Los Angeles, the City of Angels. A beast of a city if taken its totality, but easily broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks; LA is every bit as colourful, loud, crazy, and wonderful as you’d imagine. If you only have 1 day in Los Angeles, but still want to get the most out of your 24 hours in the city, here are my suggestions.
How to spend one day in L.A.
Plan of attack
To maximise your time in Los Angeles, come up with a plan of attack. We made a list and grouped things together into geographical locations to help us hit as much as possible in a short period of time.
We have visited LA many times on short visits, but our recent trip was the most successful because we planned a bit better.
- Write a list of your must-sees
- Group them into nearby locations
- Choose your form of transport
- Double check opening times before picking the route
- Build in traffic time and delays
- Go with the flow, and expect the unexpected!
Mode of transport
There are a few options for transport, depending on what’s on your list of must-see sights:
- Car – While the prospect of driving in LA can be off-putting, it is the easiest and most convenient form of transport around the vast city. This is the option we chose, since we had a hire car for our trip up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco anyway. We expected it to be a day of traffic and parking chaos, but it turned out great, as we were generally going in the opposite direction from the traffic!
- Hop-on-hop-off bus tour – If it’s just the main sights in Hollywood and perhaps Santa Monica that you want to see, then the various routes on offer on the bus tours may suit you. We were considering this option, but decided it wouldn’t get us everywhere we wanted to see, and also didn’t offer the flexibility and hours we wanted.
- Taxis / Uber – Certainly a convenient option if you don’t drive / don’t want to drive, the cost can add up.
- Buses and Metro – Public transport is plentiful in LA, so great if you’re on a tight budget. But it can also take a while, so for a short 24-hour stay, I wouldn’t recommend it unless there isn’t much on your to-do list.
- Tours – If you want to just land and be taken care of, tours are a good option. There are many half day tours and full day options too. We didn’t choose a tour, simply because we wanted to have flexibility and to see some random places!
Highlights of Los Angeles
I am not including the movie lots and theme parks, as you would need a lot more than 1 day in LA to see those. Instead, I will focus on Hollywood and options to see the coastline and the best views too.
I have run the itinerary as if you have 1 full day from morning to night to spend in LA. If you have split days – one afternoon and one morning, not necessarily on the same day, then you can switch things around to fit your timings.
The best part about this itinerary is that most of the activities are free or cheap!
Breakfast at the Beverly Hills Hotel
When the Beverly Hills Hotel was built, this area of LA was hardly developed. It sat on an empty hill, looking out over the City of Angels, and attracting the stars of Hollywood over the decades. You’ll recognise it from many films such as Move Over, Darling, The Way We Were and Saving Mr. Banks.
Nowadays, it sits amongst the expensive homes and mansions of Hollywood’s elite.
You can either choose to have breakfast here, or grab a cocktail before dinner – whichever option suits you best. It’s not cheap though, so if you’re on a budget, you might give this one a miss.
If you can afford to stay at The Beverly Hills Hotel, I would recommend it. The service is divine, and experiencing a little slice of ‘Old Hollywood’ is a trip!
Mulholland Drive & Laurel Canyon
Mulholland Drive was designed to provide a scenic route from Hollywood down to the coast. This winding summit road weaves across the Hollywood Hills, and is once again often seen in movies. For the best views out over LA, Mulholland Drive is ideal.
During our visit, LA had suffered bad floods, so parts of Mulholland Drive were closed because of slips. But we managed to use detours to drive along big chunks of it.
We also drove up through Laurel Canyon, the famous neighbourhood where many of the movers and shakers of music and movies in the 60s and 70s lived. Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby and Natalie Wood to name a few. It was fascinating to see the neighbourhood that fostered a generation of creatives!
There are plenty of opportunities to take photos of the Hollywood Sign on this drive.
Griffith Observatory
Perched atop Griffith Park, Griffith Observatory is an iconic landmark in Los Angeles. Offering breathtaking views of the city skyline, Griffith Park and the Hollywood Sign, it serves as both a public observatory and a science centre too. You can explore exhibits and observatory talks inside, or just admire the views outside.
We loved the James Dean statue and the angel wings. The views across the park, canyons and the city skyline were so captivating, I just stood there for ages just taking it all in. The observatory has featured in movies such as Rebel Without a Cause, Lala Land and Terminator.
Parking – Griffith Observatory is very popular, so expect queues when visiting. There is a small paid carpark at the observatory itself, otherwise pay and display parking is available along the roads leading up to the observatory – although none of the ticket machines worked when we were there! There was a fair amount of traffic control being done to ensure the flow of the one way road up to the observatory kept moving.
Hollywood sign
The Hollywood sign can be seen from so many different places in LA. And no, you don’t need to climb up any trails to see it, unless you want to. Here are some good viewing spots:
- Hiking Trail – Take the Charles Turner Trailhead from Griffith Observatory and walk 2-3 miles along the Hollywood Sign Trail. Another option is the Brush Canyon Trail from Griffith Park.
- Mulholland Drive – A fantastic spot along Mulholland, that has parking, views of the city, Hollywood Bowl and the Hollywood Sign is the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook.
- Beachwood Dr – If you aren’t going up into the hills, Beachwood Drive is a great street which lines up palm trees and the Hollywood sign beautifully.
Originally put up by a land developer in the 1923, the Hollywoodland sign started its life as a billboard! The ‘land’ washed away in a landslide, and the other letters remained were renovated in the 40s and then again more permanently in the 1970s, because it had, by then, become a famous landmark.
