19+ Unmissable Things to Do in Los Angeles For First Timers

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You’ve seen the glitz and glamor of Los Angeles, California in endless movies, TV shows, and music videos, and you don’t need me to tell you there are hundreds, if not thousands, of things to do in LA.

With year round clear blue skies, blissful beaches, arid mountains, and encompassing desert landscapes, there is something for everyone in the world’s most famous metropolitan.

LA takes a bit of getting used to. You may love it or hate it immediately, or like me, need a few visits before you can start to appreciate it. Its diversity is to be celebrated and admired and there is something to suit everyone in this city.

But if it’s your first time visit to LA and you’re not sure what attractions to add to your list, then this guide shares the most unmissable sites and landmarks you need to check out.

How many days do you need in Los Angeles?

LA County has 88 incorporated cities. You are not seeing it in a weekend.

An LA truth nobody tells you until you’re sitting in traffic on the 405. Distance in LA isn’t measured in miles; it’s measured in hours. Two places 12 miles apart can be 20 minutes or 70 minutes apart depending on when you leave. That single fact should shape your whole itinerary.

So, plan by neighborhood, not by attraction. Pick one area a day, drive there, park once, and explore on foot. Trying to do Santa Monica in the morning and Griffith Park in the afternoon means spending your holiday in a rental car.

• 3 days gets you one beach day, one Hollywood day, and one day in Griffith Park or Downtown. Tight, but it works. Here is our 3 day LA itinerary to help you plan.
• 5 days is where LA starts to open up. You get the South Bay, Hollywood, the Hollywood Hills, Downtown and Beverly Hills without rushing any of them.
• 7 days or more and you can add Malibu, a studio tour, Universal, and still have a day where you do nothing but sit on a beach.

We’ve visited LA multiple times across a lot of years, first as a couple and later with the girls, and it took us a few trips before the city made sense. Don’t expect to crack it in one.

Unmissable Things to do in Los Angeles

1. Hit the beaches

The first place I recommend a first timer check out is LA is the beach. This is where you will find a laid back, surf culture and a bustling community, but without it feeling overwhelming.

I also don’t think the beaches in LA are overly spectacular, but they can fun places to hang out regardless, and it will ease you into the chaos of the city gently – which you’ll need if you haven’t visited the city before.

First thing to be aware of, the Pacific Ocean is always cold off the coast of California. I never swim in the ocean here as it’s too cold for me!

Some of our favorite beaches are:

South Bay Beaches

The South Bay Beaches are our favorite beaches, which are not far from the airport. We generally skip LA and head straight down to Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach and it is well worth staying here for a few days.

The sunsets on the beaches are worth the trip alone. Make sure you stop for a sundowner at one of the many beer gardens along the Hermosa promenade.

If you enjoy beach volleyball then Manhattan Beach and Hermosa are the best places to have a friendly game. They call Manhattan Beach the Volleyball Capital of the World.

We love to ride along the beach promenade between Manhattan and Hermosa (you can even go further: north to Marina Del Rey and South to Redondo Beach)

Santa Monica and Venice

We’re not great fans of Santa Monica. It feels touristy and manufactured to us, and we’d take the Santa Monica mountains over the beach any day.

But it’s one of the most iconic beach neighborhoods in the world, so leaving it off would be strange. Go and make up your own mind. Ride the Ferris wheel, walk the pier, tick it off. Then drive 20 minutes south and see what we mean.

Malibu Beach

I possibly don’t appreciate the beaches in Malibu enough. I do however love the quieter vibe here and the soft golden sand. It is very local and undeveloped due to several restrictions.

Malibu is a small strip of beach front land that is bordered by state park and protected natural areas. This is where its appeal lies to me. The surrounding natural beauty is just divine.

2. Drive the Palos Verdes Drive

It’s well worth taking the time to do the scenic Palos Verdes Drive. The drive starts just south of Redondo on the South Bay Beaches. It’s a 14 mile scenic drive through quiet neighborhoods and along windy roads to view craggy cliffs, wide sandy beaches, and stunning viewpoints.

