Los Angeles Travel Guide
Weather, best time to visit, and the best food, culture, nature and activities.
Typical prices
- Budget meal$15.00
- Mid-range meal$40.00
- Cappuccino$4.50
- Domestic beer$8.00
- Taxi (per km)$2.50
- Public transport ticket$1.75
- Museum entry$20.00
- Mid-range hotel (night)$220.00
Food & Drink
- GuelaguetzaOaxacan Mexican · $$
Oaxacan restaurant on Olympic Blvd known for mole negro and tlayudas, a Koreatown-area institution for regional Mexican cooking.
- RepubliqueFrench · $$$
Housed in a Charlie Chaplin-era building on La Brea, serving French-inspired dishes and famed for its bakery counter and pastries.
- BestiaItalian · $$$
Arts District Italian spot known for house-cured salumi and charred octopus, long one of the hardest reservations in the city.
- Pizzeria MozzaItalian · $$$
Nancy Silverton's Highland Avenue pizzeria known for its chewy, blistered-crust pies with unusual toppings like squash blossoms.
- Langer's DelicatessenJewish Deli · $$
MacArthur Park deli open since 1947, celebrated for its No. 19 pastrami sandwich on double-baked rye.
- SqirlCalifornian · $$
Silver Lake breakfast-and-lunch spot famous for its ricotta toast with seasonal jam and brioche.
- Grand Central MarketFood Hall · $$
Historic 1917 downtown food hall with dozens of vendors including Eggslut and Sarita's Pupuseria under one roof.
- The Edison
Downtown speakeasy-style bar inside a former power plant, with industrial decor and burlesque shows.
- Harvard & Stone
East Hollywood cocktail den split into a saloon-style front bar and a tiki-leaning back room.
- The Comedy Store
Legendary Sunset Strip stand-up club that launched the careers of Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, and generations of comedians.
- Break Room 86
Koreatown karaoke bar with private rooms, a favorite late-night hangout tucked above a parking garage.
Culture & History
- The Getty Center
Richard Meier-designed hilltop museum with European paintings, gardens, and sweeping city views, reachable by tram.
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Encyclopedic art museum on Wilshire's Miracle Mile, adjacent to Chris Burden's Urban Light lamppost installation.
- The Broad
Contemporary art museum downtown holding Eli and Edythe Broad's collection, including Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms.
- California Science Center
Exposition Park museum permanently housing the retired Space Shuttle Endeavour.
- Griffith Observatory
1935 Art Deco observatory in Griffith Park with public telescopes, planetarium shows, and views of the Hollywood Sign.
- TCL Chinese Theatre
1927 Hollywood Boulevard movie palace famous for the forecourt handprints and footprints of film stars.
- The Cinerama Dome
Geodesic-domed Arclight theater on Sunset Boulevard, a landmark single-screen venue for film premieres.
- New Beverly Cinema
Repertory theater owned by Quentin Tarantino, screening classic and cult films on 35mm film prints.
- Hollywood Christmas Parade
Long-running celebrity holiday parade down Hollywood Boulevard.
- Los Angeles Film Festival events at TCM Classic Film Festival
Turner Classic Movies festival with restored prints and star-studded screenings at the Chinese Theatre and Egyptian Theatre.
Nature & Outdoors
- Santa Monica State Beach
Wide sandy beach next to the Santa Monica Pier and its historic carousel and Pacific Park rides.
- Venice Beach
Boardwalk beach known for Muscle Beach outdoor gym, street performers, and the Venice Skate Park.
- Malibu's Zuma Beach
Long county beach popular with surfers and families, backed by the Santa Monica Mountains.
- Griffith Park
One of the largest urban parks in North America, with the Mount Hollywood hiking trail leading up to the Griffith Observatory.
- Runyon Canyon Park
Popular hillside hiking loop above Hollywood with panoramic views over the basin to the ocean.
Active & Fun
- Gold's Gym Venice
The original 'Mecca of Bodybuilding' where Arnold Schwarzenegger trained, still operating near Muscle Beach.
- Annenberg Community Beach House Pool
Public pool on the former Marion Davies estate grounds in Santa Monica, open seasonally.
- Universal Studios Hollywood
Working film studio and theme park with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the Studio Tour tram ride.