Measuring 44 miles across at its widest, there’s no shortage of things to do in Los Angeles – the tricky part is finding the time to fit them all in.
There are the perennial favourites, like the movie studio tours, surfing in Malibu or a trip to the ball game. Then there are the newer attractions, like the crop of contemporary art galleries that have opened up Downtown, revitalising the neighbourhood. There’s also shopping and stargazing and hiking to be done – follow the lead of the native Angelenos and rise with the sun to make the most of it.
Read on for our expert’s top tips, or for further Los Angeles inspiration, see our guides to the city’s best hotels, restaurants, nightlife, attractions and shopping.
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Best for culture
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Double your dose of culture at LACMA
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of over 135,000 objects. It’s popular with tourists and locals alike, who come for the innovative exhibitions and the Instagram-worthy outdoor sculptures, like Jeff Koons’ Balloon Monkey in the central courtyard or Chris Burden’s grid of restored vintage street lamps, Urban Light.
Insider tip: The museum runs an ever-changing roster of special events, from art and music workshops to cookery classes with top chefs and family-friendly sessions every Sunday. Keep an eye on the monthly calendar to stay on top of what’s coming up.
Website: lacma.org
Price: ££
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Soak up Hollywood history
It was years in the making, but everyone agrees the spectacular Academy Museum of Motion Pictures was well worth the wait. The striking Renzo Piano-designed museum is now the largest in the world solely dedicated to the art and science of movie making. Inside you’ll find four floors of gallery space – including a vast 1,000-seat theatre in its much-photographed glass dome – filled with cinematic treasures, including the sole surviving shark from Jaws, Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz and the Rosebud sled from Citizen Kane.
Insider tip: Pay the $10 extra for the Oscars Experience, where you’ll be able to step inside the Dolby Theatre on Oscar night via a spookily realistic simulation. You’ll hear your name called and get to hold one of the coveted golden statuettes, with the whole thing captured on video. Cheesy, yes, but good fun.
Website: academymuseum.org
Price: ££
The Broad
Take a trip to see some out-of-this-world art
The Broad has cemented itself as one of the coolest art galleries in LA, with perpetual queues to visit its permanent collection. The gallery is home to some of the most exciting contemporary art in the city, such as Yayoi Kusama’s trippy Infinity Mirrored Room, an immersive installation with LED lights reflecting endlessly inside a mirrored room.
Insider tip: Tickets for the gallery can book out weeks in advance, but if you haven’t managed to nab any, don’t panic – they also release a batch of extra tickets online daily (pick them up here).
Website: thebroad.org
Price: Free
Best for history
United Theatre
Step into a gothic masterpiece on Broadway
The United Theatre is a marvel of Spanish gothic style. Designed by architect C. Howard Crane, it was modelled on the Segovia Cathedral in Spain and is just as impressive. Formerly the United Artists Theatre, it used to be the flagship theatre for Charlie Chaplin’s film studio, United Artists; today, as well as showing films, it also hosts concerts, stand-up comedy and live reads.
Insider tip: Eat an early supper beforehand at the hip Hoxton Downtown hotel just down the road. Head up to rooftop spot Inanna for Mediterranean mezzes, punchy cocktails and stellar views of Downtown LA.
Website: theunitedtheater.com
Price: ££-£££
Getty Museum
Rediscover ancient Greece and Rome in Malibu
LA’s Getty Museum, founded by billionaire industrialist J. Paul Getty, is spread across two campuses: the sprawling, space age-looking Getty Center above the hills in Brentwood and the beautiful Getty Villa in Malibu, a recreation of a first-century Roman villa and home to displays of art from Ancient Greece, Rome and Etruria. The villa’s gardens are particularly impressive, featuring sculptures, wall paintings and Mediterranean plants.
Insider tip: Come in the late afternoon, when the crowds are starting to thin out and the gardens will be bathed in a warm glow. By the time you’re ready to leave, you’ll have missed the majority of the rush hour traffic, too.
Website: getty.edu
Price: Free
Best for sightseeing
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Browse the shops on America’s coolest street
Often dubbed as the coolest block in America, Abbot Kinney Boulevard is home to some of the most eclectic shops in the city. Beloved by Venice’s hipsters, the independent boutiques are the perfect place to pick up a quirky gift to take home – pick up a Venice Beach-scented candle from Tumbleweed & Dandelion or some whimsical stationery from Burro. There are plenty of places to refuel, too, such as vegetarian spot The Butcher’s Daughter and celeb favourite Gjelina.
Insider tip: Come on the first Friday of the month for Abbot Kinney’s evening food truck extravaganza. From 5pm dozens of the city’s finest food trucks crowd onto the boulevard, serving up everything from Thai, Southern soul, Greek and Vietnamese food.
Website: abbotkinneyblvd.com
Grand Central Market
Fast food done right
Downtown’s Grand Central Market, located opposite the cute Angels Flight funicular, made popular in the film La La Land, is a proper foodie haven, serving up everything from Shiku’s Korean-inspired lunchboxes to Olio’s wood-fired pizzas and Lucky Bird’s famous citrus-brined fried chicken. Always heaving with people and buzzing with neon signs, it feels like a little piece of New York in DTLA.
