Best Things to Do in Los Angeles: A Local's 13 Picks
Date Published
At a glance
- Where: All 13 picks are inside the City of Los Angeles, California, across Hollywood, Los Feliz, Brentwood, Miracle Mile, Downtown LA, Chinatown and Venice
- Free picks: Griffith Observatory, The Broad general admission, the Getty Center (timed reservation required), the Hollywood Sign viewpoints, the Walk of Fame and Venice Ocean Front Walk cost nothing to enter
- Best first day: Griffith Observatory in the afternoon, then the Hollywood Bowl or Hollywood Boulevard in the evening
- Getting around: Metro B Line reaches Hollywood/Highland; Metro D Line stops across from LACMA; check the official sites before you go
The best things to do in Los Angeles start with five anchors: Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign, The Getty Center, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Hollywood Bowl. Then spend your remaining days in Hollywood, Downtown LA and Venice. Every pick below is inside the City of Los Angeles, and each one was checked against its own official site.
This is the answer we give a friend who has a few days and no patience for a checklist of forty things. Do the anchors, pick one neighborhood a day, and leave room to sit still.
How we chose
We picked places that are open to the public, inside the city limits, and worth a real chunk of your time. Each one was checked against its own official site. Where an official page didn't give hours or prices, we say so and tell you to check before you go. We left out anything outside the city, such as the Santa Monica Pier, which is its own city next door.
Times below are our own estimates for a satisfying visit, not official figures. Hours and prices change, so treat anything marked typical as a starting point.
The five anchors
1. Griffith Observatory (Los Feliz)
Griffith Observatory is a free, city-run observatory at 2800 East Observatory Road in Griffith Park, high above the Los Feliz neighborhood. It sits on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood, 1,134 feet above sea level, with views across the Los Angeles basin to the Hollywood Sign.
What to do: walk the exhibits, catch the view from the terraces, and look through the telescope on a clear evening when the building is open. It is typically closed Mondays and the observatory lists public star parties on its calendar.
How long: two to three hours. Go in the late afternoon and stay through sunset.
Local tip: the Hollywood Sign Trust itself recommends Griffith Observatory as one of the best places to see the sign. Parking at the observatory lot is paid, but you can park free around the Greek Theatre if you are willing to walk up to a mile uphill. Plan your first sign photo here, not on a hot trail. See the Los Feliz guide for the neighborhood at the bottom of the hill. Official site: griffithobservatory.lacity.gov.
2. The Hollywood Sign (Hollywood Hills)
The Hollywood Sign stands on Mount Lee in Griffith Park above Hollywood, and you view it from a distance rather than walk up to it. The Hollywood Sign Trust lists Griffith Observatory and the Ovation shopping center at Hollywood and Highland among its recommended viewpoints.
What to do: take the photo, then decide whether you want a hike. The Trust's pages describe trails to the sign area from Griffith Park, but its pages disagree on trail lengths, so use the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks trail info on the day.
How long: thirty minutes for a viewpoint, half a day for a hike.
Local tip: the sign went up in 1923 as an advertisement for a housing development, and it was only meant to last about a year and a half. It stayed, and the Hollywood Sign Trust was founded in 1978 to look after it. Official site: hollywoodsign.org.
3. The Getty Center (Brentwood)
The Getty Center is a hilltop art museum at 1200 Getty Center Drive, reached by a short tram from the parking structure. Admission is free, but you need a timed-entry reservation, and parking is charged per car.
What to do: see the collection, walk the gardens, and take the view. The Getty describes the campus as art, modern design, unique gardens and city views, and in our opinion the architecture and gardens are as much the point as the paintings.
How long: three to four hours.
Local tip: the Getty's listed parking rate drops later in the day, and evening hours run longer on Saturdays, so a late-day visit costs less and the light is better. The Getty has also announced a temporary closure of the Getty Center for a campus-wide modernization, so confirm it is open, along with hours and parking, on the Getty visit page before you drive up.
4. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA (Miracle Mile)
LACMA is the big art museum at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile. The Metro D Line station at Wilshire and Fairfax is directly across the street, so you can skip parking.
What to do: wander the galleries, then walk outside to the open-air campus. The museum recommends timed-entry tickets.
How long: two to three hours.
Local tip: LACMA is typically closed on Wednesdays and stays open until 8 pm on Fridays. Check the LACMA visit page for current hours. The La Brea Tar Pits (pick 12) are next door, so pair them.
5. Hollywood Bowl (Hollywood)
The Hollywood Bowl is an outdoor amphitheater at 2301 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood that seats nearly 18,000 people. The official site lists concerts across its season.
What to do: pick a concert, bring a picnic, and watch the sky go dark over the shell.
How long: a full evening.
Local tip: parking is extremely limited and can sell out, according to the Bowl's own getting-here page. Take the Metro B Line to Hollywood/Highland, or use the rideshare drop-off on Odin Street. See Hollywood Bowl for current events, and the Hollywood guide for the neighborhood.
Hollywood
6. Hollywood Walk of Fame (Hollywood)
The Hollywood Walk of Fame runs along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, and it is a public sidewalk with no admission fee. Ceremonies, which are free to watch from the sidewalk, are listed on walkoffame.com.
What to do: walk the boulevard, then cross to the Ovation shopping center for a clear view of the sign.
How long: one hour.
