Things to do in Los Angeles

1. Visit Griffith Observatory and see the Hollywood Sign

For classic Los Angeles views, start at Griffith Observatory. Set high above the city in Griffith Park, the observatory combines astronomy exhibits and planetarium experiences with sweeping views across Los Angeles. It is also one of the best-known places to see and photograph the Hollywood Sign.

You can make the visit as relaxed or active as you like. Drive or arrange transportation to the observatory for the views, or build it into a hike through Griffith Park. Walking routes around Mount Hollywood provide different perspectives over the skyline and toward the Hollywood Sign, making this one of the best free things to do in Los Angeles as well as one of its most recognizable experiences.

2. Spend a day at Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood combines a working movie-studio experience with a full theme park, making it one of the best things to do in Los Angeles with kids, teenagers, or movie fans. Its long-running Studio Tour takes visitors behind the scenes of Hollywood production, while the park also includes themed lands, rides, restaurants, shops, and entertainment.

Allow most of a day if Universal is a priority. You can combine the park with an evening at Universal CityWalk, where restaurants, stores, entertainment, and a movie theater extend the experience after the rides close.

3. Explore the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Few Los Angeles attractions are as closely associated with the city as the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Running along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, its sidewalk stars celebrate major names from movies, television, music, radio, and live performance.

While you are there, stop at TCL Chinese Theatre, browse the surrounding Hollywood attractions, and look toward the Dolby Theatre area. The neighborhood is busy and tourist-focused, but for a first trip to LA it remains one of the easiest places to experience the city's movie-industry history in a single stop.

4. Spend the day at Santa Monica and Venice Beach

For a change of pace from Hollywood, head toward the Pacific, to some of the best beaches in Los Angeles. Santa Monica Beach and Santa Monica Pier provide one of LA's classic coastal experiences, with a broad sandy beach, oceanfront paths, amusement rides, restaurants, and sweeping Pacific views. The historic pier is home to Pacific Park and its solar-powered Ferris wheel.

Farther south, Venice Beach has a completely different personality. Walk the beachfront boardwalk, watch skaters at the skate park, see the famous outdoor workout area at Muscle Beach, or head inland toward Abbot Kinney Boulevard for boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and galleries. Combining Santa Monica and Venice makes an easy full coastal day.

5. Discover art and views at the Getty Center

The Getty Center is one of the best things to do in Los Angeles for art lovers, but the setting is almost as memorable as the collection. Set above the city in Brentwood, the complex combines major works of art with striking architecture, landscaped gardens, and views extending across Los Angeles toward the Pacific on clear days. The museum collection includes European paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, photography, and manuscripts. It is a good choice when you want a slower cultural day away from the busiest Hollywood attractions, and it pairs naturally with time elsewhere on LA's Westside.

6. Hike the hills above Los Angeles

Hiking is one of the easiest ways to see a different side of LA. Runyon Canyon remains a popular must-do route close to Hollywood, combining hillside trails with views across the city and easy access from central neighborhoods.

For more space and a broader choice of trails, head to Griffith Park, where routes lead through the hills around the observatory and toward viewpoints overlooking the Hollywood Sign. Go earlier in the morning on hot days, take plenty of water, and choose a route suited to your group.

7. Shop and sightsee in Beverly Hills

For glamorous Los Angeles, spend a few hours in Beverly Hills. Rodeo Drive is the headline attraction, with luxury fashion houses, designer boutiques, polished storefronts, and plenty of opportunities for window shopping even if you are not planning to buy anything. The wider neighborhood is worth exploring too. Stop for lunch, wander the palm-lined streets, or combine Beverly Hills with nearby West Hollywood and the Sunset Strip. For travelers looking for a luxury-focused LA stay, Beverly Hills also puts restaurants, shopping, and several central attractions within relatively easy reach.

8. Explore Downtown Los Angeles and the Arts District

Downtown Los Angeles packs several different experiences into a relatively compact part of the city. Architecture and music fans can see Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall, while food lovers can stop at Grand Central Market, which has served Downtown LA since 1917 and brings together a wide range of cuisines under one roof.

Nearby neighborhoods add even more variety. The Arts District is known for galleries, murals, restaurants, cafés, breweries, and converted industrial spaces, while Little Tokyo, Chinatown, the Historic Core, and Olvera Street each reveal a different part of LA's cultural history.

