Things to Do

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Lots of areas within LA. I would do some research in regards to distance between each thing but all can be done.  I did some of these in 1 day because I was limited in time but if you have transportation I recommend checking out as much as you can!

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• Santa Monica Pier

Must see! Beautiful beach with a pier including a ferris wheel, rides, food, etc.

• Venice Beach

Definitely one of the coolest atmospheres in regards to beaches. Very laid back beach including a skateboard park.  Tons of little shops selling really awesome things. Graffiti everywhere and extremely artsy. Definitely a must-go.  Lots of bikers cruising through the beach paths too.

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• Manhattan Beach

Another beach with a pier but located in a nice town that seems to be more on the wealthy side. I didn't spend the day on the beach here, but went here for happy hour one day.

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• Hermosa Beach

Similar to Manhattan Beach but definitely more of a younger crowd.  Tons of places all in one spot and really gives you that California vibe! It rained when I was here so I didn't spend the day on the beach here either, but did stay in town and had lunch and some drinks.

• Hollywood Boulevard

Very cliche to go here but in my opinion you gotta see it at least once. Reminded me of a version of NYC. You'll see some interesting sights/people for sure. When I went there was actually a red carpet going on so that was pretty awesome to see in person. Don't forget to check out all the iconic Hollywood stars on the streets.

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• Beverly Hills (Rodeo Drive)

I'm not into designer brands really and certainly didn't want to spend a fortune on anything, but I still made it a point to go here. I didn't even go into any of the stores really, but it was beautiful!!! I walked up and down Rodeo Drive and just admired everything. So whether you want to shop, or just check it out, in my opinion it's still a must-see while you're in the area.

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• Check out the famous HOLLYWOOD sign

This wasn't that easy to get to. There were a few different routes you could take. I chose to do the Griffith Observatory view.  I drove up the mountain and parked my car along the side with the rest of the cars (there was no more parking up top). I then hiked up the rest of the mountain to the viewing point, which was an easy "hike". But the sign was extremely far. I'm not sure if there are better routes to choose, but was still cool to see from up top. You'll find that you see the sign just by driving around though too (as shown in my picture at the top of this page)

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