I’d love to come back and enjoy a few of the cliff face hiking trails along the way here. The girls just weren’t cooperating with a few walks. They wanted to get into the city!

It’s worth stopping off to see the Wayfarers Chapel, a full glass chapel in a redwood grove with ocean views. Almost enough to send me back to Sunday mass!

3. Bike ride to Venice Beach

Venice Beach is eclectic madness. Be papered for whiffs of marijuana. and homelessness. Many people report unsavory sightings here.

I kind of like it’s psychedelic ambiance that’s trapped in the hippy free love movement of the sixties. However, I never spend long here. Enough for a cycle in from Santa Monica (which is awesome) a quick poke around, and time to watch the basketballers and skaters.

There was this young maybe 9-year-old girl absolutely slaying it when we last visited. The girls and I loved watching her.

Video of Beaches in LA

Want to see what the beaches in LA are like? Here is our video of our favorite ones!

4. Wander around Malibu Creek State Park

You could easily be mistaken for thinking you have landed somewhere in Ireland with those verdant green rolling hills, or Asia with its craggy peaks and canyons. Malibu Creek State Park has oodles of wow factor.

So you can imagine what the landscape is like, M*A*S*H was filmed her – not in Korea like you may have thought.

The absolute highlight of the week of me and one of my favorite state parks on our trip so far. I wish we had more time to explore more and hike out to the M*AS*H* filming site ( 5 miles return) We weren’t prepared. Take the canyon road out to Malibu from here, it is quite dramatic.

5. Do the Malibu Movie Stars Tour

Celebrities love having a home here (or two!) You’ll be stunned by the opulence of their sometime beach residence. How could you spend several million dollars on a property that often sits vacant!!

In Malibu the homes are not hidden by privacy fences like in Hollywood. If you love this sort of thing, then you’ll love gawking at the homes of the rich and famous.

Things to do in Hollywood Area

I’ve always kind of turned my nose up at Hollywood because it’s so touristy, but it is for a reason.

On our last trip with the girls, we embraced this side of things as Kalyra has dreams to win an Oscar one day.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it. That was only because we did a couple of tours to go behind the scenes, otherwise it would have been a quick in and out experience.

They were also setting up for the Oscars while we there there which added an element of excitement.

6. Do the Hollywood Behind the Scenes Tour (Red Line Tours)

This 75 minute behind the scenes walking tour turned my opinion on Hollywood and gave it more meaning.

Without it, it just would have been a few stars with some name on the sidewalk and some hand printed in the cement.

The tour took us down Hollywood Boulevard and the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Because of those tour we learned of the traditions behind this and how the whole celebrity stardom thing happened – with one man’s dream to change the local Hollywood residents’ opinion of the actors and actresses who weren’t really anybody back at the time.

Sid Grauman changed all of that and put the stars in our eyes. It was an interesting tour taking in the Hollywood locations that tell the story.

It also took us to the Egyptian Theatre, which is known as the birthplace of red carpet premieres. 

Just a few blocks away is the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This isn’t included in the tour but it’s worth stopping by after to see where some of the biggest stars have their final resting place.

7. See hand prints outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre

Sid Grauman’s Chinese Theater, in front of the Dolby Theatre, is where you’ll find your favorite starts hand and footprints in the cement.

Stars only receive this special accolade if one of their films have been shown at the theater. Each star will leave behind something signature about them as well whether it’s a saying or a particular imprint.

For example, the Harry Potter crew left imprints of their wands. The theater itself is one of the most highly acclaimed in the city and has even hosted the Academy Award on a few occasions.

Things to do in the Hollywood Hills

8. Hike Griffith Park

Griffith Park is one of the largest urban wilderness municipal parks in the US.

Its location in the eastern Santa Monica mountain range with its deep canyons, native plants, arid climate and stunning LA views makes it a place you do not want to miss when you visit LA. I fell in love with it!

