When most people think of California, their minds immediately jump to one of three cities, San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles. While there is so much more to the golden coast besides these three cities, they are still some of the most culturally rich and influential hubs in the nation.
Los Angeles, in particular, offers an extensive variety of things to do. If you’re a film lover, a visit to Hollywood is an absolute must. There you will find such iconic attractions as the famed Hollywood Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre, and Paramount Pictures Studios – the last-standing TV and Movie still in Hollywood.
If you want to dress and feel like one of the stars, the shops, and boutiques on Rodeo Drive are one of the premier places in the city for designer and haute couture fashion. After scoring some flashy new threads, take a trip to the beach to work on your tan. Some of the best shorelines and beaches in the LA area include Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier and Beach, and Zuma Beach.
Besides it’s landmark attractions, LA is a city that is known for being one of the hottest culinary epicenters in the world. Foodies and craft beer lovers could easily spend their entire lives in LA sampling it’s food and beverages. Art and history lovers likewise could spend days getting lost in Los Angeles’s many museums and galleries.
Even though not everyone is going to agree with our list, in this video we’ll be discussing some of our favorite attractions in Los Angeles. If we miss some of your favorites, feel free to share your ‘best things to do in Los Angeles ‘ list down in the comments.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame & TCL Chinese Theatre
The TCL Theater, which first opened in 1927, has since become one of the most iconic sites in Hollywood. The ornate theater represents the opulent excesses of the Golden Age Of Hollywood. You can tour the building for a small fee and every day of the week except for Monday. Due to the attractions enduring popularity, you might want to book your tickets in advance. Still an operating theater, the TCL Chinese Theatre screens various new film releases throughout the year. You can check their website to see what’s on their schedule.
Right outside, you’ll find the famed Hollywood Walk of Fame. This historic landmark honors over 2,700 actors, filmmakers, musicians, and fictional characters from yesteryear to today, with brass stars embedded into the sidewalks along 15 city blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and an additional three blocks of Vine Street.
The Hollywood Walk is one of the most visited attractions in the city, with more than 10 million annual visitors.
Griffith Park And Observatory
Situated on the south side of Mount Hollywood, overlooking the LA Basin, Griffith Observatory gives guests unparalleled views of the surrounding region. But there is a lot more here than just an excellent opportunity to snap a few scenic shots for the gram. The observatory also has several captivating exhibits and a world-class planetarium.
Entry to the observatory is free but if you want to see a planetarium show, there is a small fee. Parking can also be a bit limited, so we recommend arriving early to beat the crowds. The observatory opens at noon, and if you get hungry, there is a cafe on-site.
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Universal Studios Hollywood
This theme park is known for it’s top-tier rides based upon major blockbuster films, but it’s also a functioning movie studio. From rollercoasters to log flumes to simulators, there are plenty of spills and thrills here to keep you and your family entertained.
Themed rides and sets include Jurassic World: The Ride, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.
The CityWalk area is a three-block entertainment zone where you can find shopping, dining, and live entertainment options. Guests can also take a guided tour of the studio if they’re hoping to take a behind-the-scenes peek at some of Universal’s most famous film sets.
The Getty Center
At the top hill in the Santa Monica Mountains, The Getty Center is a giant museum complex designed by Richard Meier set on a property that spans 110 acres. Besides it’s unique architecture and gorgeous grounds, the Getty Center is one of Los Angeles’s highest-rated museums. It’s collections include European sculptures, drawing, paintings, and décor, as well as photography dating back to the 1800 and 1900s.
The phenomenal views from the museum’s grounds are nothing short of breathtaking. If you work up an appetite, grab a casual bite to eat at The Restaurant while soaking up the sights.
Named after oil magnate J. Paul Getty, The Getty Center’s sister facility, The Getty Villa, is a recreated Roman country house where guests can see art dating from the Stone Age to the end of the Holy Roman Empire.
Santa Monica Pier And Beach
If you head due west out of Downtown LA you’ll arrive at Santa Monica where you’ll find one of the most famous beach scenes in the country. Santa Monica also is known for it’s vibrant nightlife scene and fantastic restaurants.
