Los Angeles is one of the most touristy cities in the United States. Everyone wants to go to Los Angeles and visit all those places that are in Hollywood movies.
Here I share 13 places that you can visit in and around Los Angeles.
1. Almansor Park.
A beautiful and quiet park located in the city of Alhambra. It is a nice place to go meditate, do yoga, or simply relax while admiring the landscape around you. It has its own free parking lot, a gymnasium, golf courses, basketball courts, jogging trail, picnic tables, a playground, and tennis courts.
2. Chinatown Los Angeles.
A perfect place to go to eat or buy gifts. Decorated with traditional Chinese red lamps, the atmosphere makes you feel like you’re in another city. If you like or are just interested in oriental clothing, take the opportunity to buy a traditional Chinese dress here. The prices in some shops are very reasonable.
3. Downtown Santa Monica.
If you want to come here, my recommendation is to arrive early to get a parking spot on the street (if you want to save money). It is a very busy place and traffic can get worse during the day.
4. Griffith Observatory.
It is the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful view of Los Angeles. From here you can capture photos of the famous Hollywood sign. There is no entrance fee, but the parking fee is $8 per hour. It is free when the observatory is closed.
5. Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The truth about this place is that it doesn’t even come close to what you’d expect. We walked the whole street from one end to the other, and what we saw was many homeless people, dirty pavements, and smell of drugs and garbage. I do not recommend visiting this place with children. Across this street, you will find places like the Dolby Theater and the TCL Chinese Theater.
6. O.C. Night Market.
A night market that takes place only 3 times a year (Click here to see our post), each time for 3 days. Perfect festivity to go with your family and friends to eat, drink, and shop souvenirs. There were more than 200 local vendors offering authentic food and drinks. Be sure to check the dates of this event so you don’t miss it. The ticket is $5+tax (1 day) or $10+tax (all 3 days). For more information Visit Website
7. Public Art “Urban Light”.
It is located in Los Angeles County Museum of Art and composed of 202 lamps that were once from the different streets of California. Many lamps were restored from around 1920s-1930s. You have to park on the street. I recommend going between 8 pm to 9 pm when the lamps are on.
8. Rodeo Drive walk of style.
Located in Beverly Hills, it is a shopping street housing a lot of shops from all major fashion brands and designers. You can park in the rodeo drive building for the first 2 hours free. You can actually see the whole area in 1 hr if you don’t shop.
9. Santa Monica Pier.
It has its own big parking lot where we paid $1.50 for 1 hour and 40 minutes. I recommend arriving early around 9 a.m. if you want to get a good spot. There is not much to do on the pier, except the playground for children.
10. The Getty Center.
A landmark with incredible architecture. It offers you the opportunity to visit the museum, explore the architecture, and relax in the beautiful garden. You do not have to pay tickets, but it’s $20 for the parking fee. The view of Los Angeles from this place is incredible.
11. The Grove Drive.
It is a destination that offers you mix of retails, restaurants, and entertainment in Los Angeles. I did not really do much at this place. I do not recommend spending a lot of time here unless you want to buy or eat something specific.
12. The Original Farmer Market.
I love this place! It is full of food stalls, where you can find different types of Arab, Brazilian, American, and Asian food among many others. You can eat at one of the public tables, simply watch people, or order some take out food. It is outdoor but with enough roofing all over. They have their own free parking lot (with purchase validation of the ticket by any of the vendors). It is hidden beside the parking lot before you enter The grove Drive, so try to find the entrance carefully. For more information Visit Website
13. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
This is without a doubt the best place we visited in California. It is located in San Marino, California and divided into different types of gardens (Australian Garden, California Garden, Camellia Garden, Children’s Garden, Chinese Garden, Conservatory, Desert Garden, Herb Garden, Japanese Garden, Jungle Garden, Lily Ponds, Palm Garden, Ranch Garden, Rose Garden, Shakespeare Garden, Subtropical Garden, Sculptures / Fountains, Mausoleum) in addition to its Art and Library Exhibition Hall. Parking is free but you have to pay for tickets (Adult $25, Senior $21 and Youth $13). You may think it’s expensive, but trust me it’s worth the price. Unfortunately, we could only stay there for 3 hours due to our schedule and could not go through all the gardens because it is pretty big (~120 acres). I would not consider this a place for children because there is no entertainment for them unless there is a special event.
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