Griffith Park offers numerous attractions, an assortment of educational and cultural institutions, and miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. There is also the Griffith Observatory and Greek Theater.

I want to come back and explore many of its fabulous hiking trails. We did the short Hollywood Trail to the summit of Mt Hollywood.

The views here were spectacular, both out to the Hollywood sign and looking back over Griffith Park, the observatory and Downtown LA. We didn’t make it to the sign – it was much longer to get all the way there.

9. Hike Runyon Canyon Park

Runyon Canyon is a popular place for hiking as it backs onto Mulholland Drive on one end and West Hollywood on the other. There are plenty of paved trails winding up and down the hills filled with runners, walkers and dogs.

We came from the Mulholland Drive section and walked to a couple of different viewpoints spending time to spy on Katy Perry’s swimming pool. We knew which one was her house thanks to our Celebrity homes tour last week.

Video of Hikes to do in LA

We love hiking in LA! Here is a video of our favorite hikes in the city…

10. Take in a concert at The Greek Amphitheater

Years ago, we were lucky enough to be in town when Ben Harper was playing at the Greek Amphitheater.

Of course we went. And I loved this music venue. An outdoor, small intimate stadium surrounded by trees in the picturesque hills of Griffith Park

11. See views from The Getty Center

The Getty Center sits atop a hill in Brentwood, Los Angeles and is reached via a three car cable pulled tram from the bottom car park.

The museum specializes in artworks, but way more interesting to us was the architecture of the building, the views and the beautiful, sculptured gardens that surround the museum. It’s worth a visit just for this alone.

We’re not big art or museum people so found this a little boring, but art lovers will rave about it. The collections feature paintings, decorative arts, photography, and sculptures from medieval times. to the 21st century. There wasn’t enough modern art for me and the photography hall was closed.

It’s one of the best free things to do in LA, although parking is pricey, so you may want to get there another way.

Things to do in the West Hollywood Area

12. Visit The Original Farmers Market

Since 1934 the Farmer’s Market has been serving locals with a collection of restaurants, food stalls and gourmet shops.

It’s a good place to rest awhile although I didn’t find it as good this time around.

Possibly because I have since visited a lot of farmers markets and have more to compare it to.

There are tons of farmers markets in LA so research the region you are visiting to find when and where.

13. Walk along the Sunset Strip

Sunset Boulevard is one of the most famous streets in Los Angeles and is well known for its entertainment offerings.

At night, head to one of the famous live music venues such as the Whiskey A Go Go, The Viper Room, or The Roxy Theater.

If comedy is more your thing, head to The Comedy Store or Laugh Factory. The strip is the place where you can discover rising stars before their famous.

Also, a great place to get views of the famous Hollywood Sign is from the Home Depot parking garage on Sunset Boulevard. There will be much fewer people spoiling your photos!

14. Check Out Los Angeles County Museum of Art

If you’re an art lover, take a trip over to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Not only is the museum free, but it’s the largest art museum in the western United States.

It contains a collection of nearly 152,000 objects from around the world, spanning more than 6,000 years of history.

There are always temporary and rotating exhibits, so every time you visit there is something new to see.

Things to do in Beverly Hills

Style and luxury travelers will want to visit Beverly Hills. It’s great to drive around and just look at the opulence. I love how certain streets all have a particular tree planted to form an avenue of trees.

15. Walk down Rodeo Drive

Rodeo Drive is the place to visit without your wallet, unless of course you have oodles to spare – like $750,000 for a designer suit at House of Bijan!

It is worth a visit just to see how the beautiful and wealthy people shop. You just never know who you might run into window shopping in the ritzy designer label stores. Besides, it is a beautiful street. Why not pop into the Four Seasons for a drink to top of the luxury experience?

16. Take a tour of the Movie Star Homes

You’ll be seeing a lot of privacy fences on a celebrity homes tour of the Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills area.

