Los Angeles – what to do in 3 days

Ah the City of Angels. Los Angeles is one of the most well known and travelled cities of the world. Its the gateway to Hollywood and also passed through by travellers heading to Anaheim’s Disney resort. While I’d definitely recommend taking the trip to Anaheim and spending at least 2 additional days at the Disneyland parks, in this itinerary I’ll be focusing on the sights and experiences you can enjoy in Los Angeles itself. So get ready for some celebrity sightings, Hollywood culture and beautiful Southern California beach weather, because you’re off to L.A.

Day One: Hollywood & Beverly Hills

When you think of L.A, chances are you’re thinking of celebrities, movies and Hollywood. Today you’ll be visiting some of the key locations from this part of the city.

Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive

Start out your day with a trip to Beverly Hills. You can’t visit Los Angeles and not make your way to the 90210 postcode after all. Spend your morning window shopping (unless you REALLY have A LOT of money to spend) and people watching along Rodeo Drive. One of the world’s most infamous shopping strips, there’s high end stores and fancy cars all over the place in this neighbourhood.

While probably less famous than the pavement stars that you’ll be seeing later on today, Rodeo Drive is also where you’ll find the Walk of Style. You’ll find plaques along the sidewalk commemorating fashion icons such as Giorgio Armani. Make sure you stroll along the cobbled lane of Via Rodeo while you’re here and take in the mock European facades while you enjoy a cup of coffee with brunch. If you’re lucky you might even see one of the city’s many resident celebrities doing some morning shopping.

Hollywood

From there, its off to see the sights of Hollywood (after lunch at the nearby In-N-Out Burger of course!). That means the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame. Spend a bit of time tracking down the stars of your favourite…ahem, stars. In the process try not to be accosted by the numerous street performers dressed up as various superheroes and cartoon characters. You’ll also see numerous hand prints of various movie stars outside the TCL Chinese Theatre. Modelled after a Chinese pagoda, many blockbusters have seen their premiere at this very building over the years, including the original Star Wars film. You can also pop inside for a half hour tour of the venue, but make sure you book online in advance to select a time that suits you. The Dolby Theatre is also nearby and offers another half hour tour of a famous Hollywood movie venue.

While you’re exploring Hollywood Boulevard, make sure you get a shot of the Hollywood Sign in the distance. Don’t worry, you’ll be getting a bit closer later on. You also might want to pop into Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum to get some selfies with the incredibly realistic depictions of celebrities inside. If you’re after something that will give you a greater insight into the history of Hollywood instead, head across the road to the Hollywood Museum. Here you’ll find props and costumes from famous Hollywood showstoppers.

Griffith Observatory

As the afternoon rolls along, its time to head up into the hills. Make your way to the Griffith Observatory in time for sunset over L.A. The Observatory doesn’t only provide stunning views of the city and the lit up Hollywood sign among the surrounding mountains though. Its perhaps most famous for its appearance in award winning films like La La Land and Rebel Without a Cause. When you’re finished taking in the views of both the city and the building itself, head on inside to check out the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and the associated exhibits on outer space. Just make sure you’re not visiting on a Monday as the Planetarium will be closed.

Day Two: Miracle Mile, Venice and Santa Monica

Museums

After getting your breakfast, its time for another day of sightseeing in the city. Start off by going back to a time before Los Angeles was even built, taking a trip to the La Brea Tar Pits. Spend some time checking out the tar pits that still serve as an actual ice age fossil excavation site. Its hard to imagine, but woolly mammoths and sabre tooth tigers once roamed the wilderness many thousands of years ago where modern day Los Angeles now stands. If you’re particularly interested in the various walks of prehistoric life that were once found here, stop inside the accompanying museum for a quick look around.

When you’re ready, return to more civilised times with some some stunning artwork. Literally next door, you’ll find the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). You could easily spends hours wandering around here as its the largest art museum in the western United States. The museum houses over 120,000 works in its permanent collection. You won’t have time for a comprehensive visit, but make sure you at least stop by Chris Burden’s Urban Light sculpture outside. Here you’ll get your obligatory Instagram photos among the grid of 220 street lights.

When you start to get hungry, its time for lunch at the nearby Farmers Market. Just a ten minute walk from LACMA, the historic market dates back to 1934 and was THE place to buy produce back in the day. Nowadays its home to countless food vendors, some having been there for many years, others starting up their carts more recently. No matter how fussy your taste buds, you’re bound to find something you’ll enjoy.

Venice

You can’t visit Southern California without a trip to the beach, and that’s where you’ll be spending your afternoon. After a stop over at the scenic Venice Canals, make your way to Venice Beach itself. Get your photo under the famous Venice sign found high above the intersection of Pacific and Windward Avenues before heading along to the Venice Boardwalk. Admire the street art, check out the open-air gym at Muscle Beach and people watch as skateboarders roll by and all kinds of performers seek to entertain the masses. Its an interesting place to say the least. If its a warm day, you might also want to spend some time just chilling on the beach itself.

Santa Monica

From there, head along the water’s edge until you reach Santa Monica Pier. Its about a half an hour stroll from Venice if you’re up for it. Here at the end of Route 66, you’ll be spending the end of your second day in Los Angeles. Walk along the pier and look out across the Pacific ocean, watching the waves rushing up against the shore. If you time it right, you’ll get another picturesque Californian sunset on your visit.

Grab a bite to eat and spend some time exploring Pacific Park, a small carnival style amusement park on the pier itself. Highlights include the West Coaster and the solar powered Pacific Wheel. Both rides provide spectacular views of Santa Monica Bay in a more thrilling setting. You’ll find plenty to do to fill in a few hours, whether its trying your luck on the midway carnival games or having a drink at one of the many bars along the pier.

Day Three: Universal Studios

While you should definitely add a few days over at Anaheim when you’re in Los Angeles so that you can visit the Disneyland Resort parks, don’t overlook trip to Universal Studios Hollywood. Its much smaller than the Universal parks over in Florida, but there’s still enough here to fill in a whole day. Make sure you get to the park early so that you can take advantage of shorter lines.

Some of my favourite attractions in Universal Studios Hollywood include:

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• The Simpson’s Ride
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Transformers: The Ride
• Jurassic World: The Ride (although I haven’t had the chance to ride the most up to date version)

You’ll also want to check out the ‘world famous’ Studio Tour where you’ll come face to face with King Kong, the Fast and Furious gang, Norman Bates and other iconic characters from features under the Universal banner. When you get hungry, don’t miss the chance to dine at the Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There’s nothing like a Butterbeer and meal to keep that energy going.

Providing an itinerary for how best to spend your time at Universal Studios Hollywood is a whole topic for another blog post, but its still pretty easy to see and do everything here in a single day. Even so, make sure you allocate the whole day here to get the most out of your experience.

When you’ve had your dose of thrills, exit the park and grab a feed at one of the 30 plus restaurants conveniently located in the Universal Citywalk. While you’re here, spend your evening looking around the various shops, bars and attractions before heading back to your hotel for some well earned rest.

Have I missed any of your favourite attractions in Los Angeles? Is there somewhere else you’d spend your time in the city? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!