Los Angeles offers many once-in-a-lifetime experiences. From rooftop movies to watching your favorite film on its iconic theatre steps, LA boasts its own distinct California culture.
Take a stroll through the Hollywood Hills and gaze upon its iconic sign or gaze upon stars lining the Walk of Fame. Art lovers should stop by the Getty Center to experience world-renowned collections.
1. Hike the Hollywood Hills
Rather than visiting museums, why not head out onto the Hollywood Hills for breathtaking scenery and miles of hiking trails of various difficulty? Not to mention it being one of the best spots to spot celebrities during their morning jogs!
Hiking to the Hollywood Sign is one of the most beloved activities in the Hollywood hills and should not be missed by visitors to Los Angeles. Although not particularly difficult, this hike provides stunning views over Los Angeles as well as incredible exercise benefits. If you want some stunning photographs of this landmark sign try arriving early or around sunset to ensure optimal photos.
Hollyridge Trail is one of the best routes to hike to the Hollywood sign, offering an easy two-hour trek through beautiful countryside scenery that will lead you directly behind it for a stunning, once-in-a-lifetime view of this historic landmark.
Mount Lee Trail provides another challenging hike to reach the Hollywood sign. Starting off fairly straightforward, it quickly increases in difficulty as you proceed. This trail provides another wonderful opportunity for taking stunning pictures of this famous sign; just make sure that you bring plenty of water and sunscreen as this trail can become very hot quickly.
Runyon Canyon is an incredible nature park filled with breathtaking views and fun activities for everyone of all ages. Home to miles of hiking trails, a zoo and Bronson Caves (famously used in numerous films), Runyon Canyon has long been popular with celebrities seeking peace and quiet away from urban noise.
2. Take a Helicopter Tour
Bring your trip to Los Angeles to new heights with a tour that offers breathtaking aerial views of the city from above. Witness iconic sites such as Hollywood Sign, Sunset Strip and Rodeo Drive malls along your tour. Choose between 30 or 45 minute tours; some even include free entry on OUE Skyspace observation deck with 360 degree panoramic views and 45 foot all glass slide – not for those faint-hearted!
Are you an avid moviegoer? Check out Paramount Studio’s official tour to gain an in-depth knowledge of its rich history and visit many iconic sets during a two-hour experience. Consider upgrading to the VIP tour for even greater opulence!
Hollywood Forever Cemetery should also be on any visitor’s itinerary. Here, many iconic figures such as Judy Garland, Cecil B. DeMille and Rudolph Valentino can be found buried. It is also home to Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone of punk rock group The Ramones; see their mausoleums there too!
Los Angeles offers no shortage of museums, and choosing one can be tough. Car enthusiasts should visit the Petersen Automotive Museum with its large collection of vintage cars and exhibits dedicated to automotive history; architecture buffs should visit Getty Center as it offers temporary and permanent exhibits of modern and contemporary art; other popular museums include Museum of Contemporary Art, Broad and Natural History.
3. Go on a Hollywood Walk of Fame Tour
If Hollywood Boulevard seems daunting to explore on your own, consider taking a guided tour with one of several options available to you. The BigBus Hop-On, Hop-Off Hollywood Loop Tour provides access to Hollywood Boulevard as well as landmarks like Beverly Hills and Sunset Strip on a double-decker bus. Music enthusiasts may enjoy touring through music history at Grammy Museum LA Live with interactive exhibits; or visit Madame Tussauds Hollywood nearby Hollywood & Highland and take photos with wax figures of your favorite celebrities at Madame Tussauds Hollywood adjacent Hollywood & Highland for spotting celebrities!
Are you an Oscars enthusiast? Check out the Dolby Theatre, home to this year’s ceremony and site of concerts and events throughout the year – it is also located directly opposite of Hollywood Boulevard – making it a prime tourist stop!
Experience the Walk of Fame like never before on a Hollywood VIP Tour at Universal Studios, with exclusive behind-the-scenes access. Experiences like these allow guests to bypass lines at popular rides and shows as well as provide private tours of some of its busiest backlots.
In order to make the most of your tour, try visiting at an early time of day when crowds are smaller and star selfies will be easier. Plus, this tour will show off iconic landmarks like Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood sign – as well as being lucky enough to attend one of two induction ceremonies each month! To maximize your visit’s effectiveness, keep your calendar handy to find when and where these induction ceremonies may occur!
4. Visit the Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory is one of Los Angeles’s iconic tourist spots, offering stunning views of both city life and galaxy above. As one of Los Angeles’s premier tourist destinations and an educational venue, Griffith Observatory draws thousands each year. Accessibility may be difficult without knowing its secret (or being unfamiliar with LA traffic). Read on for helpful hints for visiting Griffith Observatory without stress and headache!
Arrive at Griffith Observatory for Sunrise Views
For those willing to wake up early and experience stunning sunrise views at Griffith Observatory, one of the least crowded times for visiting. Explore outside the building, look through telescopes and peruse Clues From Comets exhibit – there is also a scale model of solar system.
The museum features an eye-catching Tesla coil with massive arcing sparks that has entranced millions. Also on view is the Foucault Pendulum, an intriguing scientific device which shows how gravity works.
After visiting the observatory, stroll through Los Feliz neighborhood and stop in at one of its popular eateries such as Little Dom’s, Kismet or HomeState for lunch or dinner.
If you’re in Los Angeles looking for more things to do, be sure to visit the Getty Center – home to world-renowned art by Leonardo da Vinci, Goya and Rembrandt among many others – as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art of Los Angeles which boasts cutting-edge collections with innovative styles.
5. Take a Sunset Cruise
Make an unforgettable memory on a sunset cruise of Los Angeles’ coastal scenery and experience its gorgeous coastal views in style! Cruises can be tailored specifically for families, couples or groups of friends – from swan boat tours and harbor/marina waterway tours to dinner cruises that provide unique vantage points of its night-time skyline!
Los Angeles offers plenty of piers, beaches and marinas that make it perfect for boat tours. Or hop aboard a trolley tour to experience Venice Canals; an iconic area once filled with numerous tanneries and leather workshops but now filled with galleries, restaurants and shops as well as street art decorating the buildings.
Alternately, visit Venice Beach Recreation Center to play volleyball or beach tennis; stroll Ocean Drive in Santa Monica to spot film locations for films like Baywatch and Pacific Blue; take a stroll through Echo Park Lake’s hidden gem Echo Park Lake to glide among patches of lily pads on one of their swan boats – this experience becomes particularly captivating just before and after sunset when their lights cast twinkling light across the water!
Are you passionate about art? Schedule a tour of Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Free to Los Angeles residents after 3pm and children under 17, children can also enter freely all times. Car enthusiasts will also want to visit Petersen Automobile Museum which boasts 22 galleries and an underground warehouse dedicated to 100 years of automobile history.