Local tip: go early on a weekday. By afternoon the sidewalk is crowded, and the ceremony schedule is posted online.
7. Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (Miracle Mile)
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is at 6067 Wilshire Boulevard and typically opens Wednesday through Monday, 10 am to 6 pm, closed Tuesdays. Adult admission is typically $25, with children under 18 free, and the Oscars Experience costs extra.
What to do: see the exhibitions on how films are made.
How long: two to three hours.
Local tip: the Academy Museum sits right next to LACMA on Wilshire Boulevard, so the two share one day well. Check the Academy Museum visit page for prices.
Downtown LA
8. The Broad (Downtown LA)
The Broad is a contemporary art museum at 221 South Grand Avenue, and general admission is free. Some installations, such as the Infinity Mirrored Room, need an advance reservation.
What to do: book the mirrored room first, then see the rest of the collection.
How long: two hours.
Local tip: the museum is typically closed Mondays, and in our experience the general-admission line is shortest right after opening. Check the Broad's visit page for current entrance and reservation details.
9. Walt Disney Concert Hall (Downtown LA)
Walt Disney Concert Hall is at 111 South Grand Avenue, home of the LA Phil. The hall offers a free self-guided audio tour that lasts about an hour and starts in the Grand Avenue Lobby.
What to do: take the audio tour, or buy a concert ticket to see inside during a performance. Guided tours for LA Phil Insiders are tied to a concert ticket that day.
How long: one hour for the tour.
Local tip: tour days vary, so check the LA Phil tours page before you go. Pair this with the Broad, which is one block away.
10. Grand Central Market (Downtown LA)
Grand Central Market, at 317 South Broadway, is typically open daily from 8 am to 9 pm, though individual vendor hours vary. It is a food hall that has run since 1917.
What to do: walk the aisles once, then decide. Tacos Tumbras a Tomas sells Michoacan-style carnitas and says it serves over 300 pounds of it a day.
How long: one hour.
Local tip: go for a late breakfast on a weekday. See the Downtown LA guide and the market's site.
11. Philippe The Original (Chinatown)
Philippe The Original is a French dip sandwich counter at 1001 North Alameda Street, open daily from 6 am to 10 pm. It was established in 1908, and it carves sandwiches to order in roast beef, pork, lamb, turkey, pastrami or ham.
What to do: order the French dipped sandwich the way regulars do, then eat it at a long table.
How long: forty-five minutes.
Local tip: Philippe has been at its Alameda Street location since 1951, and it makes an easy lunch after a morning downtown. See also the Chinatown guide. Official site: philippes.com.
Beyond the anchors
12. La Brea Tar Pits (Miracle Mile)
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is at 5801 Wilshire Boulevard, next door to LACMA. The museum's indoor exhibitions have been paused for renovation, but the outdoor grounds in Hancock Park, including active excavation sites, stay open and the Tar Pits Insider Tour runs.
How long: one to two hours outdoors.
Local tip: confirm the status of the indoor museum on tarpits.org before you plan around it.
13. Venice Ocean Front Walk (Venice)
Venice Ocean Front Walk is the boardwalk at the Venice Beach Recreation Center, 1800 Ocean Front Walk. Venice voted to join the City of Los Angeles in October 1925, which is why it's an LA neighborhood and not its own town.
What to do: walk the boardwalk, watch the sports courts, and end at the sand for sunset.
How long: two to three hours.
Local tip: Los Angeles Recreation and Parks lists the recreation center as typically open weekdays and Saturday, closed Sunday. The boardwalk itself is a public walkway, but we couldn't confirm official hours, so ask at the recreation center. Read the Venice guide for more.
Save this: a three-day route
- Day one, Hollywood and the hills: Griffith Observatory in the late afternoon, then dinner and the Walk of Fame, or a Hollywood Bowl concert.
- Day two, art and the west side: the Getty Center in the morning, then LACMA and the Academy Museum, with the Tar Pits at the end.
- Day three, Downtown and Venice: the Broad and Disney Hall, lunch at Grand Central Market or Philippe, then Venice for sunset.
Is it hard to get around Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is spread out, so group your days by neighborhood. The Metro B Line serves Hollywood/Highland and the Metro D Line serves LACMA. See the LA Metro site for routes. For heat, wildfire and other conditions, check our weather page before you plan outdoor days, and see all neighborhoods.
Last verified: November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What are the top things to do in Los Angeles?
The top things to do in Los Angeles are Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign, The Getty Center, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Hollywood Bowl. After those, spend time in Hollywood, Downtown LA and Venice.
Is Griffith Observatory free?
Yes, admission to Griffith Observatory is free. It is run by the City of Los Angeles at 2800 East Observatory Road, and it is typically closed on Mondays.
Is the Getty Center free?
Yes, admission to the Getty Center in Los Angeles is free, but it requires a timed-entry reservation. Parking is charged per car, and the Getty has announced a temporary closure for modernization, so check the official Getty site before you go.
Can you walk up to the Hollywood Sign?
No, the Hollywood Sign is meant to be viewed from a distance. The Hollywood Sign Trust recommends Griffith Observatory and the Ovation shopping center in Hollywood as viewpoints.
How many days do you need in Los Angeles?
Three days covers the anchors and one neighborhood a day, as in our route above. A fourth day is useful if you add more museums or a long hike.
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