Destination guide
Los Angeles
United States
Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A.
AI insights
AI-written from the Wikivoyage listings, transport section and the video stats on this page
When visiting the Hollywood Bowl, prioritize the use of public shuttles; traffic congestion is a constant reality that can turn short distances into hours of frustration.
For an authentic and affordable culinary experience in Koreatown, visit establishments like BCD Tofu House or The Corner Place, where family-style service and traditional side dishes are standard; if you are new to the cuisine, do not hesitate to ask staff for guidance on how to eat dishes like soon tofu.
Schedule visits to the California Science Center for weekday afternoons or weekends to avoid the heavy crowds of school groups that frequently fill the galleries during weekday mornings.
Explore beyond primary tourist landmarks by walking the city's public stairways or the Los Angeles River bike path in Frogtown, which offer a look at the local lifestyle and terrain that most visitors overlook.
Always carry cash or a debit card for independent local markets like Lax-C, as many smaller or specialized businesses charge extra fees for credit card processing or do not accept them at all.
How we vet these picks
Every pick is drawn from real sources — YouTube creators, Wikivoyage, and Wikipedia. We only surface sources that actually exist and that we've checked for authenticity — no filler, no dead-end searches.Watch first
Ranked by views and how well each landed with the people who watched it, judged against the other coverage of this place — plus a local creator where we found one.
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Best time to go
Best window: November–May
Kind weather all year — there is no month to avoid.
Rated from ten years of daily temperature and rainfall recorded at this destination, via Open-Meteo's ERA5 reanalysis. Hover a month for its real numbers.
Getting around
By rail
The Los Angeles area's Metro Rail subway/light rail system opened its first line in the 1990s and has been expanding since. Most prominent neighborhoods and sightseeing destinations can be reached using Metro Rail, including Downtown L.A., Koreatown,…
By bus
The main bus system in Los Angeles is operated by Metro (+1-800-COMMUTE, or +1-800-266-6883). Many Angelenos without a car use the bus as their primary mode of transportation.
By taxi/rideshare
Taxis can be expensive. Save for a very small number of locations, you cannot flag one down on the street, but have to call one of the taxi companies to send a cab to pick you up.
By motorcycle
An often overlooked alternative which deals well with Los Angeles' lackluster public transportation and frustrating traffic conditions is to travel by motorcycle.
By bike
Metro introduced a bike share program in 2016. Thus far it only covers Downtown Los Angeles, Venice Beach, Hollywood, Koreatown, Culver City, North Hollywood, and Westwood, but there are plans to expand into other communities in the near future.
Transport notes from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What to see
Places are listed from Wikivoyage and our own sourced research. Worth it means a second, independent source names the place too; “3 sources agree” means three or more do — and each card names them, so you can check.
Hollywood Sign
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet
Hollywood's most recognizable landmark is easy to spot high up on Mount Lee in nearby Griffith Park. You can drive part way up for a closer look, but you can't hike all the way to the sign.
Vetted sources
Getty Center
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet
Richard Meier's hilltop museum campus with tram access and free admission.
Vetted sources
Griffith Observatory
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet
Free public observatory with panoramic views of the Hollywood Sign and city skyline.
Vetted sources
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd· Moderate
This huge museum features a vast array of works on display from around the globe, with particularly strong collections of Asian, Latin American and American art.
Vetted sources
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
3911 S Figueroa St· Moderate
A historic stadium that opened in 1923 and is the home of the USC Trojans football team. It served as home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams at two different times—first from their arrival in L.A.
Vetted sources
California Science Center
700 Exposition Park Dr· Free
A huge science museum with lots of interactive science exhibits and a rather impressive air and spacecraft collection. The museum's large exhibit galleries cover technology and biology, with highlights including a high wire bicycle, a…
Vetted sources
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Blvd· Free
Dating back to 1899, this beautiful cemetery is one of Los Angeles' oldest and is the final resting place for hundreds of film stars, directors, writers, and other influential figures from the entertainment industry.
Vetted sources
The Broad
221 S Grand Ave· Free
A newer contemporary art museum built to house the collection of billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad (pronounced "brode"). Opened in September 2015, the museum has a collection of almost 2,000 pieces of postwar and contemporary art, with…
Vetted sources
Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
5801 Wilshire Blvd· Cheap
An excellent museum that displays fossils of animals – including saber-toothed cats, dire wolves and mammoths – that got stuck in tar pits during the Ice Age 10,000 to 40,000 years ago.
Vetted sources
Bronson Cave
3200 Canyon Dr
A popular spot for film buffs, this former rock quarry consists of a short man-made tunnel through the hillside that was quickly embraced as a filming location once the quarry ceased operations in the 1920s.
Vetted sources
Ennis House
2607 Glendower Ave
Perched in the foothills of Los Feliz beneath Griffith Park on a winding residential street is this massive Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house, constructed using textile blocks reminiscent of an ancient Mayan temple.
Vetted sources
What to do
CBS Television City
7800 Beverly Blvd
This historic broadcasting complex was built in 1952 and continues to be the home of many of American TV's most popular shows, such as American Idol, The Price is Right, and The Young and The Restless.
Vetted sources
Dodger Stadium
1000 Elysian Park Ave· Moderate
Who wouldn't want to grab a Dodger Dog and enjoy watching a game of baseball? Built by evicting and displacing an entire neighborhood of Chavez Ravine, this venerable stadium, in the hills north of Downtown near Echo Park, opened in 1962…
Vetted sources
Hollywood Bowl
2301 N Highland Ave
America's most famous outdoor theatre hosts a summer concert series by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, a spectacular Fourth of July fireworks show set to classical music, as well as numerous other concert events.
