Los Angeles

California | Los Angeles | United States

Los Angeles

Also known as Tinsel Town, Los Angeles can certainly be star-studded with its Hollywood sites. However it’s also home to outstanding beaches, wonderful museums, and a stellar dining scene. We recommend renting a car as distances (with traffic) are far and there will be traffic. It also gives you more ease to get to everywhere you want to easy and will likely save you money in the long run.

Length – 3-5 days

Transportation – Car

Day 1 – Los Angeles

Day 2 – Los Angeles

Day 3 – Malibu

Day 4 – Disneyland

Day 5 – Laguna Beach

In Depth Itinerary

Welcome to Southern California! This trip focuses on Los Angeles and it’s fantastic beaches, museums, and food offerings. You can make this trip shorter or longer. You can realistically see the highlights in just a quick weekend, but with more time you’ll have more chances to enjoy the beautiful beaches, dine leisurely, and see all best sites. We recommend adding in a day for both Laguna Beach (a different vibe from Los Angeles and one of the prettiest beaches in California) as well as one for Anaheim and Disneyland. If Disneyland isn’t your speed you could consider heading down and visiting San Diego instead.

Laguna Beach

Day 1 – Los Angeles

Arrive in Los Angeles at LAX. LA is huge. You will need to rent a car and you will also need to expect traffic. We list ideal times, but realistically it can take over an hour to get across town to plan accordingly.

We recommend you choose one place to say for at least the first three days and base yourself in Laguna Beach for the second two. For lodging you’ll have to select an area. You can opt to stay more downtown/Hollywood for which we recommend Pendry West Hollywood, The West Hollywood EDITION, Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, Hotel Covell, or 1 Hotel West Hollywood. Or you can opt to stay on the beach in Santa Monica or Malibu for which we recommend Hotel June Malibu, The Surfrider, Malibu Beach Inn, Palihouse Santa Monica, Santa Monica Proper Hotel, or Ambrose Hotel.

View from Griffith Observatory

We recommend you pick up your car at the airport and start your weekend at nearby Venice Beach. Venice Beach is colorful. Wander along its promenade taking in the characters that frequent: hippies, health nuts, body builders, roller skaters, clothing optional…you name it, you’ll see it. While not the prettiest beach in LA it’s a fun wander to take in the local scene. There are some good restaurants along the promenade, stop in for a coffee or breakfast.

Today your focus is on star-studded Los Angeles. Start with a visit to the LA County Art Museum, the largest art museum in the western half of the United States. From the museum, head to the nearby LaBrea Tar Pits to learn about prehistoric history at an active paleontological research site. After the Tar Pits, visit LA’s Walk of Fame, where you’ll see the historic landmark’s star studded sidewalk along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. If there’s someone specific you’re looking for, check out the map here. From here, head to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills to see how the other half lives. Rodeo Drive rivals New York’s 5th Avenue with over 100 of famous and ritzy stores. Start at the Beverly Wilshire, a historic and legendary hotel, hosting many famous people throughout the years including John Lennon and Elvis Presley (and famous as The Pretty Woman Hotel). For the sunset, head to Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills and Mulholland Scenic Overlook.

Grab dinner at Dan Tana’s, Night + Market, Providence, Petit Trois, Son of a Gun, or select from our Los Angeles Restaurant Scene.

Day 2 – Los Angeles

Start your morning by heading to the Griffith Observatory where you’ll also see the iconic Hollywood Sign. This is maybe the most iconic site in Hollywood. You’ll also see the skyline from the Griffith Observatory, high above the city.

From the Observatory, drive to the Huntington Museum, Pasadena’s iconic library and art museum surrounded by lush gardens. Also consider a visit to the Norton Simon Museum which is an incredible private collection of European and Asian Art. With additional interest, get reservations to the Gamble House where you can appreciate iconic California Greene and Greene architecture.

You can grab lunch in Pasadena at Union or El Portal.

From here, drive to Santa Monica Beach and Pier. Wander the sandy shore, enjoy a ride on the ferris wheel or roller coasteron the iconic pier, grab a drink at Élephante, and enjoy the stunning sunsets.

Grab dinner tonight at Cassia or Rustic Canyon.

Day 3 – Malibu

If it’s a Wednesday or Saturday check out Santa Monica’s wonderful Farmer’s Market.

