Welcome to Los Angeles ~ 25 Awesome Things to do in Los Angeles!
Summer is still here and the daytime sun is blazing. I know that doesn’t make Los Angeles sound too enticing, but come anyway we have air conditioning! Or if you live in So Cal – Get out and come visit! Maybe wait until the kids go back to school (which is like, now.)
How come they go back so early now? When we were kids we had the luxury of enjoying much more summertime because we returned to school after Labor Day.
A visit to Los Angeles includes a HUGE geographic area. From Disneyland to the South to Venice in the west and Universal Studios to the Northwest. It doesn’t just include Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA). The traffic is awful so you may want to break your time down in to day trips or stay in a centrally located spot and venture out like spokes on a wheel.
So far I have mentioned that the traffic is awful and the temps are skyrocketing, but this is THE happening place right now. I read every week about another successful New York chef opening a fabulous restaurant here.
We are bursting with museums and other than August, the weather is ridiculously amazing. We have gorgeous beaches, fashion is fun and casual, there is fantastic food, stellar shopping and this will give you snowbirds a chance to wear shorts in December! Can you imagine?
Fun things to do in LA ~
1.The Broad – A fantastic new contemporary art museum in Downtown LA, next door to the Disney Concert Hall.
2. Grand Central Market – Open since 1917, it is the best place to mix local cuisine with the local culture of LA. You can read more details in this==> Post!
3. Guerrilla Tacos – A food truck with the best tacos in town.
4. Los Angeles Union Station – Built in 1939, Los Angeles Union Station is the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States and is widely regarded as “the last of the great train stations”. The architecture is phenomenal.
5. Disney Concert Hall – This unique building was built by Frank Gehry and is home to the LA Philharmonic. You can also tour the building.
6. Walk around the Rose Bowl – Just fifteen minutes from downtown in the city of Pasadena. It is the home of the UCLA Bruins and the “Granddaddy of them all”, The Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. You can walk the grounds and around the circumference of the stadium (3 miles). Taking in the sights of the Rose Bowl on a non-game day is such a unique experience and it is FREE.
7. Huntington Library – Come see the incredible art collection, walk through the gardens and have afternoon tea. The famous paintings “Blue Boy’ and “Pinkie” hang among many other important works of art. The Library is located very close to Pasadena.
8. Norton Simon Museum – Another incredible art museum very near the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
9. Plan to come to the Tournament of Roses Parade in January – Everyone should see the Rose Parade in person as least once! Over 1,000,000 people line the streets of the parade route on January 1st every year. It is great way to kick off your New Year.
10. Go to Sqrl -It is a hip and super popular cafe that features global-inspired breakfast & lunch fare with housemade jams in a chic small space. The food is sooooo good! Located near the Silverlake area of Los Angeles and the cafe gets busy, so try to visit in the morning. No reservations.
11. Los Angeles Farmer’s Market – The original market located at 3rd and Fairfax. It has been a favorite destination for locals and tourists since 1934 with over one hundred grocers, restaurants and food purveyors. This outdoor market is a completely different experience from Grand Central Market.
12. Pizzeria Mozza – Just up the street from the LA Farmer’s Market, this very busy casual dining pizzeria was created by Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali. Make sure you plan ahead and get a reservation. The food is always amazing and wine list is excellent.
14. Trois Mec – Just up the street from Mozza. It is without a doubt the best pre-fixe restaurant in the city. You must check this out in advance. I also wrote a post about our experience ==> Here!
15. Visit Larchmont Village – Cutest little place you ever saw! This is a small neighborhood in central LA where the houses are lovely and there are darling shops, awesome cafés and fab shopping.
16. Griffith Park and Observatory – You can visit the Observatory and see the Samuel Oschin Planetarium or one of the daily or monthly programs in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon. Look through a telescope or enjoy the views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign. Or you can just go up through the park and hike up to see the views.
17. Amusement Parks – Disneyland, Magic Mountain and Universal Studios are always popular, need I say more!
18. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) – It is located close to the LA Farmer’s Market and on the Miracle Mile. “Since its inception in 1965, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has been devoted to collecting works of art that span both history and geography, in addition to representing Los Angeles’s uniquely diverse population. Today LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection that includes nearly 130,000 objects dating from antiquity to the present, encompassing the geographic world and nearly the entire history of art.”
19. La Brea Tar Pits – The world’s most famous Ice Age fossil excavation site is located in the heart of Los Angeles! It is right next door to LACMA. Kids really love this.
Over on the West Side of LA ~
20. The Getty Center – This spectacular museum is a must see! The views of LA from the grounds are breathtaking. The collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center includes pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; 19th- and 20th-century American, European, and Asian photographs; contemporary and modern sculpture; and Robert Irwin’s Central Garden, designed specifically for the Getty Center. Spend the day!
21. UCLA – University of California Los Angeles ~ We are a proud Bruin family and the campus is so worth a visit! UCLA is ranked one of the top universities in the United States. Take a tour, visit the bookstore and come enjoy the lovely architecture. The campus is always buzzing with activity.
22. Santa Monica – A gorgeous beach community with shopping streets, great restaurants and beautiful beaches.
23. Venice – This area is quite close to Santa Monica and a whole lot of fun. A great place to people watch, enjoy the beach, eat great food, shop and just enjoy Southern California.
24. Abbott Kinney – Just minutes from Venice Beach is this incredible shopping street that is about a mile long. There are lots of hip shops and unique places to eat. My favorite spot is Gjelina. Reservations are a good idea and they also have Gjelina takeaway. No worries though, there are many, many wonderful other places to enjoy and eat great food.
25. Beverly Hills – Very near UCLA and the Getty Museum, it is a fun time to walk about this famous city. The shops are gorgeous and there are some great restaurants. You can window shop and there are a few affordable ones too! You may even see a celebrity!
Phew – This is a great list! However, it is really just a way to get you started. There are 25 more places to go after you have enjoyed these! I am totally happy I have planned a trip to Los Angeles. How about you?
Have you been? What are your favorites?
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Great list, Suzanne! I noticed USC was NOT on the list 😉 Just kidding. UCLA all the way!
I’ve been to most of these places, but you’ve reminded me of some places I haven’t tried yet. Thanks, Suzanne!
Haha! No that other school is not on my list… I hear its pretty too. This list is a good beginning. Glad to know that you explore like we do.