How to Plan a Trip to LA (from Scratch)

Never planned a trip to LA before? Here’s your step by step travel guide!

Welcome to the very first edition to my From Scratch series, where I take you through step by step to planning a trip from, you guessed it, scratch! I got the idea for this series when making a recipe, and thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have something straightforward and easy to follow like this when booking a trip somewhere brand new?” And here we are!

Anyway, I’ve been to Los Angeles now… hmm a lot. My first trip was to visit a friend back in 2015, and my most recent trip was a few months ago. I’ve walked Hollywood Boulevard twice now (which, if you’ve been, you know is one time too many), and I have, indeed, driven at all times of day including a rush hour or two. So like, I’m not an LA expert but I like to think I can help someone who’s planning their first ever visit!

See if I can below:

A 10-Step Travel Guide to Los Angeles

1. Gather all your favorite LA inspiration.

The beauty of LA is that there is an unending well of inspiration. It’s Tinseltown, after all! Beginning with silent movies in the early 20th century to the way most big content creators gravitate here at some point in their careers, I’d be shocked if there’s one square inch of this city that hasn’t been documented in some way.

The way I’d gather inspiration for LA is the following:

• Movies & TV Shows – Go classic, try new ones… your problem won’t be so much finding a movie/tv show set in LA but narrowing down what you want to watch. For any gripes I have with La La Land, it really is such a love story to the city and the cinematography is stunning. Also I really loved The Artist and, of course, Clueless. Special shout out to Troop Beverly Hills and Pretty Woman; been a minute since I’ve seen either! (I won’t even get into TV show recs, throw a dart at any TV guide and you’ll land on one)
• Books – My tried and true! Again, with books it’s more pick your poison than trying to find the ten books set in LA. There are probably thousands across fiction, literature, and biography. I mean, think of every famous person who’s lived here; they probably have at least one book about their lives. Bookshop has a fun list to get you started; and I’m currently reading Parable of the Sower which is set in a dystopian LA. I was also just listening to a reading wrap-up, and they mentioned Joan Didion writes a lot about the city, so more reason to read her!
• Social Media – Honestly, go into Tiktok, Instagram, Pinterest, or Youtube and start searching for different things related to Los Angeles. Then just save them to a folder. You can start with basics like “los angeles itinerary” but to really find the gems look for things like “los angeles neighborhoods” or “x neighborhood guide’ or “cafes in los angeles.” Get specific with what you like, ie “pottery shops in los angeles” or “best vintage los angeles.”
• Blog Posts – Similarly search for blog posts that have tips or guides! Don’t go for general tourism boards or the professional sites but look for blogs, especially ones that match the kind of trip you prefer. I obviously love photography, so I try to look for blogs with beautiful photos to get a better visualization. For example, my friends at Bobo & Chichi lived in LA for years, and Scott is from nearby, so they have a ton of blog posts with gorgeous photos to peruse.
• Word of Mouth – And then, of course, chat with people who’ve been! Talk to your friends or maybe post about it online and see what comments say. This is also when I’d tap into Reddit and check out any subreddits or specific discussions.

Luckily for me, I have a friend who was born and raised nearby and, of course, I grew up loving LA-baed movies and tv shows, so I have an ongoing bucket list!

2. Make a list of notable landmarks, museums, etc to visit.

Now is the time to start making your lists and saving them to whatever map app you prefer (I love Google Maps). Go into all your saved folders, extract place names, and then get to work.I like to break mine into categories, which I’ll break down below with some examples.

NOTE: You have LA the city and LA the county. When planning this trip, look at Los Angeles County and not just the city borders. This will not only include Los Angeles but Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Culver City, Santa Monica, Torrance, Long Beach, and more!

Notable Landmarks & Areas

• Hollywood Sign – lots of ways to see it; near Ovation Hollywood (the mall on Hollywood Boulevard) and Hollywood Lake Park are two fun spots
• Hollywood Boulevard – somehow both a bit of a letdown but also very cool and full of history. go with a tour guide (or at least read my quick guide here) to get the full context. Walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame & check out the Chinese Theatre! If you can, look for shows at the Pantages Theatre and then do your Boulevard afternoon beforehand. I park near Pantages Theatre when. coming.
• Santa Monica Pier – aka the spiritual end to Route 66 and one of the most famous boardwalks in the country.
• Venice Beach – kind of the cool, more laidback side to LA. I feel like back in the day it was where the bohemian scene was so you still get that feel now even as it’s gotten more popular.
• Universal Studios Hollywood – where to go for all your movie studio and theme park dreams while still being in the city. You can do their Movie Studio tour, which I feel like has become its own legend in Hollywood.

Parks or Trails

Part of LA’s appeal is its proximity to canyons and hikes and guaranteed good weather to enjoy both.

