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4 Must-See Attractions in Los Angeles, California
Whether it’s Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica or Malibu, Los Angeles is packed with things to see and do. So, if you’re planning your next trip, this is your go-to list to keep with you at all times.
Los Angeles is known for many things: the entertainment industry, expansive beaches, a great culinary scene and a renowned nightlife. But if you want to boil LA down to its most essential bits, it’s important to experience the attractions that make it the spectacular city that it is. On any given day, you can swim in the sea, hike up a mountain, see someone famous and shop until you drop. So, as you think about packing for the ultimate LA adventure, make sure your suitcase is filled with swimming suits, hiking boots and plenty of space for souvenirs.
Warner Bros Studio Tour
The Warner Bros. Studio complex is one of the most bustling and exciting odes to old and new Hollywood. Get access to famous sound stages, interactive exhibits and the locations of some of your favorite films and TV shows. The two-hour tour includes a stop at Central Perk from Friends, the DC Universe: The Exhibit and an in-depth look at Batmobiles throughout the years.
Peterson Automotive
Speaking of cars, the Petersen Automotive Museum is ground zero for motor enthusiasts of all ages. There are rotating exhibits that ensure no two trips will be the same, and there are numerous events to keep your interests piqued behind the wheel. One of the most interesting parts of the museum is The Vault, where an extra 250 rare and unique cars are on display.
La Brea Tar Pits
Whether the La Brea Tar Pits are an archaeological marvel or simply an oddity of nature is up to interpretation, but whichever you think, they are a unique, and free, place to take a date. You’ll get to see asphalt seep and bubble up through cracks in the earth, as it has been doing for 65 million years, and watch a team of archaeologists at work excavating fossils. If you’re lucky, they’ll discover the remains of a wooly mammoth while you’re there, like they did in 2006. Afterward, you can grab dinner at one of the famed food trucks lining Wilshire Boulevard—El Chato Taco Truck draws crowds in from near and far for their award-winning tacos, quesadillas, and burritos.
OUE Skyspace
Soaring 69 floors above downtown LA, the OUE Skyspace is the perfect way to get a handle on the size and scope of the entire city. Gain all-day access to the most epic views along with interactive displays, informational movies about the city, and a bar with local beer and wine as well as snacks. The space also includes a glass slide that whips you down to a lower floor while helicopters buzz between the nearby skyscrapers. Throughout the year, OUE Skyspace holds events that include movie screenings, sunset and sunrise yoga, and a variety of holiday parties.
Travel to Los Angeles: Hollywood with a Heart
Los Angeles might be the big budget capital of cinema, but that is not to say that the Hollywood haute and haughty permeate the city’s cultural mood on its many other levels. Los Angeles is a multilayered and multiethnic urban and suburban sprawl from the waves crashing beneath Santa Monica Pier to the snow capped mountains of San Gabriel. State of the art entertainment and arts facilities are entangled among the high rises of Downtown, the remaining bohemian hippie culture of Venice Beach and the multitude of 5 a.m. joggers, housekeepers, writers and musicians who call this City of Angels home.
Once you’ve booked your flight to Los Angeles, remember to reserve a rental car! Los Angeles is fairly easy to navigate but is a spread out conglomeration of many smaller cities and enclaves. Buses and taxis run regularly but your wallet and your schedule will be happy to have regular transportation in this auto-powered metropolis.
SoCal Contemporary: Beyond the Beach
Los Angeles has long been a bastion of cultural growth and exploration, even longer than it has had the beach-bum reputation. Downtown is once again creating the trendy and elegant buzz of L.A.’s arts and dining atmosphere, far from it’s strictly business and crime lapse of the 1980s. The new Walt Disney Concert Hall designed by Frank Gehry is now the home of the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra and considered to be one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls on the planet. If you can’t get tickets to a show, visit for the stunning architecture against Downtown’s skyscrapers. The Music Center is just down the street where you can attend the Los Angeles Opera at the beautiful Dorothy Chandler Pavilion or perhaps catch Al Pacino in a one man play at the Mark Taper Forum.
J. Paul Getty made his mark on the other side of town with the stately Getty Museum presiding over West L.A. from its perch atop the Sepulveda Pass. The fine modern and European collection combined with the crisp marbled lines of the gallery rooms makes for a complete visual arts experience. Getty’s historic Villa, a collection of Etruscan and Roman antiquities, opened in 2006 and is just a beautiful drive up the coast to Malibu. Make sure to visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for its adjacent tar pits (yes, real tar pits!) where bones of mammoths and other prehistoric creatures have been excavated. For car lovers, the Peterson Automotive Museum is just across the street, boasting a rare and exotic collection of everything from mint condition muscle cars to the latest Lamborghini Diablo.
Get Out of Town When You Travel to Los Angeles
Los Angeles is not only a prime destination for all year weather, but for regional access to all season activities. Ski and snow resorts like Big Bear are only hours away while excellent surf locations are scattered up and down the local coast. In the heart of Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area is the world’s largest urban national park with miles of hiking and cycling trails, climbing areas and horse ranches. It is also home of the Griffith Park Observatory, a romantic mountaintop science center where you can see the real stars of Los Angeles up close!
Whatever draws you to travel to Los Angeles, it will be the incredible eclectic charm of the many different neighborhoods and cultures that keeps you inspired over again, not to mention the serenity of a big city with a visible skyline. A stop at a Mexican taqueria or a day at the Farmers’ Market is essential to capturing the flavor of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles: Sun, Surf, and Sand Galore!
Oh, the City of Angels – where the beaches are as famous as the celebrities! Let's talk about some of the best sandy spots to plant your beach umbrella.
- Santa Monica Beach: This iconic stretch is perfect for beach volleyball or riding the Ferris wheel on Santa Monica Pier. The people-watching here is top-notch too – you might just spot a celeb in incognito mode!
- Venice Beach: Muscle Beach, skate parks, and eclectic street performers – it's like a carnival by the sea! Don't forget to stroll along the Venice Boardwalk to soak in that bohemian vibe.
- Malibu's Zuma Beach: For a more laid-back scene, hit up Zuma. It’s great for surfing or just frolicking in the waves. Plus, with those majestic Malibu cliffs as your backdrop? #InstaGold
- Manhattan Beach: A hotspot for surfers and sunbathers alike. If you're looking to catch some serious waves or play beach volleyball like a pro – this is your go-to spot.
- Hermosa Beach: Fancy a bit of nightlife after sunbathing? Hermosa has got you covered with its lively pier full of bars and eateries.
If you're feeling extra adventurous, take a boat out to Catalina Island for some snorkeling or diving action - it's not technically LA, but close enough for jazz!
Bonus tip: Remember that sunscreen! You don’t want to look like a lobster fresh off the grill at one of those fancy Hollywood parties.
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