Years ago, we drove it ourselves with a self-guided tour map and didn’t really see anything. I don’t recommend you do it this way. Local knowledge is always the best knowledge.

On this trip with the girls, we joined a guided tour. It was so much better. We actually saw way more than I thought we would.

We were able to go into the exclusive neighborhood of Bel Air and help Kalyra’s dream of one day owning a house like Beyoncé’s and Jay Z’s with a guest house for her Mumma!

I also loved driving along Mulholland drive and looking out over the valleys and Beverly Hills gated communities.

It was so beautiful and helped me to appreciate LA more. I got the allure of living in this city.

Things to Do in Universal City & Burbank

Universal City pretty much is home to Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk, and nearby Burbank is where you’ll find the historic and popular Warner Bros Studios.

The Go Los Angeles Attraction Card includes both attractions below and so could offer you good savings. Especially if you combine them with other LA attractions

17. Do the Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood

The backlot tour takes you through New York, Chicago, France and Connecticut. And any other place you can think if really. It’s amazing how they can cleverly recreate any place on earth. Even parts of Jurassic Park were filmed here.

You do this Warner Bros Studio Tour and you soon realize, everything is FAKE! It’s still fun though, and one of the best things to do in Los Angeles with kids.

I enjoyed seeing the Gilmore Girls square and Savannah was excited to stand on the Fuller House steps. You can tour one of the sound stages. It was interesting to see the attention to detail that is given for all set designs.

I was hoping to see something a little more exciting, but they can’t really take you into a sound studio where filming is happening. We went into the Lethal Weapon one. Not so thrilling for us.

This is where Friends was filmed for 10 years. Not New York. At the end of the tour you can sit on the couch and pretend you were on the show, and more than 20 years after the finale people still queue to do it.

The lot is a working studio, so what’s filming changes constantly. Ask your guide what’s in production the week you visit. That’s the part you can’t get from a guidebook.

You can visit archive rooms to see costumes and props from Harry Potter and Batman films, You even get to try the sorting hat. Kalyra and Savannah got Gryffindor, I was Hufflepuff and Craig was Slytherin.

If you’re fascinated with the movie industry then you’ll find this tour worth it. If you’re tight on budget and nonplussed, I’d skip it.

18. Spend a day at Universal Studios

For a day of movies, rides and entertaining shows, why not head to Universal Studios, which is just north of Hollywood (over the hills!) You’ll appreciate the views over the valley from here.

It’s not as big as Universal Studios Orlando, which makes it easy to do in a day and gives it a more relaxed vibe. Although I still prefer Universal Orlando.

Don’t miss the backlot tour here and the Mummy ride is fun. Of course there is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Grabbing a butterbeer and going on the Forbidden Journey are the first two things we do at Universal.

Video of Universal Studios Hollywood

You can watch our experience of Universal Studios in Hollywood in the following video…

19. Things to Do in Downtown LA

Downtown LA is does not have the same reputation it had 20 years ago. The revitalization here has bought a hip and edgy city full of artistic vibrancy and cool things to do.

In fact, it’s one of my favorite neighborhoods in Los Angeles – it offers everything you want from a metropolis but without the crowds.

It hasn’t been discovered enough YET!

There’s not a huge amount of attractions here, so you could explore the neighborhood in a day. Here’s a quick list of things not to miss in Downtown LA

• Check out The Last Bookstore
• Walking around the Arts District
• Grand Central Market
• Watch a concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall
• Every 2nd Thursday of the month, downtown LA comes alive with the Downtown Art Walk. It’s a great time to visit and be sure to check out the many parking lots full of food trucks.

Read more: Here is a complete guide on things to do in Downtown LA.

How to Save Money on Los Angeles Attractions

You can save money on LA attractions with a Go Los Angeles Attraction Card. This allows you to save up to 50% off retail prices on admission to over 30 top attractions and tours including Universal Studios Hollywood, Madame Tussauds and more.