Vetted sources
Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S Grand Ave
One of four halls of the Los Angeles Music Center, it is where the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Master Chorale perform.
Vetted sources
Crypto.com Arena
1111 S Figueroa St
Home to three of LA's pro sports franchises; Lakers (NBA), Kings (NHL), and Sparks (WNBA), plus many concerts, shows and conventions.
Vetted sources
Los Angeles River
While it's in the process of a long restoration, the section of the Los Angeles River past Northwest L.A. is actually already open as a recreation zone, with a soft-bottomed bed that supports trees and wildlife.
Vetted sources
Cemetery Movie Screenings
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd
The Cinespia film society screens creepy older movies every Saturday during the summer on the Fairbanks Lawn in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Crowds can be huge, so arrive prior to gates opening if you want a good vantage point.
Vetted sources
Philosophical Research Society
3910 Los Feliz Blvd.
Founded by occultist Manly P. Hall, PRS describes itself as "a repository of multicultural wisdom sources and a center of learning." The organization operates a bookstore, event space, and Hall's collection also formed the basis for the…
Vetted sources
Mulholland Drive
from Hollywood, take Cahuenga Blvd or Laurel Canyon Blvd north to Mulholland Dr
If you have a car, it is worth driving up to Mulholland Drive. The main attraction is the incredible views from the Hollywood Hills across Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley, with plenty of overlooks available to stop and enjoy, but it's…
Vetted sources
Saroyan Stairs
walk from Beachwood Cafe
The most impressive of Hollywood's public stairs, connecting streets at different elevations for pedestrians. These hidden gems are worth exploring for an authentic local experience, and there are a few more in the neighborhood that allow…
Vetted sources
What to eat
Republique
Worth itAlso recommended by Michelin Guide and 1 other
California-French bistro cooking inside a historic Charlie Chaplin-era building.
Vetted sources
Guelaguetza
Worth itAlso recommended by James Beard Foundation and 1 other
Oaxacan moles and mezcal from a family-run restaurant that's a pillar of LA's Mexican food scene.
Vetted sources
Grand Central Market
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet and 1 other
A historic downtown food hall with stalls spanning LA's immigrant food cultures.
Vetted sources
n/naka
Worth itAlso recommended by Michelin Guide
Chef Niki Nakayama's kaiseki tasting menu in Palms.
Vetted sources
Philippe's
Chinatown, one block from Union Station
An LA landmark a couple of blocks north of Olvera Street and Union Station is a nostalgic shop with hay and sawdust covered floors. Famous for their 'French Dip' sandwiches dipped in au jus, but the real reason to go is the atmosphere and…
Vetted sources
The Corner Place
east of Vermont
Good Korean BBQ at a really great price ( is enough to stuff two people). The decor isn't as fancy as more expensive places, but it has charm. The menu is family style, so one order is enough to feed two people.
Vetted sources
BCD Tofu House
see below
The menu includes various types of soon tofu stews and combination meals including other traditional Korean entrées (Korean BBQ, bibimbap, etc.) along with a small bowl of soon tofu stew.
Vetted sources
Sushi House Unico (Shu Restaurant)
at Beverly Glen
Right off Beverly Glen Blvd, tucked away in a small, though fashionable strip mall in the canyons of Bel Air, is Sushi House Unico (shu), a restaurant that boasts an eclectic menu best described as a fusion of Japanese, Latin and Italian…
Vetted sources
Vibrato
at Beverly Glen
Dynamic fusion of steakhouse and jazz club from music legend Herb Alpert makes for a night of great cuisine and musical entertainment. The expansive supper club-like dining room is intimate and bold in design and color with beautiful…
Vetted sources
Lax-C Supermarket
Dogtown
This independently owned Thai grocery store has to be seen to be believed. Expect the cement floors, industrial shelving, large packages, and the occasional forklift of a restaurant supply store in the main store, but the hot food deli…
Vetted sources
Where to stay
The Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd· Expensive
A boutique hotel right in the center of the action offering spacious, well-appointed rooms and suites with luxury bed and bath linens, bath products and state-of-the-art in-room technologies.
Vetted sources
Kimpton Everly Hollywood
At the NE corner of Argyle and Yucca· Expensive
The bones of an old hotel, a couple of blocks back from the heart of Hollywood, and right next to the busy 101 freeway, has been given the characteristic Kimpton glossy makeover, and equipped with soft sheets and attentive service.
Vetted sources
Villa Carlotta
5959 Franklin Ave
A historical landmark dating back to the Golden Age of Hollywood that has been lovingly restored, Villa Carlotta offers residential hotel living in furnished studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments, welcoming stays of 30 days or more.
Vetted sources
Figueroa Hotel
939 S Figueroa St
For those looking for something unusual, Figueroa Hotel provides Moroccan styled luxury. Mystic and beautiful, this is where Cirque Du Soleil hosted their premiere party of Varekai.
Vetted sources
Ritz Carlton
900 W Olympic Blvd· Expensive
This high-rise hotel is one of the newest in downtown, with stunning views from the upper floors. It's across the street from LA Live, the Convention Center, and the Staples Center.
Vetted sources
Ace Hotel DTLA
929 S Broadway· Expensive
Opened early 2014 in the historic United Artists building that was built in 1927 for what was then a maverick film studio. Includes free Wi-Fi and air-con. Terrace Suites are squarefoot 633
Vetted sources
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Travel content from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Encyclopedic context from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Videos via the YouTube Data API.