• Griffith Park – where you’ll also find Griffith’s Observatory. Parking here is such a nightmare, if I go back I’m going to do one of the trials that leads up to it. I know in my heart of hearts, I’ll do this short trail, but maybe I’ll be motivated and do this long one behind the Hollywood Sign.
• Barnsdall Art Park – home to a Frank Lloyd Wright home and has the most gorgeous views of LA all around. Great to come and sit with a picnic blanket.
• Runyon Canyon – I haven’t actually been myself; but it’s one of the most popular places for hiking (and potential celebrity sightings?). If you look for hiking experiences, they’re usually here (like this one with rescue dogs).
• Elysian Park – oldest public park in LA

Museums and Galleries

• The Getty – the ultimate museum in LA. Gorgeous views and a fantastic collection. Say hi to Purrquoise for me!
• Getty Villa – an underrated museum and my favorite. it’s designed like an Italian villa and absolutely gorgeous
• LACMA – the LA County Museum of Art. You’ll recognize the light post exhibit from the millions of Instagram pics.
• La Brea Tar Pits – next door and is an active Ice Age excavation site. Currently closed though to prep for the Olympics!
• Norton Simon Museum – very cool, underrated art museum in Pasadena

Boutiques & Souvenir Shopping

Ok I haven’t done all of these but the ones I haven’t are on my list. When it comes to souvenirs I love a fun magnet or postcard but I more like buying things I’d enjoy in my every day life and remembering where I got them.

• Alchemy Works – concept store in LA’s Arts District; has a lot of LA-based brands!
• Christy Dawn – lovely eco-friendly dress brands; has a store in Brentwood
• Erehwon – I get the hype, sorry guys! For souvenirs, look up some more unique brands they carry. They’re one of the only places in the US that carries cookies from Island Bakery, this place from the Isle of Mull in Scotland (my friend pointed them out to me!). Not only are the cookies delicious, the packaging is so cute you’ll want to save it.
• Everbody World – opens up their warehouse once a week; looks cool for basics
• Huset – a Scandinavian home goods store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard; looks cute and I’m curious about what they stock. I already see items from a spot I liked in Copenhagen!
• LA Public Library – has a mold-a-rama machine and stamps.
• Location-Based Merch – there are a lot of iconic spots like hotels, restaurants, or cafes in LA, and they all have their own merch. particularly keen on going back to Formosa Cafe and getting some of theirs!
• Markt LA – boutique store in Silver Lake with a mix of new and vintage
• Mondo Mondo – really cool jewelry brand with a shop in Highland Park
• Nooworks – super fun, colorful brand my friend LOVES. They also have a location in Highland Park

Bonus: I always think it’s fun to browse on Facebook Marketplace or in spots like Goodwill to see what locals are selling! Probably better deals than any standalone vintage store as well.

3. Write down potential restaurants, cafes, bakeries, bars, etc.

LA is a city of immigrants, so I would be shocked if you pick a cuisine and can’t find a single place that offers it up. Some places I’ve been to or are on my list:

• Ahgassi Gopchang (Koreatown) – go for Korean BBQ
• Bottega Louie (WeHo & DTLA) – Old World European cafe vibes
• Din Tai Fung (Multiple) – go for the soup dumplings
• El Cholo (Multiple) – historic Mexican place
• Erehwon Hot Bar (Multiple) – their hot bar was like $30 something, they had outdoor seating, no tipping, and it was really freakin’ delicious. I still think about everything I got and am trying to copy the recipes (salmon with mighty greens and mac n cheese)!!
• Formosa Cafe (WeHo) – iconic eatery for Hollywood stars; really good American Chinese food and unique cocktails. The interior design alone!!
• Grand Central Market (DTLA) – historic market in LA; kind of gentrified depending on who you ask. Lots of food options and they have a Donut Man location
• Guisados (Multiple) – my friend’s favorite for tacos
• In & Out (Multiple) – a west coast classic for me at least. I get the double double, animal fries well done, and a milkshake.
• Original Farmer’s Market (The Grove) – historic farmer’s market that’s open daily and started in the 1880s
• Porto’s (Multiple) – amazing Cuban bakery that I finally went to last trip; get a potato ball!! And don’t be scared if it’s busy. I hate lines and this line moved very efficiently. It’s like Trader Joes during rush hour; they know how to move people through

4. Consider possible full or half day trips from LA.

Whenever I go to a city for an extended amount of time, I love a good half or full day trip (or maybe more)! Los Angeles can be a little… let’s saying tiring. It’s a lot of driving, a lot of traffic, and can feel oppressively smoggy and hot if you’re grumpy. That’s when its proximity to other, less hectic places comes in handy. Off the top of my head, here are some day trips I’ve done:

• Joshua Tree (~2 hours) – Drive around the park and stop off at Hadley’s for a date shake on your way back in. Oh and say hi to the dinosaurs!
• Channel Islands (~3 hours) – This is a very hectic day trip. Save for Santa Barbara if you plan on going there since it’s closer. But it’s basically 2+ hours driving then an hour on the ferry before you get to one of the islands. We did a day hike and were exhausted coming back but it was so worth it!
• Santa Barbara (~90 mins) – Gorgeous city with so much to do. There’s a reason people like Oprah or Meghan Markle and Prince Harry choose to live there!
• Temecula Valley (~90 mins) – wine country. We got a bite at Europa Village.
• Others: I haven’t been but anywhere in Orange County, San Diego, Big Bear, and Catalina Islands sound so lovely!! Also Disneyland is in Anaheim and is around 30 mins away.