The best time of year to visit Los Angeles

LA sells itself on year round sunshine, and that’s mostly true. Mostly.

• September to November is the best window. Warm days, the summer crowds gone, the ocean about as swimmable as it ever gets, and the clearest skies of the year. If you can travel then, do.
• May and June come with a catch nobody puts in the brochure. A marine layer rolls in off the Pacific and sits over the coast, and locals call it June Gloom. You get grey, overcast mornings that often burn off by early afternoon, but not always. The beaches can be flat and colorless for days. Go inland and it’s sunny. Stay on the coast and you may wonder where California went.
• July and August are hot, busy and expensive. School holidays fill Universal and the beaches. It’s still lovely. You’ll just share it.
• December to February brings what rain LA gets, in short bursts rather than steady drizzle. Days are often bright and cool, hotel rates drop, and the mountains behind the city look spectacular after a storm clears the air.

One thing to keep an eye on whenever you come. Late summer through autumn is wildfire season in Southern California, and smoke can affect air quality and close hiking trails at short notice. It rarely derails a trip, but check conditions before you plan a day in Griffith Park or Malibu Creek.

And whatever the forecast says, bring a jacket for the evening. The temperature drops the moment the sun goes down, especially near the water.

How to Get Around Los Angeles

The best way to get around LA is to drive. The best thing to do is pick a neighborhood, drive there, park up, and explore on foot.

If you don’t drive, rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft are widely used and safe. The Metro is a great choice for Hollywood and Universal Studios, and for coastal neighborhoods, biking and walking are more popular.

Getting from LAX into the city

LAX sits on the coast in the south west of the city, which is worth knowing before you book a hotel. Some neighborhoods are 10 minutes away. Others are an hour.

Rough drive times, and add half again in rush hour:

• Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach: 10 to 15 minutes. This is why we often skip LA proper now and head straight down to the South Bay.
• Santa Monica and Venice: 25 to 35 minutes
• Downtown LA: 30 to 45 minutes
• Hollywood and West Hollywood: 35 to 50 minutes
• Beverly Hills: 30 to 40 minutes
• Universal City and Burbank: 45 minutes to an hour

Renting a car is what we’d do, and what we’d recommend for most first visits. LA is a driving city, and the rental counters sit just off the terminals via the airport shuttle. We always find the best rates via DiscoverCars.com

Uber and Lyft are widely used and safe. Pickups run from a designated rideshare zone rather than the terminal curb, so allow extra time to get there.

Public transit from LAX. Several public transit providers serve LAX, including L.A. Metro, Culver City Bus Lines, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, Torrance Transit, and Beach Cities Transit. 

A tip that saves an argument: if you land in the afternoon, book your first night near the airport or in the South Bay rather than crossing the city in peak traffic after a long flight. Start the real trip in the morning.

Parking in LA

Parking in LA was not as bad as I was anticipating. Other cities in the US will charge more.

• Down on the beach in Santa Monica down you can find parking in their beach lots for $7 – $18 a day.
• Ovation Hollywood shopping center on Hollywood Blvd is $25 for the day. They have different validation offers you can see here.
• Malibu has free parking everywhere.

Top tip: You can find parking, and the prices, by checking out Parkopedia.com. It’s free to use, and has live updates!

LA metro light rail and bus lines

You can ride the metro to most places in LA. You can even make connections that will take you as far as Santa Barbara and San Diego, and with traffic, it may be a far better option.

The TAP card is a reusable transit-fare card that can be used at 26 LA transit agencies, making it easy to ride Metro alternatives. It can be purchased and loaded with fare at Metro stations and local vendors Check taptogo.net for more

You can use the Metro’s itinerary planner to help you map your routes. We did not experience the metro on our last trip, but we had many years previous.

Bike sharing

There are Metro Bike Shares located all over the city and outside many Metro Stops. It’s available 24/7 and costs $1.75 per 30 minutes. You can also purchase a day pass ($5 for unlimited trips free trips for 30 minutes or less.)

