Los Angeles
The City of Angels
HollywoodSanta MonicaGriffith ObservatoryGetty CenterVenice Beach
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Pages2026 Edition
The City of Angels
Los Angeles
Los Angeles occupies a vast coastal basin in Southern California, bounded by mountains and the Pacific. Its 75 miles of coastline, year-round sunshine, and cultural diversity make it unique. Four days covers the highlights; a week lets you explore beach towns, mountains, and diverse neighbourhoods.
The essential sights and experiences
Art Deco observatory with free telescopes, planetarium ($7), and the most iconic views of the Hollywood sign and LA skyline.
Iconic amusement park, Route 66 endpoint, and three miles of wide sandy beach with a buzzing boardwalk.
Over 2,700 brass stars honouring entertainment legends. The Chinese Theatre’s handprints are the highlight.
Richard Meier’s museum complex with Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, stunning gardens, and city views.
Bohemian beach culture: Muscle Beach, street performers, Venice Canals, and Abbot Kinney’s boutiques.
Working movie studio theme park. Studio Tour, Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World.
When to go and what to expect
Spring is ideal (17–24°C). Clear skies, fewer crowds than summer.
Warm and dry (20–30°C). Peak season. June Gloom brings morning fog.
Autumn warmth (18–30°C). October often hottest. Clear Santa Ana wind days.
Mild winter (10–20°C). Occasional rain. Whale-watching. Awards season.
Los Angeles — best experienced in March–May, September–November
Hollywood is the mythic heart of LA — the Walk of Fame’s 2,700 stars line the boulevard, the Chinese Theatre preserves handprints of legends, and the Hollywood sign watches from the hills. The reality is grittier than the myth, but tourist kitsch, historic theatres, and creative energy coexist.
Walk the Walk of Fame, see handprints at the Chinese Theatre, explore Hollywood & Highland. Take a Paramount Studios tour ($63). At night, catch a show at the Pantages or drink at Musso & Frank.
Santa Monica is LA’s most beloved beach city — walkable, bikeable, with the iconic pier and Ferris wheel, and the Route 66 endpoint. Third Street Promenade buzzes with shops and street performers.
Start at the pier for the amusement park and Route 66 sign. Walk or bike the beach path south to Venice. Explore Third Street Promenade. The Wednesday farmers’ market is one of California’s best.
Venice Beach is LA at its most eccentric — street performers, Muscle Beach bodybuilders, and graffiti artists. Abbot Kinney Boulevard is LA’s coolest shopping street. The six remaining Venice Canals add European charm.
Walk the boardwalk from Rose Avenue south. Watch bodybuilders and the drum circle. Stroll the Venice Canals. Walk Abbot Kinney end to end for shopping and food.
DTLA transformed from empty-after-dark to one of LA’s most exciting neighbourhoods. The Broad, Disney Concert Hall, Grand Central Market, and Arts District anchor a revival with rooftop bars and a booming food scene.
The Broad (free), Disney Concert Hall free tour, Grand Central Market lunch, Arts District galleries and street art, The Last Bookstore, rooftop bars at night.
Silver Lake is LA’s Brooklyn — indie coffee shops, vintage stores, record shops, and creative restaurants. Echo Park adds the lotus-filled lake and vibrant Latino community.
Intelligentsia Coffee, vintage shops on Sunset Junction, Echo Park Lake pedal boats ($11/hr), steep residential streets for skyline views.
WeHo is known for the Sunset Strip’s legendary music venues (Whisky a Go Go, the Roxy, Viper Room), its vibrant LGBTQ+ community, and excellent dining. Melrose Avenue offers vintage and designer shopping.
Walk the Sunset Strip reading music history plaques. Shop Melrose Avenue. Walk Santa Monica Blvd for the LGBTQ+ scene.
Beverly Hills is the global symbol of wealth — Rodeo Drive’s luxury boutiques, palm-lined boulevards, and hillside mansions. Plus the free Greystone Mansion and excellent restaurants.
Walk Rodeo Drive, visit Beverly Gardens Park (Beverly Hills sign), explore Greystone Mansion (free). Lunch on Canon or Beverly Drive.
Koreatown is the largest Korean community outside Seoul. BBQ restaurants, karaoke rooms, and jjimjilbangs stay open until 3–4 AM. The energy is more Seoul than LA.
Korean BBQ feast at Park’s BBQ. Browse Koreatown Plaza. Wi Spa jjimjilbang ($30). Night karaoke at Pharaoh or cocktails at The Walker Inn.
The Arts District’s converted warehouses house Hauser & Wirth gallery, craft breweries, Bestia and Bavel restaurants, and creative studios. Street art rivals anything in the world.
Walk East 3rd Street and Traction Avenue. Hauser & Wirth (free). Street art murals. Coffee at Verve. ROW DTLA shops and food.
Malibu stretches 21 miles along PCH — world-famous beaches, dramatic sea cliffs, and celebrity estates. El Matador Beach’s sea stacks, Surfrider Beach’s legendary surf, and the Getty Villa’s Roman antiquities.
Drive PCH from Santa Monica to Point Dume. Getty Villa ($7). El Matador Beach. Lunch at Nobu or a casual fish shack. Surfrider Beach for surfer-watching.
Pasadena is known for the Rose Bowl, Rose Parade, Norton Simon Museum, and the Huntington Library’s 120-acre gardens. Old Town Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard offers shops and restaurants in restored buildings.
Huntington Library ($29) for art, books, and gardens. Old Town for lunch and shopping. Norton Simon Museum ($15). Rose Bowl exterior.
Culver City has emerged as one of LA’s most exciting food and art neighbourhoods. Former MGM Studios city with world-class galleries, excellent restaurants (Vespertine, Destroyer), and a walkable downtown.
Galleries on Washington Blvd and La Cienega. Downtown for restaurants and shops. Sony Pictures lot tour. Culver City Stairs for a workout with views.
Los Feliz sits at the base of Griffith Park — home to the Observatory, Greek Theatre, and LA’s best casual dining. Vermont and Hillhurst avenues are lined with restaurants, vintage shops, and bars.
Griffith Observatory (free). Griffith Park trails. Vermont and Hillhurst for food and shopping. Barnsdall Art Park for Hollyhock House (Frank Lloyd Wright, $7).
The City of Angels