12 Things To Do In Los Angeles, California | Shopping, Museums, Beaches
Los Angeles was on my list of places to visit, but it honestly was not very high on the list. It’s the second most populous city in the United States next to New York City, and I am not too fond of that sort of crowded, fast-paced lifestyle. I visited for the first time in February 2020 and since been at least 10 times. One thing I know for sure is that there is no shortage of things to do and see or places to eat in Los Angeles. You might have to sit in traffic for a bit, and you certainly could never see all there is to see in one trip, but below is a taste of what I’ve gotten into during my time there.
1. Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier feels like nostalgia to me. It’s a place where you may not feel like you’re in the current year, but something about that is very gratifying to me. Carnival-like rides are an obvious attraction, but there’s an arcade, fair food and vendors that allow you to customize your visit every time you go. You may do something the next time that you didn’t the last and still enjoy every minute of your time there. Speaking of time, it’s also not a place where you have to spend hours; your trip can be as short as thirty minutes and you’ll still be able to make the most of that time however you choose to spend it.
2. Griffith Observatory
Hiking is a pretty big deal in Los Angeles and, several times, I happened to be staying very close to Griffith Observatory, so I hiked to the top. It’s roughly a 2-mile hike, and although I’ll be the first to say it is a hike, I actually found that I enjoyed it simply because I like to be in nature. The hike is nice, but the views from the top are even better. Pictures don’t truly do the scenery justice, but I promise it’s worth it.
You’re not a hiker? I hear you, sis. You can also just drive to the top!
3. The Getty Villa Museum
The Getty Villa Museum, not to be confused with the Getty Center, is located at the end of the Malibu coast in the Pacific Palisades. It was founded by J. Paul Getty who amassed an impressive collection of art and housed it here in this gorgeous grecian-inspired villa. If you visit on a day that’s not so busy, it’s quite the peaceful experience, especially in the inner garden by the water. With traffic, it can be a bit of a drive from downtown, but similar to Griffith Observatory, it’s worth navigating the logistics to get to the experience.
4. Melrose
The first time I visited Los Angeles, I wanted to get a sort of full scope of the city, so of course I took to Airbnb experiences to see what I could see. I found a photo tour that would hit some of the popular spots, so I booked it and was able to get some really cool shots. We started on Melrose, home to many photo-worthy walls, maybe most notably Paul Smith’s iconic pink wall. Also a popular photo spot is the Angel Wings Wall by Colette Miller which is a part of the Global Angel Wings project. The artist says, “I created the interactive street art angel wings project to remind humanity that we are the angels of Earth.” I love that the mural and art culture makes the city so communal and interactive, as there is no shortage of people taking selfies but also taking photos of each other and experiencing the art in a very personal way.
Aside from the art culture, you’ll find stores and thrift shops, eateries, and everything in between.
5. Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is certainly for the rich and famous, but you can budget to have some cool experiences there. I personally wanted to have breakfast at the Beverly Hills Hotel, so I did, and it did not disappoint. It’s a place where you walk a red carpet to enter, high rollers roll, business deals are happening across tables, and there is an active dress code, but it was worth it to have a fine dining experience on the outdoor patio. After breakfast, you might stroll Rodeo Drive- whether you buy anything or not, it’s cool to see a time or two.
6. Reparations Book Club
This is, hands down, my favorite and the best book store in LA- yes, because it’s black woman owned. It is created and managed by Jazzi McGilbert who is super sweet and dedicated to the sale and promotion of BIPOC literature, which will always get an amen from me. If you’re around the city, you’ll never regret stopping by to invest in the community, but also to receive what feels like a hug from the best of Los Angeles black culture.
7. Urban Light at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
You have most likely seen Urban Lights somewhere on social media, as it’s a pretty common photo opp, and for good reason. It’s a super cool installation erected in 2008 outside of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The first time I visited, I had just enough time to grab photos at the installation, but I have since seen the expanse of artwork in the museum. In my opinion, I don’t really believe it’s a museum you can cover in just a couple hours, so I would recommend reserving an entire day to explore.
8. Hideko Spa
Vacations should be a time for relaxation and I can’t think of a better way to relax than a massage. Again, since I didn’t know the first thing about anything in Los Angeles, I had to rely on Google, review sites like Yelp, or blogs to get an idea of what is quality around the city. Hideko Spa came up at least a couple times so I researched the site and found an experience that included a preliminary foot ritual, signature massage, private shower and sushi dining experience (provided by Sugarfish). I have to say that the facility was beautiful, the staff was very sweet and inviting, and it was the most thorough massage I have ever experienced. Whether or not I recommend an experience is usually based on if I would personally return for services again, and Hideko is definitely somewhere I would go again if I ever need a massage in LA.
9. Marbled Silk Scarf Making
Another Airbnb experience I signed up for was a marbled scarf making class, which seems random, but if you’re kind of artsy, you might enjoy it. The host, Patty, has been marbling for around thirty years and you could tell that she has a genuine love and passion for it. I chose my design and my palette and then Patty walked us through the techniques for shaking the paint.
Looking at the scarves, you would think it was a complicated process, but once I got going I found that it was a very organic process. Patty and her assistant would say that the paint will show you where it wants to go and I found that to be true. There’s no right or wrong way to do it and in the end you have a very practical and personal piece of art to take home.
10. Organic Rolled Ice Cream Making
Holy Roly Ice Cream is an adorable boutique shop that makes organic rolled ice cream. One of the draws about a rolled ice cream shop is that you’re able to see your ice cream being made as opposed to your typical shop where it’s being scooped and handed to you.
I booked yet another experience through Airbnb where I was able to go behind the counter and be a part of this unique adventure of making delicious rolled treats. The technique of making the ice cream is a little complicated, but the more you practice the easier it gets. Luckily, with this experience I was allowed to make as much ice cream as I could make within an hour and a half. By the end, I would say I had gotten pretty good.
Of course there is a menu of flavors you can order, but one of the cool things about getting to make my own is that I could stray from the menu and choose my own ingredients. For my first bowl I used a vanilla base and added strawberries and fruity pebbles. For my second bowl I used a mango base and then added mangos and strawberries as my toppings. For my last bowl I used an earl grey base and added honey. Tasty!
11. Venice Beach
You can’t really go to California for vacation and not spend some time at or near the beach. Since it was February the first time I visited and actually sort of cold, I didn’t intend to get in the water so I just walked along the pedestrian walk and sand and used my time as a photo opportunity. The more I’ve gone to California, I’ve actually found that it’s quite normal to not get in the water at the beach.
12. Go to a Los Angeles Rams Game
The Rams are not an outstanding football team and I’m not a football super fan- let’s be clear - but SoFi stadium is amazing and the energy was infectious even when the team was losing. If you’re in the city and the weather is nice, then going to a game is something fun and exciting to do. One of my final LA bucket list items now is to see a Lakers game; hopefully I’ll be adding that to this list sooner rather than later!
I have found that Los Angeles has grown on me despite my initial resistance to the city. The thing about it is that there is something there for everybody, so if you weren’t particularly interested in anything that I did, you’ve got a whole mixed bag of things to pull from. If you’ve got interest in it, I don’t doubt that you can find it there!