With it’s soft sands, idyllic weather, and many attractions, Santa Monica’s three miles of shoreline are applauded as being some of the best in the region.
Santa Monica experiences more than 200 days of sunshine a year. It’s also served as the backdrop for several films and televisions series over the years. While it’s quite walkable, we highly recommend renting a bicycle to explore the area. We also encourage you to take a ride on the Ferris Wheel at the pier and watch the street performers do their thing at the Third Street Promenade. Be sure to give them a buck or two! They’ll appreciate it.
LA Country Museum Of Art
Not far from the La Brea Tar Pits is this incredible museum. Since opening in 1965, the Los Angeles Museum of Art has proudly displayed thousands of works from European impressionist paintings to Islamic artifacts to modern art pieces.
The museum has a rotating line-up of exhibits and features very unique architecture. While a new permanent exhibition called the David Geffen Galleries is currently being constructed and is expected to open in 2024, you can see the works that will be featured there at the Resnick Pavillion and the Broad Contemporary Art Museum.
Sunset Boulevard
Being one of the most iconic streets in America, Sunset Boulevard more than lives up to it’s reputation. Back in the day, it represented the glitz and glamour of the classic Hollywood lifestyle. Because of this, it became the setting for several well-known films, including the classic that bears it’s name.
Today, Sunset Boulevard, which connects downtown to Hollywood and Beverly Hills to the Pacific Coast Highway, still retains all of it’s historic and cinematic appeal. It features a lively nightlife scene and some of the best venues in town, including The Roxy Theatre.
The Hollywood Sign
We can’t talk about LA and Hollywood without mentioning one it’s most iconic landmarks, the Hollywood sign. Pretty much everyone who comes to Los Ange4les will eventually want to see this ridiculously famous attraction.
Some of the best places to view the sign are Griffith Observatory and Lake Hollywood Park. In our opinion, the best way to see the sign is by hiking the Wisdom Tree Trail. It can get a little steep at times, but from the top, you’ll be treated to some of the best views of Los Angeles and will get as close to the Hollywood sign as is permissible.
Los Angeles’ Cuisine
Everyone knows that LA has some of the best restaurants in the world. While we could easily dedicate an entire video to Los Angele’s best dining options, we’ll quickly mention a few of our favorites.
Santa Monica’s Pasjoli features French cuisine that is out of this world. Their dry-aged ribeye and chicken liver-stuffed brioche are downright delectable. Over in Valley Village, Tel Aviv Kosher Grill offers authentic Middle Eastern dishes like shawarma, falafel, and sabich.
Seafood lovers should definitely check out Angler on Beverly Boulevard. Chef Joshua Skenes’s vision and choice of ingredients will leave you feeling like you just consumed a work of edible art. For a taste of the ocean that is a bit more casual, grab a Lobster Roll over at Broad Street Oyster Company in Malibu.
Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen in Inglewood offers cafeteria-style service with huge portions. You should definitely wash down all of that mac & cheese and cornbread with a glass of their southern-style sweet tea.
For Vegan food, Crossroads Kitchen on Melrose Avenue is one of our top picks. Their vegan carbonara is absolutely incredible but so are their canolis, pizza, Tiramisu.
Los Angeles Farmers Market
Also known as The Original Farmers Market, over 100 vendors set up shop to sell their ready-to-eat food, produce, crafts, and gifts at this lively location at the corner of Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street. Unlike other farmer’s markets, this one is a permanent installation that is open seven days a week. In addition to American cuisine, foodies can enjoy a variety of ethnic foods here that represent Los Angeles’s diverse immigrant population.
So, before you freak out, yes, we know that Disneyland is technically in the LA area. It’s not that we have anything against Disney. In fact, we’re big fans. But we thought that this video should only feature one theme park.
What are some of your favorite attractions in Los Angeles? If you’ve never been, what are you most excited to see when you get an opportunity to visit? Let us know in the comments below.