Next, drive to the Getty Museum where you can indulge in famous European Art and beautiful gardens. After the main museum, drive to Malibu for the second part, the Getty Villa where you’ll find the Getty’s remarkable antiquity works in a villa modeled after a 1st century Roman villa.

Spend the rest of your afternoon in Malibu. California’s beaches are all public, meaning you can wander down any staircase between mansion in Malibu and get pristine beach access. Some of the best places though include Carbon Beach, Malibu Lagoon State Beach, Paradise Cove Beach, Point Dume, Lechuza Beach, Leo Carrillo State Park and El Matador State Beach. There’s nothing quite like catching the sunset in Malibu, sitting on the beach while you watch it descend.

For dinner, stay in Malibu. We recommend Broad Street Oyster Co., Malibu Farm Restaurant, Reel Inn, Nobu Malibu, Neptune’s Net, Nicolas Eatery, Sabor A Malibu, The Sunset Restaurant & Beach Bar or Malibu Seafood.

For lodging, again we recommend staying in Santa Monica or Malibu. Consider Hotel June Malibu, The Surfrider, Malibu Beach Inn, Palihouse Santa Monica, Santa Monica Proper Hotel, or Ambrose Hotel.

Day 4 – Disneyland

You’ll want to purchase your ticket for Disneyland ahead. You actually need both a valid park ticket AND a park reservation before you arrive. Don’t buy tickets at the ticket booth because if there aren’t any reservations left that day you won’t get in. Buying earlier often offers a lower rate. Instead proceed with your pre-purchased ticket straight to the entrance. The shortest waits of the day are in the first hours of a park’s opening (and the last two hours before the park closes). When you arrive at the park before it opens, you will be one of the very first people inside. Download the Disneyland mobile app before you arrive. It has wait times, show listings, character locations, park maps, etc. Consider paying for Genie+ or individual Lightning Lane to use the Lightning Lane and skip the standby line for rides.

Enjoy the park. While our favorite rides are Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Indiana Jones, most everything is fun.

With an additional day, you can add on Disney California Adventure Theme Park.

After the fireworks show, drive tonight to your lodging in Laguna Beach.

Day 5 – Laguna Beach

Today explore Laguna Beach, a very charming beach town and beautiful beach. Start your day by grabbing a cup of coffee and heading to Heisler Park. This is located right on the coast above the bluffs and offers breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean as well as access to four of Laguna’s beaches: Main Beach, Rockpile Beach, Diver’s Cove, and Picnic Beach. Stroll through the park beginning at the northern end until you reach the park’s waterfront path.

From here, head to Main Beach, the biggest beach in town. On one end you’ll see a large rock formation, Bid Rock, where pelicans congregate. In the middle you’ll see Lifeguard Tower which was built in the 1920s. If you’re in the mood for water sports you can rent surfboards, kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards at a pro shop nearby. If you need a break from sand, head to the Laguna Art Museum, a contemporary art museum just off the boardwalk.

Other options nearby include Crystal Cove State Park and Thousand Steps Beach.

Make your way to Crystal Cove State Park, which is one of the largest beaches in Laguna. The shoreline is 3.2 miles long and is backed by beautiful bluffs. The park offers 15 miles of hiking trails where you can explore the park’s canyon or get beautiful views of the ocean. The best intro trail is probably Moro Ridge.

Thousands Steps Beach is known for its aqua tide pools. The beach gets its name from the walk up and down the stairs (200 steps in fact). This beach tends to be much more secluded than the more easily accessible Laguna Beaches – it’s also 4 miles south of the center of town. The sand is pristine and you’ll get the chance to explore tide pools and sea caves during low tide. One sea cave leads to Totuava Beach at low tide.

If you have your heart set on another famous beach, head 30 minutes north to to Hungtington Beach. This is one of SoCal’s best known beaches and famous for its surfing culture. You could grab lunch here at ROL Hand Roll Bar.

Alternatively, and depending on the season (ideally May to September), consider a whale watching cruise to catch a glimpse at blue whales passing by.

For dinner head to Comedor, Selanne Steak Tavern, Nick’s Laguna Beach, The Deck, Las Brisas, Oak Laguna Beach, or La Sirena Grill, and enjoy your last night in SoCal.

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