Los Angeles’ Echo Park is a world away from the grit and glitter that can characterize other popular areas of the city. With trendy businesses, historic Victorian homes, pretty picnic spots, great walkability, and eclectic local spirit to draw in visitors, you may be surprised you’re in the City of Angels at all. Plus, the neighborhood features a beautiful lake for pedal boating.
Built in the early 1920s, this architectural gem is a creation of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright and represents his first Los Angeles commission. The visionary home predates California modernism, yet Hollyhock House is indicative of the popular movement. With docent-led and self-guided tours, architecture fans shouldn’t miss it.
Art, culture, and literature are showcased at Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Visit this Southern California cultural institution to admire European art, see diverse plants and flowers, and browse rare books dating to the 1450s. Collected by businessman Henry E. Huntington, this once-private collection is huge and varied.
The main hub of the West Coast’s fashion, textile, and flower industries, the LA Fashion District (sometimes called the LA Garment District includes thousands of shops, market stalls, wholesalers, and other venues spanning 107 blocks in Downtown LA. The area is frequented by those in the business as well as the general public.
Maritime history runs deep in the waterside community of San Pedro, home to the heavily trafficked Port of Los Angeles. Seafaring is a central attraction theme, from an old battleship and lighthouse to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. With its uptick in shops and restaurants, the area is gaining popularity as a hip waterfront destination.
From humble beginnings in a downtown LA loft, the Last Bookstore has grown to become California’s largest independent bookstore. Occupying a former bank, the giant, 22,000-square foot (2,043-square-meter) high-ceilinged complex houses thousands of new and used titles, as well as vinyl records, unique art, and even yarn.
Manicured lawns dotted with flowers, fountains, and elegant statues make Forest Lawn Memorial Park feel like a garden in Italy, though it’s actually a sprawling cemetery in the Hollywood Hills. Surrounded by green hillsides with the San Gabriel Mountains in the distance, it has massive memorials and a mosaic honoring American history, as well as scenic spots for peaceful reflection and remembering those who have passed.
Situated just under 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles, the University of Southern California (USC) campus comprises 229 acres (93 hectares) of green spaces and quads, fountains, public art, and a mix of traditional and contemporary architecture. The USC Fisher Museum of Art and Tommy’s Place venue draw visitors from around Los Angeles and beyond.
Cruise passengers heading to the Los Angeles World Cruise Center find a sun-drenched entryway to the West Coast that's ripe for exploring. At port, you're not far from Downtown LA destinations, scenic beaches, and top city attractions. Numerous tours with port pickup—and private transfers—can whisk you around the City of Angels.
This trendy beach town spanning 2 miles (3 kilometers) of Pacific Ocean shoreline bears no resemblance to the borough of Manhattan. Manhattan Beach attracts visitors with its wide ribbon of soft, white sand, consistent waves that draw local surfers, a commercial village of boutiques and restaurants, and some of the county’s priciest real estate.
Formerly known as the Craft and Folk Art Museum, Craft Contemporary is an art museum dedicated to showcasing contemporary craft and design—and among the only museums of its kind in the western US. In addition to featuring cutting-edge exhibits of hand-crafted objects from all over the world—from pottery to woodworking and large-scale installations—the museum hosts craft-making workshops multiple times per week.
Bringing together art vendors, fantastic food, and live music, with a staff of high school students making everything work, Melrose Trading Post is a weekly Los Angeles hub for outdoor shopping. With hundreds of vendors, you can find everything from vintage clothes to handmade jewelry, with proceeds benefiting Fairfax High School.
The Norton Simon Museum is home to the eclectic and fabulously expensive art collection of billionaire industrialist Norton Simon (the marketing whiz behind Hunt's Ketchup, Max Factor, and Canada Dry Ginger Ale). This modern castle made of teak and stone features art from around the world and a stunning landscaped garden.
Shopping, restaurants, and entertainment stir up a lively scene at The Americana at Brand in downtown Glendale. This commercial and residential complex includes a 2-acre (1-hectare) park at its center, as well as a range of international brand-name retailers, food ranging from fine dining to fast casual, and a movie theater.
More than 100 years of concert history at the Hollywood Bowl—where Ella Fitzgerald, the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, and many more have played legendary shows—are on display at the venue’s free museum. Artifacts from the archives shed light on the amphitheater’s most memorable moments, which makes watching a performance or simply standing in the Bowl with the sun-soaked Hollywood Hills in the background all the more impactful.
