Things to Do in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 500 square miles of city inside 4,000 of county, and almost everything is a drive from everything else. The useful way to plan is by area and by half-day rather than by ticking off a list. Here are the coast, the museums, the hikes, the neighborhoods worth an afternoon, and the day trips — grouped so you are not crossing the city twice.
Where to start
Most of this list assumes you are past the boxes. If you are reading it before the move rather than after, California Movers USA handles the San Francisco to Los Angeles route — and finishing the unpack early is what buys you the first free weekend to actually use any of it.
Los Angeles is 500 square miles of city inside 4,000 square miles of county, and almost everything worth doing is a drive from almost everything else. The useful way to plan is by area and by half-day, not by ticking off a list.
Plan around these
- Traffic peaks
- 7–10am, 4–7pm
- Beach fog
- Mornings, May–June
- Best months outdoors
- March–May, Sept–Nov
- Museum closures
- Often Monday or Tuesday
- Popular hikes
- Go early; parking fills
Group your day by area. Two things in Santa Monica and one in Pasadena is a whole day in the car. Two things in Santa Monica and a third in Venice is an easy afternoon.
The coast
Santa Monica and Venice. The pier, the beach path, and Abbot Kinney within a couple of miles of each other. The beach bike path runs 22 miles from Will Rogers to Torrance and is the single best way to spend a first Saturday here.
Malibu. A drive up PCH, El Matador and Zuma beaches, and the canyons behind. Give it a whole day; the traffic back is worse than you expect.
Manhattan and Hermosa. Quieter South Bay beach towns with a real neighborhood feel, easier parking, and good food.
Point Dume and Leo Carrillo. Further out, tide pools, fewer people.
Museums and culture
| Place | Area | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| The Getty Center | Brentwood | Architecture, gardens and the view are as much the point as the collection |
| The Getty Villa | Pacific Palisades | Antiquities; timed entry, book ahead |
| LACMA | Mid-Wilshire | Large collection; Urban Light out front |
| The Broad | Downtown | Contemporary; free general admission, reserve in advance |
| Natural History Museum | Exposition Park | Good with children; next to the Science Center |
| The Huntington | San Marino | Gardens, library and art — a half day at minimum |
| Griffith Observatory | Los Feliz | Free to enter; go at sunset, expect a parking queue |
| Academy Museum | Mid-Wilshire | Film history, next door to LACMA |
Several of these have free or reserved-entry policies that change. Check the current hours, closures, and booking rules on the venue’s own site before you drive across the city.
Outdoors
- Griffith Park. One of the largest urban parks in the country. Trails to the observatory, the Hollywood sign view from Mount Hollywood, and the merry-go-round.
- Runyon Canyon. Short, steep, busy, and central. Good for a quick climb with a view.
- Topanga and Malibu Creek State Parks. Bigger, quieter, and genuinely wild in places.
- The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. A stair climb rather than a hike, with one of the best city views.
- Angeles National Forest. An hour north and 5,000 feet up. Snow in winter, pine trees, and an entirely different climate.
- Echo Park Lake and Silver Lake Reservoir. Flat, easy, and a good introduction to the eastside.
Trail and park information: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (National Park Service) and Griffith Park, Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. Check current hours, closures and parking before you go.
Neighborhoods worth an afternoon
Downtown. Grand Central Market, the Bradbury Building, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Arts District. Walkable in a way little else in LA is.
Koreatown. The densest neighborhood in the city and one of the best places to eat in the country. Late hours.
Silver Lake, Echo Park, Highland Park. Eastside, hilly, independent shops and restaurants.
Pasadena. Old Town, Craftsman architecture, the Huntington nearby, and a slower pace.
Little Tokyo, Thai Town, Boyle Heights. The reason the food here is what it is.
The Valley — Studio City, NoHo Arts District. Ventura Boulevard, theatres, and better parking than anywhere over the hill.
Day trips
| Destination | Drive | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara | ~2 hours north | Coast, wine country, a walkable downtown |
| Joshua Tree | ~2.5 hours east | Desert, rock formations, night skies |
| Big Bear or Wrightwood | ~2 hours | Snow in winter, hiking in summer |
| San Diego | ~2.5 hours south | Beaches, the zoo, a different city entirely |
| Ojai | ~1.5 hours | Small town, hot springs, quiet |
| Catalina Island | Ferry from Long Beach | A day away from the mainland |
If you have just moved here
A first month that works, roughly in this order.
- Walk your own neighborhood firstBefore driving anywhere. Find the coffee, the grocery, the park, the laundry.
- Do one coastal day and one eastside dayThey will tell you more about which LA you want than any list will.
- Go to Griffith Observatory at sunsetIt is the cliché because it works, and it gives you the geography in one view.
- Eat somewhere specific rather than somewhere famousKoreatown, Boyle Heights, Thai Town, San Gabriel Valley.
- Take one drive up PCHIdeally on a weekday.
Give it three months before deciding what you think of Los Angeles. It is the hardest large American city to like quickly and one of the easiest to like eventually, and almost all of that turns on whether you found your neighborhood.
Getting settled first
None of this is much fun while the boxes are still stacked. If you are moving to Los Angeles, the practical side is covered in moving to Los Angeles — areas, costs, and why the commute decides your neighborhood.
For the move itself, hourly pricing usually fits within Los Angeles County, because time is driven by access, stairs, and traffic rather than distance. Our standard package is $175 per hour for two movers and one truck, with disassembly and reassembly, protection, loading, transport, unloading and placement included. See Los Angeles movers and pricing.
Related reading: moving to Burbank, moving to Long Beach, setting up utilities, and how to pack for a move.
Questions people ask
What is the best time of year to visit or explore LA?
March to May and September to November. Summer is hot inland and crowded at the coast; the marine layer keeps beach mornings grey in May and June.
Do I need a car to do these things?
For most of them, yes. Downtown, Koreatown, Santa Monica and the Metro corridors are the exceptions.
What is free?
Griffith Observatory grounds, The Broad’s general admission with a reservation, the beaches, most hikes, and Grand Central Market to look around.
How far ahead should I book?
The Getty Villa, The Broad, and popular restaurants need reservations. Most else does not.
Where do I start if I only have one day?
Griffith Observatory at sunset, and Grand Central Market or Koreatown for dinner.
Is the Hollywood Walk of Fame worth it?
Once, briefly. The observatory, the Getty, and the beach path are what people come back to.
Reviewed September 2026. Opening hours, admission policies and reservation rules change — check the venue before traveling across the city.