9. Explore LA's movie and museum culture

Los Angeles has some exceptional museums, and several of the best sit within a short distance of one another. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures explores the art, history, and people behind filmmaking through exhibitions, movie artifacts, screenings, and immersive experiences.

Nearby, the La Brea Tar Pits offer something completely different. The active fossil site and museum reveal prehistoric Los Angeles through discoveries including mammoths and saber-toothed cats, making it one of the most unusual things to do in Los Angeles with kids. The surrounding Museum Row area also makes it easy to build a larger arts-and-culture day, while the city's broader museum scene includes the Getty Center, LACMA, and many smaller galleries and institutions.

10. Experience Los Angeles after dark

There are plenty of things to do in Los Angeles at night, from live music and rooftop dining to sports, theater, and classic Hollywood nightlife. The Sunset Strip remains one of the city's best-known evening destinations, with restaurants, bars, music venues, and neon-lit landmarks running through West Hollywood.

Sports fans can also plan an evening around one of LA's major teams. Dodger Stadium is one of the city's iconic sporting venues, while Downtown LA has major basketball, hockey, and entertainment events. Concerts at the Hollywood Bowl and performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall offer great alternatives for music fans. For a more relaxed night, book dinner in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, or Downtown and finish with a scenic drive or city-view terrace.

FAQs about things to do in Los Angeles

What are the best things to do in Los Angeles?

Some of the best things to do in Los Angeles include:

• Visiting Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign
• Spending a day at Universal Studios Hollywood
• Exploring the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• Relaxing at Santa Monica and Venice Beach, visiting the Getty Center
• Discovering Downtown LA's museums, restaurants, and cultural districts.

Because LA is spread across a large area, it is usually better to group attractions by neighborhood rather than trying to cross the city repeatedly in one day.

What are the best things to do in Los Angeles with kids?

Families can spend a day at Universal Studios Hollywood, ride the Ferris wheel at Santa Monica Pier, explore space and science at Griffith Observatory, discover fossils at the La Brea Tar Pits, or learn about movie history at the Academy Museum. Beach days, parks, easy hikes, and family-friendly museums also make it straightforward to mix major attractions with slower days outdoors.

What are the best free things to do in Los Angeles?

Some of the best cheap and free things to do in Los Angeles include exploring Griffith Park, enjoying the views around Griffith Observatory, walking the Hollywood Walk of Fame, spending time at the beach, browsing the Arts District, and exploring neighborhoods such as Little Tokyo and Downtown LA for a cheap yet authentic bite to eat. Some attractions may charge for parking, special exhibitions, rides, or ticketed experiences, so it's best to check in advance.

What are the best things to do in Los Angeles at night?

Good evening options include restaurants and live music around West Hollywood and the Sunset Strip, concerts at the Hollywood Bowl or Walt Disney Concert Hall, professional sports, rooftop bars, theater, and evening walks around lively areas such as Santa Monica or Downtown LA.

Do you need a car in Los Angeles?

Not necessarily, but it depends on where you stay and what you want to see. Los Angeles covers a huge area, so a car hire can be convenient when combining places such as Hollywood, Beverly Hills, the coast, and destinations outside the central city. Rideshares, taxis, buses, and Metro services provide alternatives, particularly when attractions are grouped by neighborhood. Building each day around one part of LA is often more efficient than repeatedly traveling between the beach, Downtown, and Hollywood.

Is Los Angeles worth visiting with teenagers?

Yes. Los Angeles works particularly well for teenagers because activities can range from Universal Studios Hollywood, beaches, shopping, studio experiences, and movie landmarks to hiking, sports, museums, streetwear stores, and food markets. Los Angeles Tourism often publishes dedicated guides to teen-friendly attractions and activities, so it's best to stay updated with their news and tips!

How many days do you need in Los Angeles?

Three to five days gives first-time visitors enough time to experience several different parts of Los Angeles without spending the entire trip rushing between neighborhoods. A three-day stay can cover Hollywood and Griffith Park, a beach day, and either museums or a studio attraction, while five days gives you more time for Downtown LA, Beverly Hills, hiking, shopping, or Malibu.

For visitors seeking an extended stay whilst on business or leisure can enjoy first-class home comfort in one of our private Los Angeles vacation rentals. With gourmet kitchen diners, stylish living spaces, optional pools, gyms and wellness alongside scenic outdoor space, our Los Angeles accommodation offers the perfect city retreat to return to after a day out in LA.

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