10 best things to do in Los Angeles

This post is about 10 best things you can do in Los Angeles.

Grand Central Market

Grand Central Market is a 30,000 square-foot arcade featuring food emporium and retail marketplace in downtown LA. It opened in 1917 and has been operating ever since with a mission to provide Los Angeles with a national-caliber eating experience that showcases California’s best ingredients, chefs and entrepreneurs. It’s a great place to experience the cultures of Los Angeles by simply walking through or even getting something to eat from one of the numerous food vendors. And while you’re there, don’t miss the Angels Flight located right outside the Market. With its 298 feet inclined railway it is supposed to be the world’s shortest railway.

OUE Skyspace LA

OUE Skyspace LA is California’s tallest open-air observation deck of the iconic US Bank Tower with breathtaking views towards Los Angeles. You can do all sorts of things there: engage with their interactive technology, take a break and have one of their signature cocktails or, for the brave ones, experience the 45-foot Skyslide, a fully enclosed, all-glass slide nearly 1,000 feet above Downtown LA that gives you an entirely new perspective of the city.

Griffith Observatory

The observatory overlooking Los Angeles offers excellent views of downtown and Hollywood Sign. It features an extensive array of space and science-related displays. Admission has been free ever since the observatory opened its doors in 1935. One of the more memorable exhibits is a Tesla coil. The view of the city can be especially exciting at night. Since many people are arriving by car and parking space is limited, expect to spend some time to find parking nearby.

Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign is one of the world’s most famous landmarks and a cultural icon overlooking Hollywood. “HOLLYWOOD” is spelled out in 45 foot tall white capital letters and is 352 feet long. The sign was created in 1923 as an advertisement for a local real estate agency and it initially read: HOLLYWOODLAND. Due to increasing recognition, the sign was left up in its current form instead of being taken down. You can drive near the sign or simply hike to this famous landmark.

Amusement Parks

Los Angeles and its surroundings offer several exciting amusement parks, for example, Disneyland, Universal Studios, etc. We visited Universal Studios Hollywood which is both a film studio and a theme park. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood film studios still in use. It was initially created to offer tours of the real Universal Studios sets. You can enjoy rides and visit film sets of some of your favorite movies like: Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Psycho and many more.

Hollywood Walk of Fame

The Hollywood Walk of Fame features over 2,600 stars embedded in the sidewalks along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. The stars are permanent public monuments to achievement in the entertainment industry, bearing the names of actors, directors, musicians, producers, fictional characters, and others. Do not forget to look for the famous Chinese Theatres, featuring handprints, footprints, and signatures of some of the Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Beverly Hills

Originally a Spanish ranch where lima beans were grown Beverly Hills was incorporated in 1914 by a group of investors who had failed to find oil, but found water instead and eventually decided to develop it into a town. Today, Beverly Hills is one of world’s most famous upscale places to live and shop. Visit RODEO DRIVE, a famous shopping street with expensive designer stores and small private boutiques. It became immortalized by Julia Robert’s “Pretty Woman” shopping spree. The area is popular with wealthy shoppers, sunglass-wearing celebrities and tourists hoping to see fashion icons.

Santa Monica Pier

The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed and over 100 years old pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica. Its iconic entrance made the pier popular with both residents and visitors. A sign on the pier marks the end of the legendary American highway Route 66, symbolizing that this road only ended when the sea stood in its way. The pier also contains Pacific Park, a family amusement park with a solar paneled ferris wheel. Since the pier is a very popular tourist spot expect it can get very crowded.

Venice Beach

Venice is a residential, commercial and recreational beachfront neighborhood. It was founded in 1905 as a seaside resort town. Over the years it transformed into a free-spirited boardwalk and residential area full of funky shops, imaginative street performers and public art. Rent a scooter or a bike and ride along the Venice Beach, play some sports in one of many public sport areas, or simply sit in the sand, watch the waves and enjoy the vibe. If you have time, also visit the Venice Canals nearby. The canals were created in the early 1900’s to mimic the famous canals in Venice, Italy. By the way, if you enjoy the view of the ocean you can visit other beaches near Los Angeles.

Art & Museums

Los Angeles is a perfect destination for the art lovers. Some of the world-class museums include Los Angeles County Museum of Art with famous Urban Light assemblage sculpture composed of 202 street lamps, J. Paul Getty Museum and Getty Villa, and many more.