I will be traveling cross country to an October wedding in LA, on my own. Looking forward to seeing extended family at the wedding festivities but would like to add a few days before and after the wedding for time to explore the area on my own. The wedding fun will be in downtown LA and W. Hollywood, where I’ve made reservations at the hotel recommended by the invitation, etc. Thought it might be fun to explore other areas and reserve an AirBnB in another area.
It has been decades since I’ve visited LA, so I need some guidance.
Any ideas about fun things to see and do? Anything that is an absolute must-see? Any suggestions about where to stay overnight? I will probably allow myself 2-3 days on either side of the weekend. I expect to rent a car–thinking it’s the easiest way to be mobile.
There’s too many things to do. If you’re talking about stuff close to your hotel, the usual suspects - Hollywood Blvd, going around Beverly Hills and BelAir to see the houses, going up Mulholland for the views and to see the Hollywood sign, Rodeo Drive and Melrose Place, UCLA and Westwood, etc.
Las Vegas is 4 hours away, San Diego is 2 hours away, Santa Barbara is 1.5 hours away. You’d probably need to tell us more about what interests you.
The Getty Museum
The Getty Villa
The beaches at Malibu
Beverly Hills/Rodeo Drive
The Long Beach Aquarium
The bicycle path from Will Rogers Beach to Redondo Beach
Sunset Boulevard
Notice I don’t say Hollywood Boulevard. Sadly it’s become a place for vagrants, transients and hucksters. It’s trashy and smells bad.
The beach. Or rather the Pacific. Drive west out to Venice, up the coast through Santa Monica, up to Pacific Palisades or even Malibu. Stop somewhere. You can walk the boardwalk at Venice to SM, visit SM pier, maybe have lunch on the boardwalk or near.
If you want more, the Getty in Malibu. Check how reservations work.
A car’s not so easy to park. But you could find your overnight place, then Uber to, say, SM or Venice pier and walk.
If you love seeing whales and dolphins a boat trip to Channel Island National Park is great. Island Packers is the company. Boats leave from Oxnard or Ventura harbors, about 50 miles north of downtown L A.
October is too early for the gray whale migration but you might see blue whales off the Channel Islands. Dolphins are frequently seen in pods of thousands jumping and splashing. This was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.
Also wildlife lovers would adore a trip to Santa Cruz Island, one of the Channel Islands. There are tiny little foxes there that are the cutest things. They are easily seen in the campground and are found only on these islands.
I agree—I love the Huntington Library and Gardens! It is one of my favorite things to do in LA. We also like Pasadena and San Marino. Many of the homes in San Marino have been used in movies—very stately. Shhh, they like it quiet there so don’t spread it around.
If you go to Pasadena, you can also visit the charming Norton Simon Museum. Loved the Getty Villa for the collection (museum requires reservations for parking) and the Getty Center for the stunning architecture and views. Santa Monica pier is quite iconic. When we went to the Rose Parade a few years back, we stayed in Burbank one night and did a horseback ride in the Hollywood Hills. It was supposed to be a group ride but no one else signed up so just the guide, DH, and me. Great fun with some lovely viewpoints even if I was sore afterwards. We also enjoyed the Warner Brothers tour a number of years back when DS was college hunting.
If you would like to see the top sights and let someone else do the driving I would recommend this tour: https://www.rastabus.com/ The guide we had was a long time Angeleno and very knowledgeable of LA history, gossip and scandal. If you stay at a hotel downtown you won’t really need a car, the metro system reaches many of the top spots and it’s easy to use. Uber/Lift are abundant as you might expect. The Omni hotel (https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/los-angeles-california-plaza) is in a great location, near Disney Hall and walking distance to many attractions. Huntington Gardens would top my list too, the art museum is outstanding as well as the displays in the library. I would rank it high above Getty unless you have a particular interest in architecture or a work of art on display at the Getty. Huntington, Getty and Griffith Observatory (great place to see the Hollywood sign) are all best reached by car unless you are fond of bus rides.
It is impossible to overstate the horror that LA traffic has become in this booming economy. If you can possibly arrange your trip around public transportation (lots of options from Union Station- Amtrak to Santa Barbara etc.) I would make that a priority. You might not arrive at your destination much faster than if you were to drive, but you have a better chance of maintaining your sanity.
If you spend one night in Long Beach, you could do a day trip to Catalina (expensive but fun) and also see the Queen Mary. I did the tour maybe 27 years ago with DS and mostly what I remember is him saying, “Keep going keep going.” I don’t think he liked it…
I would get a car. Things here are just too spread out to rely on public transportation. Traffic is horrible during rush hour but manageable the rest of the time.Traffic apps on your phone will take you the shortest route. If you do decide to go to San Diego, avoid rush hours at all cost as the area north of San Diego around Carlsbad can add 1-2 hours. If you do venture up to Ventura or Oxnard to do an ocean cruise, you might take Highway 1 as the scenery is beautiful. I agree with the Huntington Gardens as a top spot. Hollywood Blvd is overrated and not really worth it, but if you head up to the Griffith Park Observatory the view is incredible. You might also check the schedule at the Hollywood Bowl or the Greek Theater. If you have not been to those venues it is worth it- I love the Hollywood Bowl. Just make sure you park offsite and take the shuttle in as parking at the Bowl is in very short supply. Parking at the pony rides at Griffith Park works well.
We have always had a car in LA. It’s just too hard for us to get around otherwise. Lyft and Uber can add up and sometimes there are nice low car rental rates.
I’d take a car up toward Malibu. Or to Pasadena, etc. Just not in the beach area of SM/Venice, especially if I could part the car where I’d overnight, a little further from the beach. There was barely parking when I lived there. That’s where I suggested Uber in and get picked up later. Not from some long distance.
If you enjoy modern art, one of the best kept secrets in LA is the Frederick Weisman Art Foundation. Weisman was a collector of comtemporary art and had a great eye and great connections to the art world (his first wife was Norton Simon’s sister). His collection is set in his house—so you will see famous works in the living room or the bedrooms. He did end up building a wing that is a gallery to display works—think he ran out of walls in the house.
You will have to make an appointment to visit and you tour with a docent—can’t walk around on your own. I have been twice and both times I was impressed with the docents. It is really worth a visit. The house is located in Holmby Hills, an area in Westwood. Also, you have to park inside the gates if you drive there.
There is a fantastic King Tut exhibit at the California Science Center. It is there for a limited time and many of the pieces have never been outside Egypt. You have to reserve a date and time in advance. The museum is also permanent home to the Endeavour space shuttle. Well worth seeing as well. The museum is right next to Memorial Coloseum in LA.
I second, or third, the Queen Mary. The Art Deco sensibility lives on onboard, the models of ships of the day are fascinating, and we had a delicious lunch at the Promenade Cafe.