second floor wraps around the upper level and you can view the main floor from all angles. It’s a short walk from the Broad and the Disney Concert Hall. The only thing I’ll say is that it’s not in the greatest neighbourhood. Inside the bookstore felt safe and it was quite a busy spot filled with people book hunting, reading and hanging out on the various reading areas.
12. Take the Angel Flight
The Angel Flight, also known as “the worlds shortest railway”, is a cable car that takes you up a little hill. Back in the day it was used by tourists and locals to avoid one of LA’s steepest streets. To ride, you just hop on! You can pay at the ticket counter at the top. It’s $1 a ride ($2 round trip). It’s across the street from Grand Central Market, so make sure you head there afterwards to get some food!
13. Grand Central Market
A foodies dream! Grand Central Market with its bright neon signs illuminating each vendor. The market is packed with many food vendors offering a variety of cuisines. Whether you’re craving tacos, bento boxes, ramen, seafood or pasta, there’s something for everyone. I love all food, so it was really hard for me to decide. I had to do a couple laps before I finally ended up at Sticky Rice for some Thai food. For dessert, you have to try McConnell’s for some delicious and sweet ice cream – sea salt cream & cookies was perfection.
14. Disneyland
Your California trip is not complete without feeling the magic of Disneyland (in my opinion). There are two parks, Disneyland and California Adventures. Both offer something unique and if you’re interested, stay tuned for a separate post on Disneyland (as there’s just too much to say!).
15. Universal Studios
Universal Studios is somewhere you have to go at least once! There are really cool rides that completely immerse you into the show. My favourite rides were the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Secret Life of Pets, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and the Simpsons ride. Also go on the Universal Studios tour where they take you around the sets of major movies and films like The Good Place, Never have I ever and NOPE. The tour overall takes about 60 minutes and it was nice to just sit and be driven around after a long day of walking around at the park. The King Kong 360 3D show was a highlight of the studio tour.
