Los Angeles has long been looked down on by its East Coast counterparts, but now that the rest of world has caught up with California’s green juice and wellness obsession, the city is having something of a moment. No longer deemed a cultural wasteland, LA is bursting with new art galleries and museums, a flourishing fashion scene and some of the most talked about restaurants in America.
The sprawling urban metropolis is made up of several different cities within a city, the most famous ones being Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Santa Monica. Each of them has their own distinctive personality, from the upmarket bars and boutiques on Rodeo Drive to the beach scene of Venice and Santa Monica.
The lack of public transport can be an issue – though the Metro system is currently undergoing major expansion – but it’s easier than you might think to navigate between the different neighbourhoods (as long as you avoid that infamous rush hour traffic). Add in almost 300 days of sunshine a year and you’re onto a winner.
Explore our interactive map below for all the local highlights, and scroll down for our suggested day-by-day summary of the best things to see and do…
For further inspiration, see our in-depth guides to the city’s best hotels, restaurants, nightlife, attractions and shopping, plus how to spend a weekend in Los Angeles.
Day One
Morning
Head to Griffith Park before the day heats up for a hike (this is what Angelenos call walks) up one of the park’s designated trails. For a fairly gentle walk with spectacular views follow the trail up to the Griffith Observatory, which takes in the Hollywood sign and panoramic views across the city on the way. Make sure you explore the beautiful Art Deco observatory at the top, which you’ll recognise from scenes in Rebel Without a Cause and La La Land. There are daily shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and tickets are available on site.
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Mark Edward Harris/Mark Edward Harris
Afternoon
Take a stroll around the popular Los Angeles County Museum of Art, otherwise known as LACMA, the largest art museum in the western United States. It’s famous for its innovative exhibitions and Instagram-worthy outdoor sculptures, such as Urban Light, Chris Burden’s cluster of restored street lamps from the Twenties and Thirties, which has become an LA landmark. The museum’s permanent collection includes works by Picasso, Magritte and Lichtenstein.
While you’re there, pay a visit to the visually striking Academy Museum of Motion Pictures next door, which was designed by architect Renzo Piano and is the largest museum in the world solely dedicated to the art of movie making.
Stop for lunch at one of the nearby food trucks on Wilshire Boulevard – my top pick is the California bowl with herbed chicken, whole grains and baby greens from the Heritage LA truck (see the full revolving weekly schedule here) – before exploring the shops in West Hollywood. Melrose Place, between Melrose Avenue and La Cienega Boulevard, has the swankiest stores (including Isabel Marant, Marni and Balmain), as well as upmarket coffee chain Alfred’s. This is also where cult Venetian trainer brand Golden Goose has its only LA store, selling artfully distressed sneakers and a capsule collection of clothing.
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Ashok Sinha/Ashok Sinha
Late
Head into Beverly Hills for dinner, where you’ll have your pick of posh dining spots. For top-notch sushi, book a table at Matsuhisa – founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, this is the restaurant that launched the Nobu empire, though you would never guess from looking at it from the outside; the humble restaurant hasn’t changed in 30 years. Pull up a chair at the sushi bar and order all his greatest hits, from the yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno to the black cod with miso.
Round off the evening with a nightcap in the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. There have been countless back-of-the-napkin deals made under the candy-striped ceiling – Marilyn Monroe, Katharine Hepburn and Clark Gable were all regulars – but my favourite spot is the bougainvillea-filled patio, where you can order a Howard Hughes gin cocktail (he lived in one of the bungalows).
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Niall Clutton/Niall Clutton
Day Two
Morning
Start the morning with a bacon, egg and cheese roll at Eggslut in Downtown’s foodie hotspot Grand Central Market before embarking on a tour of the hip Arts District, home to some of the most inventive street art in the city. Make sure you look up – most of the murals rise high above the pavements, like the enormous Ed Ruscha portrait painted on the side of the American Hotel or the RETNA piece on the Row DTLA building.
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Eddie Hernandez Photography/Eddie Hernandez Photography
A haven for artists since the Seventies, when they began to be priced out of Hollywood and Venice, the area was cemented as a bona fide art destination when the popular Broad Museum – pronounced ‘brode’ – opened in 2015. Tickets for the gallery can book out weeks in advance, but if you haven’t managed to nab any you can join the on-site standby line, which runs every day. The line even has its own a Twitter account (@TheBroadStandby)
The following year they were joined by a huge Hauser & Wirth gallery, which is also worth a look, boasting four exhibition spaces, two book shops and a spacious courtyard.
Credit:
S. Greg Panosian
Afternoon
Drive over to Venice and browse the boho shops on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, which is regularly touted as the coolest block in America. Pop into shabby-chic furniture store Tumbleweed & Dandelion, housed in a cute Venice Beach bungalow complete with a white picket fence, to browse their custom furnishings and knick-knacks.
Stop for lunch at New York transplant The Butcher’s Daughter. This branch of the popular vegetarian café and juice bar is pure LA, with its hanging plants and bright, light-filled dining room. They serve all the usual suspects like avocado on toast and acai bowls, as well as basil BLTs made with adzuki bacon.
