Let's be honest, we only had 3 days to explore Los Angeles because we were looking at best options to fly to French Polynesia and LA came up top of the list. Oleg and I had never been to LA before so our only references were what we've seen in the movies and on social media. So we came up with the following:
Hollywood walk of fame
Griffith Observatory
Hollywood sign
Urban Light (LACMA)
Watch a NBA Lakers game
Santa Monica & Venice beach
In-N-Out Burgers
If you're short on time just like we were in LA, you'll be happy to know that we'll be sharing what we thought was absolutely worth it and what you can happily skip without having any FOMO (fear of missing out).
Hollywood walk of fame
Score: 1/5
We're pretty sure everyone tells themselves that when you're in LA the first time, you have to go see it. Our Air BnB was in West Hollywood, so it was nearby for us but if you're not staying anywhere near the place feel free to skip it.
For the first few minutes it's quite fun to spot names of celebrities you like or recognise but soon enough you'll be overwhelmed by the amount of people dressed up in random costumes asking you if you want a photo with them, and quite frankly the smell of pee. Unfortunately, like a lot of places in the US, LA has a lot of homelessness and that's something you rarely see in any photos. 1 in 150 people in LA are homeless.
Griffith Observatory & the Hollywood sign
Score: 5/5
There is a free shuttle bus that leaves from the Metro's Red Line Vermont/Sunset station that will bring you straight to the Griffith Observatory. From the observatory you have an amazing view on the skyline of LA, Hollywood hills, the infamous Hollywood sign, the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding mountains. There are also quite some hikes you can do in the area, we wished we had more time so we could've done one! We got to the observatory before opening time but you can go inside, just check the opening times and schedule online.
Public Art Urban Light at LACMA
Score: 4/5
Made up of 202 restored cast iron antique street lights that once lit the streets of LA, it is an impressive art installation created by Chris Burden. It's located just outside of LACMA and we were only passing through but next time we would definitely have a look inside the museum as well. At night, the street light installation is lit which we didn't see with our own eyes but can imagine it's well worth seeing!
NBA Lakers Game
Score: 4.5/5
Whether you're a basketball fan or not, if you're visiting LA during the NBA season (October - April) you should seriously consider going to a game. Oleg has played basketball since his childhood and never watched a Live game until now. Even if you don't support a specific team, the energy of the stadium will help you get into your cheering mode. It's hilarious to hear the commentary from the fans around you. Basketball games are dynamic and there are plenty of breaks during the time outs that the teams call for or during the intermissions where they entertain the supporters with games and cheerleader dance routines. The Lakers won against the Thunders, which made the whole experience even better. This was an important game for them as it helped them get into this season's playoffs!
To be expected but we deducted 0.5 because of the 7 USD water (the most expensive water we've ever bought) and Uber surge pricing. We took a bus to Hollywood instead and managed to get a cheaper Uber back to our Air BnB.
Santa Monica & Venice beach
Santa Monica score: 4/5
Venice beach score: 3/5
The metro line to Downtown Santa Monica is very convenient and runs above ground which makes the ride very scenic. The day we went there were also quite some characters in the metro so you're likely to be entertained on your way there.
The walk to Santa Monica pier from the metro station is less than 10 minutes and you can easily pass by a supermarket on the way to stock up on some snacks and drinks for the beach. We skipped going onto the pier because it looked very busy so we decided to go to the boardwalk straight away and saw lots of areas to hang from rings and bars. We walked from Santa Monica to Venice beach which is a stretch of about 4km (2.5 miles). The temperatures were mild that day but on a hot day just keep in mind there isn't a lot of shade along the way. It's a great stretch to walk for people watching and lots of people are exercising (running, cycling, skating) along the way. We made our way to Muscle beach gym which is in Venice beach as we had heard a lot about it and when we arrived felt a little underwhelmed. This outdoor gym was the place to be for bodybuilders back in the day. The bit towards Venice beach gets a little trashy with various stalls selling products and it looks like it attracts a specific party scene.
In-N-Out Burgers
Score: 5/5
It was Oleg's first time in California and Qiao-An's second time, so of course we had to go to In-N-Out Burgers. They are an institution and we get it, their dedication to freshness and quality is admirable. Their policy states that their locations must be within 300 miles of their meat distribution centres. You should've seen the look in Oleg's eyes when he took his first bite, he was completely taken by surprise that this humble burger packed so much flavour. Their pink lemonade, which was a tip from a good friend of ours is also enough reason to come back. We didn't get the fries but we've heard from a good source you should order their animal style fries.
How to get around:
Walking
Public transport (metro and bus are by far the most affordable option to get around LA. Often the tap machines on the buses don't even work so you end up going for free. During the day it is quite reliable, during the evening we found that they run way less frequent. We loved the free wifi on the buses! Note: there are quite some homeless people on the metro and bus)
Uber & Lyft (this is not a cheap option in LA)
Where to stay:
We found it hard to find hotels in the areas we wanted to stay in and within budget, so we opted for an Air BnB in West Hollywood. The host has two listings and we last minute stayed in his other apartment. The location was clean, safe and the check in and check out were very smooth. We were even allowed to keep our luggage at the place until the evening as we had a late night flight to French Polynesia.
Our friends told us that we were just down the road from Whisky a Go Go who are famous for being a host to many musicians and artists including The Doors, Alice Cooper and Led Zeppelin.
For the foodies:
Breakfast/coffee
Dialog Cafe (we loved their avocado toast and breakfast burrito. Be warned, the burrito is massive, you may even want to share it! What made it special was the kielbasa, it packed a lot of flavour. Their coffee was also good.)
Porto's Bakery and Cafe Glendale (a recommendation from our dear friends Rocio and Luis. Luis was our local LA guide and gave us an awesome impromptu tour. It's a Cuban style bakery which has opened up more branches in LA due to their success. If only we lived a bit closer, we would've tried more of their menu. Try their cuban sandwich, potato balls and guava slices)
Lunch/snacks
The Original Farmers Market (it's located right by The Grove shopping mall and a popular spot. The food was fast and there's a lot of outdoor seating but we wouldn't say you need to go out of your way to visit the place. There is a lot of choice but we went with Trejo's tacos and ice cream from Local Ice)
In-N-Out Burgers (we went to the Culver City branch but there are lots of options)
Carney's Restaurant (for amazing hotdogs, if you've never had chili con carne in a hotdog you've got to try it here!)
Dinner
Guerilla tacos (delicious non-traditional tacos and nachos. We absolutely loved the place, and it was conveniently located to get to the Crypto arena for the Lakers game. Note: when we took the bus, we passed through skid row. It's known to have one of the largest homeless encampments, estimated population: 9,000-15,000. It's quite sad to see this area but good to be aware that LA is not all just glam)
Some recommendations from local friends:
Angel's Tijuana Tacos (it's in the parking lot of a Target in Glendale area and we were told its legit!)
Was it worth visiting?
After hearing lots of negative reviews from people who have visited LA, we actually were really pleasantly surprised.
If this isn't your only destination in California, yes! We felt like we could've spent a bit more time here, even if it was just to try out more of the foodie places.
Commentaires