Insider tip: While you’re in the neighbourhood, check out the nearby Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk, which encompasses tours of local galleries, artists’ studios and cultural institutions along Spring and Main Street.
Website: grandcentralmarket.com
Price: £
Best for nature
Griffith Observatory
Go stargazing in the Hollywood hills
You can drive up to the Griffith Observatory but it’s much nicer to arrive by foot, hiking up one of Griffith Park’s reasonably gentle paths and taking in the Hollywood sign and spectacular views over the city on the way. This is always one of the first things I do with visitors when they come to LA. The Art Deco building is an impressive sight and it’s no less enchanting inside, with permanent exhibits exploring the cosmos and an excellent planetarium.
Insider tip: One Saturday a month the observatory hosts a public star party, free to members of the public. With various telescopes dotted around the front lawn and knowledgeable astronomers on hand for questions, it’s a chance to get a closer look at the night sky.
Website: griffithobservatory.org
Price: Free
Santa Monica to Venice bike path
Cycle the coast
The Santa Monica to Venice bike path is one of the most famous in the world, and for good reason – there’s nothing quite like watching the sun set over the Pacific from this famous stretch of beach. Start at sleepy Will Rogers State Beach, just north of Santa Monica, and carry on past the gaudy Santa Monica Pier until you reach the Venice Beach Boardwalk, where you’ll be cycling along the grungy hawkers selling their tat, Muscle Beach regulars and the oceanfront skatepark. Perry’s Cafe and Beach Rentals, on Santa Monica’s beachfront, is a good place to rent bikes.
Insider tip: If you’re up to it, carry on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail for four more miles to explore Marina del Rey and Playa del Rey, one of LA’s smaller, more understated beach communities.
Price: Free
Aqua Surf School
Ride the waves in Malibu
Book in for a surfing lesson with Aqua Surf School, who operate out of Surfrider Beach, one of the most famous surf spots in Malibu (it has particularly slow waves, making it the ideal place to learn). Their two-hour lessons cater to beginners and more advanced surfers and they’ll provide all the necessary equipment, including boards and wetsuits.
Insider tip: Shake the sand out of your hair and head across the road to the Surfrider Hotel’s rooftop bar after your lesson. Grab a sofa by one of the fire pits, order a cocktail and watch the sun go down over the Pacific.
Website: aquasurf.com
Price: £££
Best for families
Universal Studios
Take part in some movie magic
A must-visit for thrill seekers and movie lovers, Universal Studios is home to several heart-thumping rides, including the King Kong 3D experience, Revenge of the Mummy and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Hop into one of their trolleys for the studio tour, which takes in the Bates Motel from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and an encounter with the shark from Jaws.
Insider tip: Pay a bit extra for the VIP experience, where you can actually get off the trolley and explore the backlot on foot. Visit the sound stages where some of the biggest blockbusters were filmed and tour the Property Department, home to thousands of set pieces and props.
Website: universalstudioshollywood.com
Price: £££
Crypto.com Arena
See the LA Lakers
Whether you’re into basketball or not is sort of irrelevant where the LA Lakers are concerned. They’re one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA and also home to the game’s most famous player, LeBron James (as well as his son, ‘Bronny’, forming the league’s first-ever father-son duo), so they’re always worth a watch. The sleek Crypto.com Arena is the place to go to catch a home game, where the atmosphere is electric.
Insider tip: In the winter this is also where the Los Angeles Kings play, which is a fun experience if you’re in town during ice hockey season.
Website: cryptoarena.com
Price: ££
The Dodger Stadium
Go all-American at a ball game with the LA Dodgers
The Dodger Stadium, home to the LA Dodgers baseball team, is the third oldest baseball stadium in America, after Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago, and one of the most picturesque, overlooking the San Gabriel Mountains on one side and Downtown LA’s skyscrapers on the other. Bring snacks – a typical ball game lasts for at least three hours.
Insider tip: If you’re going for a day game, be sure to take a hat and sun cream – most of the stadium is in the sun and it can get uncomfortably hot. Book under the roof of the top deck for the shadiest seats.
Website: mlb.com/dodgers
Price: ££-£££
Disneyland
Take a day trip to original Disney theme park
They say it’s “the happiest place on earth”, and they’re not wrong – or at least, it is if you happen to be a five-year-old kid, as I discovered when I took my daughter. This is the original Disney theme park and it’s full of nostalgic charm, from the quaint Main Street lined with themed shops to the Sleeping Beauty Castle. Vintage favourites include the Alice in Wonderland teacups and Peter Pan’s Flight – where you get to fly over London aboard your own pirate ship – while newer additions range from Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway to the thrilling Star Wars-themed zone.
Insider tip: If you’re only visiting for the day or are taking younger kids who’ll struggle with long lines, invest in a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which lets you skip the queue for some of the most popular rides. It saved us several hours in queuing when we visited.
Website: disneyland.disney.go.com
Price: £££
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.