That means every 30 minutes you have to check your bike in and swap it with another. It will cost $1.75 per 30 minutes if you go over the 30 minute free trip limit.

You can rent bikes down by Santa Monica beach for around $20 a day. You can also rent a bike here for $45 a day to explore all of LA. The scooter sharing programs are now popular and can be found all over the city.

Where to Stay in LA

There are endless choices on where to stay in LA, and choosing accommodation is usually the hardest part when it comes to planning a trip.

When deciding on a neighborhood, consider how long your trip will be and which areas you’ll spend more time in. Below are some recommendations for places we’ve enjoyed on our trips to LA…

Manhattan and Hermosa Beaches

There aren’t a lot of hotel choices here. Airbnb may be a better option

• Westdrift Manhattan Beach Autograph Collection by Marriott: Golf club, outdoor pool, fitness center and only a mile from the ocean
• Hermosa Hotel – 0.8 of a mile from Hermosa beach offers spacious rooms, heated pool and not tub year-round.

Hollywood and Universal City

• The Garland Located in North Hollywood near Universal Studios it offers retro cool rooms on a seven acre shaded property.
• Hilton Los Angeles – One block from Universal (with free shuttles) and a short trip to Hollywood, this is a great family hotel option.

Beverly Hills and Westside Glamor

• Kimpton Hotel Wilshire – a sleek boutique hotel located near Beverly Hills, The Grove and LACMA. Rooftop pool and views await. We stayed at a Kimpton in Huntington Beach which we loved!
• Hotel Bel-Air – Located in a tranquil wooded hills setting, this exclusive luxury accommodation will give you a taste of the celebrity life.
• Four Seasons Beverly Hills for the ultimate celebrity like accommodation. Remember Pretty Woman? This is the hotel. It’s just off Rodeo Drive

Downtown LA

Art and culture lovers and business travelers will want to stay in Downtown LA

• The NoMad Hotel Los Angeles Downtown LA’s historic Giannini Building, the NoMad Los Angeles features several on-site dining options and a rooftop pool.
• The Ace Hotel – this hotel in the historic United Artists Building gets my vote. I especially LOVE the rooftop pool and sunset views.
• Sheraton Grand in the heart of the financial district. Great for business travelers and conference attendees
• Hotel Indigo you can read our review of this boutique Downtown LA hotel

Final Thoughts

So there you have it, those are the most unmissable things you can do in LA on your first visit. Please don’t start and end in Hollywood or Santa Monica. There is so much more to the city than its piers, beaches and the world famous sign.

Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the USA and the third largest metropolitan economy in the world!! It has 88 incorporated cities!!

This is a LOT for you to explore as each city in LA has its own culture, experiences and local flavors to experience.

I hope that this guide helped you pick out some attractions you’d like to see in LA, CA. We still have not yet experienced everything there is to do in LA! That’s a lifetime project.

That’s where you come in with your tips! Please leave them in the comments below to help future readers to this post.

Our experiences come from visiting LA multiple times over several years, first as couple travelers and then with kids. It made our list of top USA destinations for teens

Video of Things to Do in LA

You can watch the video of my travels in LA by clicking play below

More California Travel Tips

Planning on visiting other parts of California? Here are some other travel guides that might be useful to you.

• Things to do in Downtown LA
• Non-touristy things to do in LA
• Fun things to do in LA with kids
• Guide to Harry Potter World in Hollywood
• Things to do in Joshua Tree National Park
• Things to do in San Diego
• Things to do at Disneyland LA
• Things to do in Orange County
• Things to do in Ventura County
• Guide to visiting Channel Islands National Park
• Things to do in Death Valley National Park
• Huntington Beach Guide
• 30+ Places to Visit in Southern California (Beyond Disneyland)
• Lost Coast Road trip, Northern California
• Road trips from Los Angeles
• The Best road trips in the USA
• The best scenic drives in the USA

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What are you most looking forward to on your trip to LA? Share your thoughts in the comments.