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© 2013 atomare aufruestung/mgs
Continue with a walk along the charming Venice Canals, the few canals that remain from madcap developer Abbot Kinney’s plan to bring Venice to America in 1905. Admire the quirky houses (keep an eye out for the one with the flamingo pedalo out front and the goldfish painted on the side), before ending up on Venice Beach, where you can browse the hawkers selling tat on the boardwalk, spot the famous bodybuilders at Muscle Beach and watch the kids do tricks in the oceanfront skate park.
Late
Walk along the beachside promenade to Santa Monica Pier and have a go on the Ferris wheel before watching the sun set over the water with a cocktail at the Shangri-La’s swanky rooftop bar, Onyx. For dinner, book a table at Michael’s which opened in the late Seventies and was one of the pioneers in upscale Californian cuisine. Ask for a table in the pretty garden and work your way through their locally sourced, seasonally inspired menu.
Afterwards, check out The Bungalow, the quirky Santa Monica nightspot that feels more like someone’s incredibly stylish home than a bar, with shelves of nick-nacks, squashy sofas and a games room complete with a pool table and vintage surfboards.
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davemantel/davemantel
Insider tips
Neighbourhood watch
Head to Fairfax Village to browse cool shops like streetwear label Supreme (be warned, there’s always a queue on weekends) and the Melrose Trading Post flea market, which is held every Sunday.
Did you know?
LA is covered in Instagram-friendly wall art, from Paul Smith’s famous pink wall in West Hollywood to the heart-covered Love Wall in Santa Monica.
Hotels
Order lunch at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel and you’ll get access to their pool, which features an underwater mural by David Hockney.
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https://www.alamy.com/LHB Photo / Alamy Stock Photo
Attractions
Visit Griffith Park on the Saturday closest to the full moon for the Sierra Club‘s special monthly moonlight hike.
City hack
Instead of ordering an Uber, hop onto one of the electric Bird scooters that have popped up all over the city – rides start at just $1 (75p).
Where to stay . . .
Luxury living
Seclusion, impeccable service and Mediterranean elegance are the epitome of golden-era Hollywood luxury at Hotel Bel-Air in the most elite oasis of the Hills. The 1922 rose-coloured Hispanic-style complex with suites, winding pathways, a swan lake, Wolfgang Puck restaurant and grand spa is set in 12 acres of gardens.
Boutique bolthole
The laidback Surfrider is the ultimate Malibu launch pad, a former motel that is now decidedly boutique and found in the heart of one of California’s most famous enclaves. The rooftop bar and restaurant are among its top highlights.
Budget beauty
The hotel-hostel hybrid Freehand Downtown Los Angeles is one of the coolest players on DTLA’s ever-growing accommodation scene. Stay here for the funky décor, a social vibe and the tropical rooftop bar and pool. It’s close to hip bars and restaurants, including the historic Grand Central Market.
What to bring home . . .
Pick up a crystal from Spellbound Sky in Silver Lake, one of the city’s most celebrated ‘metaphysical destinations’. Alongside selling crystals, minerals, ritual candles and essential oil potions, they also hold guided meditations and workshops in local spaces.
Invest in a dress or a pair of jeans from cult LA label Reformation, who are on a mission to make fashion more sustainable – their tagline is: ‘Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We’re #2’.
When to go . . .
Los Angeles is a great year-round destination. The summer temperature is typically in the 80s and winter highs are in the 60s and low 70s. January and February are the rainiest months, so bring protection and winter temperatures can plunge dramatically in the evening, but who cares when you get to spend most of the day in a T-shirt? Year round temperatures are typically a few degrees cooler at the beach and from May to June it can take most of the morning for the grey ‘marine layer’ to burn off.
Know before you go . . .
Essential information
British Consulate-General in Los Angeles: 001 310 481 0031
Los Angeles Visitors Information Center: (001 213 6898822; discoverlosangeles.com, 685 South Figueroa St, Downtown)
Emergency services: dial 911
Local road traffic accident/emergency evacuation information: dial 511 and at go511.com
Directory inquiries: dial 411
The basics
Currency: US dollar
Telephone code: LA has 5 different area codes 305, 213, 323, 424 and 818. Calling LA from the UK dial 001 then one of the three digit area codes and then the seven-digit number. From within Los Angeles dial one and then the three-digit area code followed by the seven-digit number
Time difference: -8 hours
Flight time: London to Los Angeles is approximately 11.5 hours, the return leg 10.5 hours
Local laws and etiquette
Always have your passport and driver’s license with you when driving in the US, in case you get stopped by police.
You can turn right at a red traffic light (provided you come to a complete stop first, there is no oncoming traffic and no contradictory sign saying “no turn on red”).
In most American cities, you have to park with your car pointing in the direction of the traffic on the correct side of the road, otherwise you will be fined.
Also, avoid parking within 15ft of a fire hydrant.
Author bio
Luciana moved to the City of Angels in search of eternal sunshine and that laidback Californian lifestyle. You can find her hiking in the Hollywood Hills and hunting down the city’s best gluten-free burger buns.