Stories · United States
3 days in Los Angeles
Told the way I’d tell a friend, step by step.
Los Angeles cannot be understood from a car, and yet you spend your life in one. My advice: pick one neighbourhood a day and live it on foot, from Santa Monica beach to the Griffith hills. The city is not beautiful at first glance; it is beautiful at sunset, every evening, without exception.
Day 1 · Museums and culture
Early in the morning, I make my way to Petersen Automotive Museum. Give it a good two hours, and leave before you are full: that is the secret to wanting to come back. Unmissable, and for good reason. Travellers give it 4.8 out of 5 (14,169 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. To get organised: the public-transport route; skip-the-line book your tickets, otherwise compare on Tiqets.
Around noon, meet me at Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The audio guides are worth it; otherwise, follow a group and steal three anecdotes on the way. Everyone goes; everyone is right. 4.6 out of 5 across 21,257 reviews: few places are this unanimous. Practical: how to get there, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or also check Tiqets.
For lunch, Los Angeles is full of options: trust the rooms full of locals rather than the menus translated into six languages.
Later, it’s The Golden Triangle. It’s the kind of place that makes you go quiet for a moment, even when you thought you knew it all. Travellers give it 4.7 out of 5 (354 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise go through Tiqets.
In the evening, let go: a terrace, a walk, and Los Angeles does the rest.
Day 2 · The icons
To start, head to Dodger Stadium. Take the time to walk all the way around it; the best views are rarely at the entrance. Everyone goes; everyone is right. Travellers give it 4.7 out of 5 (51,000 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. Practical: how to get there, and if you’d rather skip the queue, get your tickets in advance or compare on Tiqets.
Late morning, meet me at Griffith Park. Bring water, shoes that hold, and no watch. Everyone goes; everyone is right. 4.7 out of 5 across 70,000 reviews: few places are this unanimous. Practical: here is the route by public transport · what visitors say.
For lunch, trust the rooms full of locals rather than the menus translated into six languages.
After lunch, head to Universal CityWalk Hollywood. You’ve seen it a hundred times in pictures; in person it is bigger, closer, more alive. Unmissable, and for good reason. Travellers give it 4.6 out of 5 (72,000 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. Practical: how to get there, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your tickets or go through Tiqets.
Once night falls, Lakers or Clippers night: An NBA night in Los Angeles is the show, the celebrities courtside and the whole city in the arena. Practical: how to get there, and if you’d rather skip the queue, get your tickets in advance or compare on Tiqets.
Day 3 · Day trip
In the morning, I make my way to The Getty. The white tram climbing up, the gardens, the Van Goghs and the ocean view: free, and the most beautiful place in the city. Travellers give it 4.8 out of 5 (37,663 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. Getting there: here is the route by public transport. To get a feel for it: travellers’ reviews.
If you’re still hungry
Other places I wish I could have fitted in: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Griffith Observatory, The Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood and Hollywood Sign. Slip them in wherever a day feels light.
My advice
Plan journeys outside rush hour: twenty kilometres can take an hour.
Mornings are hazy on the coast and the sky clears around noon: beaches in the afternoon, museums in the morning.
Street tacos are the best food in the city, and the cheapest.
Safe travels. And get lost at least once; that is where Los Angeles begins.
A Triovol story · written by someone who would go back tomorrow
Opening hours, prices and closures change: a quick look at the venue’s website before you go avoids bad surprises.