As the name suggests, the Museum of Death is not for the faint of heart. This museum on a side street near the Hollywood Walk of Fame holds one of the world’s largest collections of serial killer art and notorious murder relics from around the world. Think of it as a repository of the grisly with an educational bent.
For sightseeing a little off the beaten path, Los Angeles art enthusiasts shouldn't miss Watts Towers, a fantastic, open-air installation. This mid-century landmark sets steel spires against sky, and is adorned with found objects, sculpture, and a cactus garden. Visit this curious arts space for a guided tour, or just stop by to peek over the fence.
Perched on a cliffside overlooking Los Angeles, this landmark is a striking example of midcentury modern architecture and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1960 as a case study home by architect Pierre Koenig, the glass-walled house with sweeping views has featured in many movies, TV shows, and fashion spreads.
While off the beaten path in Los Angeles, the Nethercutt Museum is likely to be already known by car fanatics. Its outrageous car collection includes relics that you're unlikely to see anywhere else. From antiques like the Ford Model T and 1955 Austin-Healey 100M, plus antique instruments, watches, and more, this museum is a true hidden gem.
One of the country’s most influential opera companies, the Los Angeles Opera (LA Opera) has been a highlight—and high-brow—cultural destination in the City of Angels since its founding in 1986. Headquartered at the Los Angeles Music Center, the company performs everything from classic repertory operas to innovative, modern music works.
Built for the vaudeville circuit in 1926, the Orpheum Theatre underwent a major renovation in the early 1990s and is now the best-preserved palace-style theater in LA. With a Beaux Arts exterior and a Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ below its curtained stage, this is a living remnant of the city’s magnificent Broadway Theater District.
Stretching over two blocks of West Hollywood’s famed Sunset Strip, Sunset Plaza is a see-and-be-seen shopping center with around 50 businesses. Some come for designer shopping, hot Pilates, or Botox and a blowout, while others prefer to people-watch at one of several sidewalk cafés. Stick around for a bit, and you’ll likely see a star from Selling Sunset—or at least some very flashy cars.
Located north of Los Angeles, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is a high-octane water park that attracts thrill seekers to families alike. Spanning 25 acres (10 hectares), the park offers more than 20 rides and activities, including body slides, speed slides, tube slides, wave pools, play pools, and lazy rivers.
One of the few institutions in the US dedicated to the art and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands, the USC Pacific Asia Museum holds thousands of art objects spanning more than 5,000 years of history. The museum building resembling a Chinese imperial palace is almost as noteworthy as the collections, which range from Japanese paintings from the Edo Period to South Pacific bark cloths and Buddhist art from throughout Asia.
A cultural center and museum dedicated to Jewish history as it pertains to present-day democratic ideals, the Skirball Cultural Center has been an influential educational hub in Los Angeles since its opening in 1996. Known for its striking architecture, the landmark also includes a performing-arts center and hosts regular events.
Los Angeles has many famous streets, but Montana Avenue is the cool cousin of Sunset Avenue to Mulholland Drive. Tree-lined and full of boutique shops, cafés, salons, and restaurants, the avenue runs from Ocean Street to Brentwood. Stop by after visiting downtown to eat, shop, and be seen in the heart of Santa Monica.
LA traffic feels a world away at the Hollywood Reservoir, an artificial lake with an easy walking trail and a unique view of the Hollywood Sign across the water. When you’ve seen your fill of celebrity mansions, movie studios, and stars on the Walk of Fame, head to this lesser-known park for a peaceful walk, run, or bike ride in the Hollywood Hills.
Part of Los Angeles’ Exposition Park, the California African American Museum (CAAM) spotlights African American art, history, and culture. It celebrates true stories and experiences of Black people from the US West Coast. With three exhibition galleries, a research library, and regular talks and workshops, the museum welcomes everyone who wants to learn about and appreciate the legacy of African Americans.
Enjoy a day filled with exploration, learning, and fun at Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena. Spanning 3.5 acres (1.4 hectares), this interactive children’s museum features more than 40 indoor and outdoor hands-on exhibits and interactive activities, and programs meant to encourage children’s growth and development.
The original Disney® destination, developed in 1955 by Walt Disney, Disneyland® Park remains a favorite of both kids and adults alike. Known for its nine lands—from the original Fantasyland and Adventureland to the newer Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge—this is the place to cross paths with classic Disney® characters and experience attractions such as the Sleeping Beauty Castle, Space Mountain rollercoaster, and Pirates of the Caribbean cruise.