*Note literally all times are estimates; always prepare for it to take longer with traffic!*

5. Take a look at your map and narrow down where to stay.

Once you’ve made your list and seen where everything is in relation to each other, it’s time to figure out where you want to stay. My quick and dirty recommendation would be Beverly Hills if you can afford it. It’s pretty central and quite nice — just obviously expensive.

Otherwise, I’ve personally stayed in Downtown LA (hated), Pasadena (loved), and Santa Monica (really loved). DTLA is just too chaotic for me to spend a whole week in. Pasadena and Santa Monica are kind of opposite ends of where you’ll go but a bit calmer and very pretty.

If you’re on a budget, look to one of the smaller towns in LA County. You’ll have a lot of driving but it’s honestly going to be a lot regardless of where you stay. To be honest, I stay with my friend in one of these towns when I go!

6. Book your flight, hotel, and rental car.

Now time to book everything! I’m assuming you’ve got hotel booking handled, but here’s what I do for flights and cars:

• Flights – Chances are you’re going to fly into LAX, but just in case it’s significantly cheaper, look into their other five airports. Last time I flew into Ontario (ONT) and it was a breeze.
• Rental Cars – I used Thrifty and got a great deal for the week. Also weirdly, it was cheaper booking the rental car like the day before than when I was looking a week before. I don’t know if it was a fluke or not but worth playing around with if you want to. Get something fairly compact just to make your life easier when parking in the city.

7. Map out a rough itinerary.

Now’s the time to map out your itinerary see what you can feasibly do each day. I cannot emphasize this enough — depending on where you’re from… whatever you think it takes you to drive X miles, double it for Los Angeles. Traffic here is notably horrendous, and a 20-mile drive can easily take 90 minutes during rush hour. Use Google Maps to really track this, and plan to do less than you’d do elsewhere. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

And, yes, you’ll have to drive everywhere. There is a public transportation system but it’s not great and according to my local friend has gotten pretty bad since the pandemic. They might be doing an overhaul for the Olympics, but I’m not personally sure.

Also it’s not a walkable city. Even just walking ten minutes to a Thai food place in DTLA, we were like oh this is is what they mean by it not being pedestrian-friendly.

NOTE: This is also when you want to check opening times. The Getty Museum is closed on Mondays so, you know, don’t plan to be there on a Monday!

8. Book tickets or make reservations sooner rather than later.

Once you have your itinerary in stone, I would start booking tickets and making reservations ASAP. LA is a reservation city for the most part. This is also when I would map out where you want to park and if you need to reserve your spot. Prices are less expensive the further out you are from your dates.

NOTE: This is also my note to take out cash for tips. I want to say the absolute minimum to not come off as a cheap ass Scrooge is $5/day for hotels and $2-3 for valet. (Some parking options will be valet-only).

9. Check the weather and put together your packing list.

Right before you start packing, check the weather. LA does not abide by normal seasons like the rest of the country. I was just there in May and freezing my ass off while before I was there in November and sweating through my tank tops. Summer is actually kind of cool while winters can be in the 90s (I remember Facetiming my friend during a blizzard in Philly while they were suffering through a heatwave). It’s also a pretty dry climate, so bring extra moisturizer.

If you’re looking for packing advice on how to fit in… Just wear whatever you normally wear. LA is a huge city with all sorts of characters. You’re just as likely to see someone in yoga pants as you are in a full on gorgeous silk dress doing the same exact activity.

10. Enjoy LA!

And finally, enjoy LA! I do think it’s one of those places that can get built up in your head as this glamorous, sunny paradise but the reality is much grittier. It’s a really fun city with truly so many pockets to explore and love but I don’t want you to think you’re stepping into a romcom and getting disappointed when you smell pee the minute you get to Hollywood Boulevard, ya know?

Just take it for its glamor and its grit, and you’ll see what makes it such a cool place to visit! (This is a lesson that took me a few trips to appreciate, so I’m hoping to pass that wisdom onto you earlier.)

Any tips for planning a trip to LA? Let me know below!

For more California travel:

• 4 California National Parks in One Week
• California Coast Road Trip: The Ultimate 2-Week Itinerary
• 18 Fun Things to Do in Truckee in the Summer (Hint: Lots of Outdoors!)
  
  

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