California’s most notable city rests in the South Bay of the state. With the Pacific Ocean to the west and the San Bernardino mountains to the east, the city is literally an oasis in the desert.
It’s perfect weather attracted the film industry, which steadily grew and catapulted the city into an international icon. Synonymous with so many things, Southern California is an incredibly special place and I’m truly so happy to be from this magical city.
Here are my favorite things to do!
Biking on The Strand
I’m entirely convinced there’s no better way to experience a beach than biking along the Strand. Stretching 22 miles from Santa Monica to Palos Verdes, the trail pretty much takes you through all of the city’s beach neighborhoods, such as quirky Venice Beach and ritzy Manhattan Beach.
La Brea Tar Pits
While Los Angeles isn’t known for history, this site dates back to prehistoric times! The pits of tar, which now propel the area’s oil industry, used to trap dinosaurs and suck them to their deaths. It’s morbid, yes, but they also preserved so many fossils. You can see the pits of inky tar and a museum showcasing some of their victims.
Tour a Movie Studio
Whether it’s seeing the courthouse from Back to the Future at Universal Studios Hollywood or the backlot Mia and Sebastian walk around in La La Land at the Warner Brothers Lot, seeing film studios is an essential part of any Los Angeles experience. I would recommend Universal, only because of the attached theme park. The Jurassic World ride is incredible and Super Nintendo Land has to be seen to be believed.
Santa Monica Pier
Arguably LA’s most iconic pier, Santa Monica is the quintessential Southern California experience. The wooden pier starts at a manicured state beach and extends into the Pacific while holding an entire amusement park, restaurants and so much more. I’m not sure if I entirely trust the salt-air weathered Pacific Coaster, but you should definitely walk through the little park. If you want to visit a less commercialized pier, I recommend Hermosa Beach Pier a few miles south.
Disneyland Resort
Disneyland is unlike anything else on Earth. A piece of Americana, a slice of history and quite possibly the most charming theme park ever. Unlike its Florida counterpart, Disneyland is actually pleasant to visit. The crowds are more manageable, the weather isn’t as harsh and there seems to be so many more things to do. To truly embrace the magic of this place, eat some ice cream while walking around Main Street U.S.A. and watch the joy radiating off everyone’s faces.
Hike
Not many cities are dually blessed with a world-class beach and giant mountain ranges. My favorite trail has to be Runyon Canyon, a 160-acre park that sits in the Hollywood Hills. The trail is a little strenuous, but worth it for the stunning views of Downtown LA, the Hollywood sign and the entire South Bay. Paseo Miramar is another gorgeous trail that climbs up some cliffs by the ocean.
Griffith Park
Another film star, Griffith Park doubles as one of the city’s largest parks. There’s hiking, a zoo, the world famous planetarium and jaw dropping views of the South Bay. Come sunset, the observatory is the perfect place to watch the sky streak with purple and orange as the sun sinks below the horizon. Like most city parks, access is free. While accessible by car, I always enjoy hiking up to the planetarium from Los Feliz.
Sidecar Doughnuts
Calling themselves the ‘world’s freshet doughnuts,’ Sidecar creates a pretty good contender. The inventive flavors, such as Saigon Cinnamon Crumb, are very onbrand for LA. Find their closest location here.
The Grove / Farmers Market
This connected shopping center holds one of LA’s fanciest malls and a cultural legacy. Over at The Grove, big brand name stores hold flagship properties among jumping fountains, towering palm trees and more. The farmer’s market has a ton of local food stands and a few places to grab locally crafted goods.
Sunset/Hollywood Blvd
Tacky, touristy Hollywood is lined along these two streets. Everything from Grauman’s Chinese Theater and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, to the Oscar’s Dolby Theater is worth seeing at least once.
Rooftop Bars
For the best views in the city, you need to take your drinking experience to a new height. Spire 73 in Downtown LA is the highest bar in the Western Hemisphere. My favorite is Harriet’s Rooftop above The 1 Hotel in West Hollywood. For an ocean-facing view, The Coco Club is in Santa Monica.
In-N-Out Burger
The notorious California burger chain lives up to everything you’ve heard. For the best experience, you have to go to the one near LAX. It borders one of the runways and planes literally trace your heads.
The Beach
OBVIOUSLY I had to end with the beaches! Los Angeles was blessed with some of the best coastline in the world. Ignore the frigid water and dive in, bark back at a pod of sea lions, surf back to shore on the crashing waves; the beaches are literally picture perfect perfection.
Turquoise Skies 