5 Spots to See On Your First Trip to Los Angeles
You ever fall in love with a city in the shortest amount of time? Well, this past January, I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to attend the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. Because of some work commitments on this trip, my three days in LA felt much shorter than they were. I really only had less than half a day each day to get to know the city, but that was enough for me to fall in love with LA. I didn’t think I would be so impressed, being from a big city myself. However, Los Angeles definitely kept a piece of my heart.
Since I didn’t have much time, I had a list of spots I just had to see first and I’m so glad I got to visit these places on my first trip to LA! If you want to visit Los Angeles for the first time, but are short on time, have these spots at the very top of your itinerary!
- Griffith Obsevatory
- L.A. Live
- Venice Beach (and Santa Monica)
- Hollywood Walk of Fame (and Hollywood Blvd)
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- The Last Bookstore
Griffith Observatory
I think this place is what did it for me! For me, this is one of the best Los Angeles spots!
I landed in Los Angeles around 1pm, and by the time I made it to the hotel (LA traffic is crazy, but I will get into this later), freshened up, and had lunch, it was already past 4pm. I’d been up all day and the sunset was already approaching. So, I figured I’d take it easy on my first night and just go someplace nice to see the sunset. I’d seen the Griffith Observatory on an episode of “24,” and it would be cool to check it out myself.
The Observatory is located at Griffith Park, at the top of Mount Hollywood. While many come here to check out their planetarium and space/science related exhibits, the main highlight here is the view. You get an amazing view of downtown Los Angeles, as well as the famous Hollywood sign. This was perfect, since I didn’t have time (or the energy) to do a hike up close to the sign. Plus, what better way to see LA for the first time than by getting a spectacular sunset view over the city.
I definitely recommend coming to Griffith Observatory during golden hour. I love chasing sunsets around the world. This was one of my favorites (though sunsets in Cali in general are pretty spectacular). Access to the Observatory is free, and there are several ways to get here. If you’re already in Griffith Park, you can hike, walk or bike up here or you can drive as well. There is also parking near the Observatory for a small fee. However, I would suggest not driving here on your own and just taking the public bus or cab up. This is a very popular tourist destination, so the roads leading up here will be very crowded (in pre-Corona times).
Another side note, when ordering an Uber/Lyft back down, you will most likely experience some wifi trouble. Because the location is high in the mountains, the service sucks, even near the wifi area near the bus stop. It took me over 30 minutes to successfully order an Uber, so I suggest having some change available to take the bus back down until you get to an area with better service.
L.A. Live
This area wasn’t necessarily on my list, but our hotel was located right in the middle of it, so we got to see it anyway. In retrospect, I am glad I got to experience it. L.A. Live is the center of entertainment in downtown LA, as it houses the Staples Center, Microsoft Theater, LA Convention Center, the Grammy Museum, restaurants, movie theater and even a bowling alley.
As part of a work event, I got to visit the Grammy Museum on Day 2. If you want to get a taste of the Grammys, the Grammy Museum is it. It’s a four floor interactive and educational museum which explores the history of the Awards. You can also find tons of artifacts and displays of items used during the Grammys or belonging to Grammy winners (lyrics, costumes, etc.) It’s also the home to the Clive Davis Theatre, where artists sometimes perform their material for the public. The experience in general is perfect for music lovers, but regardless, it’s still cool to learn about the history of the Grammys and the process it takes for many artists to reach that stage.
If you’re into sports, you may also want to check out the Staples Center. It’s just one of those spots in Los Angeles you want to experience simply because of its importance to the city. This of course is dependent on what time of the year you’re in town and what events or sports are being held here.
Venice Beach
After the work event at the Grammy Museum, I, again trying to beat the clock before sunset, took an Uber out to Venice Beach. If you’re looking for another one of those great sunset spots in Los Angeles, Venice Beach is perfect. You can also head on over to the Santa Monica Pier, which is further up north. I opted for Venice Beach to check out the famous “Venice” sign. If you can get here earlier in the day, make sure to check out the canals as well to get a taste of Europe in California.
I loved the bohemian feel of Venice Beach and the free spirited vibe here. There’s lots to do and see along the boardwalk — there’s a skatepark, cute little shops and restaurants, street performances and beautiful, vibrant murals and art everywhere. It’s a shame I only had a couple of hours in this cute, little beach town.
Hollywood Boulevard
No first-time trip to Los Angeles can be complete without stops along Hollywood Boulevard. I took a quick trip out here on Day 3, but again had very limited time as this was the day of the Grammys. It sounds cliche and cheesy, but I just had to walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It’s another one of those touristy things you just have to do because you’re in LA for the first time. It’s like having to visit Times Square during your first trip to NYC. (If you’re wondering where to start, begin at the Chinese Theatre, where you can see the footprints and signatures of the stars as well!)
I had a late start, so I only got about two hours here before I had to head back to prepare for the Awards. If you do have more time, there’s lots to do here. Along Hollywood Blvd you can also find Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the Hollywood Wax Museum, Madame Tussauds, Dolby Theatre (home of the Oscars — plenty to keep you busy. If you want to do some shopping, check out the Highland Shopping Center, which the Chinese Theatre is located within. Hollywood Blvd is also the perfect place to get all your Cali souvenirs out the way.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
About a 15 minute ride from Hollywood Boulevard is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or LACMA. You might have seen this spot on Instagram, as its light installation, known as “Urban Light,” has been a popular spot for photos. Even though it was short distance from the Walk of Fame, I unfortunately did not get to stop by here as I had to rush back to LA Live for the Grammys.
The Last Bookstore
Another spot I unfortunately did not get to visit because I was short on time. However, because Instagram has made very popular, I thought I should mention it. The Last Bookstore is one of California’s most popular bookstores, known for its unique set up and “labyrinth” display of books– a cute Instagram spot to check out in downtown LA.
Lastly, you’re probably wondering why I only got to do so little if I had most of the afternoons free. Well, I learned that while maps may tell you Point A is only about 20 minutes from Point B, in L.A., that means an hour. It wasn’t the best option to rent a car being that I wasn’t in town for long. Therefore, my only options were public transportation or ride share services. After all, I haven’t heard the best things about LA public transportation, so Uber it was.
I figured having someone drive me around would help save time, but I underestimated LA traffic. I didn’t think anything could be as bad as NYC traffic. A lot of my free time was spent in a cab, which is why I couldn’t get to as many places as I wanted to. This is why I wasn’t able to go to LACMA even though I was “fifteen minutes” away, technically).
If you’re in Los Angeles for the first time and on a tight schedule, keep it simple. In my opinion, these are the top spots to check out around Los Angeles. Don’t stack up your itinerary too much. You probably won’t get to a lot if it. Los Angeles is a lot of ground to cover, and as my Uber driver noted. A lot of the attractions are very spread out.
Once this pandemic settles, I definitely want to head back to continue exploring Los Angeles, so if you have any more suggestions of places I should check out, drop them in the comments!