Lunch at a Hollywood Classic
For lunch, there are so many options, from classic drive-ins to the latest TikTok food trends:
Classics
- Fat Sal’s Deli, 1300 Highland Ave
- Pink’s Hotdogs, 709 N La Brea Ave
- Formosa Cafe, 7156 Santa Monica Blvd
- Pho gogo, 901 S Western Ave, Koreatown
- Urth Caffe Melrose, 8565 Melrose Ave
Skip Mel’s Diner, it’s overrated. If you want cheap and cheerful, hit an In-N-Out or Shake Shack. We love Angry Chickz in Little Armenia, a casual Nashville Hot Chicken place that has proper hot chicken (almost too hot for even me), as well as fantastic fries and less hot chicken for normal people!
Hollywood Walk of Fame
You can’t visit LA without a quick visit to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I mean, you can, not all of it is in the most savoury part of town… and you will encounter a lot of hawking and chancers. But it is a fun little stop on your way around town.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a renowned sidewalk adorned with stars honouring celebrities in entertainment. Stretching along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, it celebrates actors, musicians, directors, and other notable figures.
Formerly Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese Theatre is known for its opulent Chinese-inspired architecture and famous cement handprints and footprints of celebrities outside. I had a photo of Shirley Temple’s hand prints in my family album from when we visited in 1982, so it was a kick to visit it again 42 years later!
Now you have a choice to make: art and views OR beach vibes and a pier…
Getty Center or Santa Monica – take your pick!
Getty Center
Up on the hills above Brentwood, the Getty Center is an art gallery, research institute and incredible piece of architecture.
It does get busy, so it’s important to book a slot in advance. We bought the tickets at lunchtime for an afternoon slot, but that was mid-week, so book further ahead if on the weekend. It is a very slick operation, with a large carpark, a monorail up to the site, and well-planned security.
The exhibitions are free, and there are sculpture gardens, a cafe, and the most amazing views out over Los Angeles too.
Parking – Parking at the Getty is $25, however, after 3pm, it goes down to $15.
Santa Monica Sunset
If you aren’t into art (or views), and want to get some sea air, it’s time to head out to Santa Monica!
Located 14 miles west of Hollywood, this stretch of coastline is home to the Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, and Palisades Park. It’s also a fantastic place to watch the sunset, should you wish to while away a few hours here.
The Santa Monica Pier has an iconic ferric wheel, arcade games and lots of fair-style food options. And the views from Palisades Park are perfection.
Pre-dinner drinks / Happy hour
Depending on where you’ve chosen to spend your afternoon, there are a few options for pre-dinner drinks. If you want to stay out in Santa Monica for sunset, you can grab your pre-dinner drinks at FIG restaurant at the Fairmont Miramar on Wilshire Blvd before heading back into town.
Back in Hollywood, Formosa, the famous café on Santa Monica Boulevard, has nostalgic pics of Old Hollywood, while serving modern Chinese food and cocktails. They have a ‘Golden Hour’ from 3-6pm, where cocktails are only $10, and bar snacks are on special. I recommend the Szechuan chicken wings.
The prohibition-style bar, Edmon, at the Hollywood Historic Hotel, offers a great happy hour from 4-7pm, and their short rib nachos are fantastic!
Dinner at ABSteak by Chef Akira Back
Hollywood is your oyster when it comes to dinner options. We were extraordinarily lucky to have a friend treat us to a meal at ABsteak by Chef Akira Back. This elevated Korean barbecue was such a special dining experience, and the meat selection was out of this world.
We had Wagyu carpaccio, wagyu and short rib on the barbecue, and kimchi fried rice – it was all magnificent! The atmospheric dining room and lovely staff, not to mention the food, made for a memorable meal indeed.
Where to stay in Los Angeles
My top picks, based on our various trips to LA, and recommendations from LA local friends:
- Budget – The Hollywood Historic Hotel is really good value. The building is beautiful and historic (as the name indicates), but the rooms are a bit dated and small, so the price reflects that. But the location is great, and the parking is great value for where it is.
- Mid-range – Loews Hollywood Hotel is located next to the Dolby Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and offers a roof terrace. The area is a little touristy, but if you’re short on time, this could be useful. If you’re staying at the airport, we enjoyed the newly renovated Westin LAX.
- Luxury – The upper price bracket and luxury hotels are what LA does best. I mean, it’s an expensive city anyway, but when there are celebrities everywhere, the prices do go up! The Beverly Hills Hotel, Chateau Marmont, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, and The Ritz-Carlton at Marina del Rey are some classic classy hotels.
We’ve stayed in some horrible places in Downtown LA, so I would avoid this area, and anywhere too cheap – generally, it means there’s something wrong with the hotel or the area. If you really want to be downtown, then The Westin Bonaventure Hotel is well-rated.
LOS ANGELES FAQ
1 day in Los Angeles
We had been to Los Angeles a few times, and each time we had bad experiences – from crazy traffic to our car getting broken into, it had left a bitter taste in our mouths. But we wanted to give it another chance, and see a bit of legendary Hollywood, and we are so glad we did, because we ended up loving our latest visit there.
The traffic, parking, weather and energy gods were in our favour, and we couldn’t have had a better time exploring. After a few days though, we did escape up the coast to San Simeon and were glad for the sea air and chilled vibe after the busyness of LA!
If you love road trips in the USA, learn how to plan one for yourself!
And here’s some road trip inspiration for you!
All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.
It seems like so much fun! And the food looks so delicious!
Helpful for a newcomer who wants to got to Los Angeles