I’ve lived in California since 2005, and yet in all that time I have never been to Los Angeles (apart from walking to In-N-Out near LAX during a long layover). I think it’s time to remedy that. I’m in the very preliminary planning stages, but it’s going to be this summer some time. I haven’t picked exact dates yet.
My biggest question, given how sprawling LA is, what general area should I stay in?
Things I would like to see (which may have a bearing on the above question) include:
The Petersen Automotive Museum
La Brea Tar Pits (these two look really close together; do I have time to do both in one day?)
Griffith Observatory
I’ll probably drive out to Santa Monica and spend a day at the Santa Monica Pier one day.
What other activities do locals and previous visitors recommend? A am a fan of Googie / mid-century architecture, and I am debating whether it’s worthwhile to go see the oldest remaining McDonald’s restaurant. On one hand, it is a very nice example of that type of architecture, but it’s all the way down in Downey, and not really near anything else touristy or interesting from what I can tell. And at the day it is still a McDonald’s, so you don’t really go there for the food. I will most likely have dinner at the Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, another well known example of Googie architecture (probably after the Griffith Observatory since they’re in the same general direction); maybe that will satisfy my need to visit a Googie diner.
Part of me would really like to take the train there (That has a lot to do with why I started this poll), but as much as I love train travel I’m sure I will need a car while I’m there unless I want to Uber everywhere, so I’m leaning towards just driving my own car (I’ll be coming from the Sacramento area). Besides, my car is a Miata, and driving around SoCal in a convertible seems kind of appealing. Maybe I’ll take it on a drive up Mullholland Dr. or some similarly twisty road while I’m there.
On a recent trip we had a day in LA after hiking in the desert. We spent a morning in/around the Santa Monica Pier, and that was sufficient. The Pier isn’t all that interesting, and we walked along the beach a bit but quickly moved on. It’s worth a visit, but don’t plan on a full day. You could combine it with a drive up the Pacific Coast Highway and stops along the way.
I was in Los Angeles a few months ago. I went to the Petersen Automotive Museum, though I didn’t visit the vault (which involves an additional charge) but wish I did. Also, the motion picture academy museum is right next door. I went there in the morning and the Petersen museum in the afternoon. On another day, I visited the Getty museum and the Broad museum on a third day.
Amtrak from Sacto to LA is probably 12-14 hours; you can drive it in 5-6. Plus, as you noted, you’ll really need a car to get around once you’re there. You’d have to really love trains to want to go that route.
It would be pretty easy to combine a morning at the Santa Monica pier with a drive out PCH through Malibu, then up one of the roads that connect to Mulholland Drive (Decker or Encinal Canyon for examples) and then back through the Santa Monica mountains. This isn’t the part of Mulholland Drive that goes above Beverly Hills or Hollywood though - much more rural and scenic (unless you like looked at locked driveway gates).
Another vote for the Peterman - and in my opinion you can definitely do that and the La Brea Tar Pits in a day.
The Academy Motion Picture Museum, The LA County Museum of Art and the Craft Contemporary Museum are right there too. You could easily spend a day there.
I always recommend a visit to the Museum of Jurassic Technology. Note that you have to make reservations on the website.
On a nice day, there’s nothing like a drive down the coast from Pt Mugu to Santa Monica.
I’ve taken Amtrak as far south as Santa Barbara before. Yes, it takes longer, but it is a relaxing, relatively comfortable, very scenic 12-14 hours. Versus 5-6 hours in a Miata. Don’t get me wrong, I love that car, but it’s not the most comfortable car to take on a long road trip. But I would love to take it on a drive up the PCH and through the Santa Monica mountains, like @Wilson suggested. Those are the kind of roads where it really excels. So I probably will just drive it down there and just endure the 5-6 hours on the freeway driving there and back.
A friend had a truly terrifying meal experience at the Burbank Bob’s Big Boy landing him in the ICU. If you must go there, go on a Friday, late afternoon or evening: Classic Car Show – Bob’s Big Boy Burbank
For Googie, see:
If convenient, I’d go for Pann’s, seen in the movie Little Miss Sunshine (2006).
Ninja’ed on the Museum of Jurassic Technology - Lots o’ interesting and unusual things, though some exhibits will likely not be working. - The Museum of Jurassic Technology
A wee bit south of Zuma Beach on PCH is the semi-secluded Point Dume, one of my favorite beach spots. Easy to miss the turn-off in the days before geo-navigation.
Also:
Descanso Gardens
Botanical Gardens at the Huntington Library
Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine
I would generally recommend avoiding the Downtown area (too much traffic) and Hollywood (too touristy and too many freaks).
If you are into art museums there is the Getty Center which has a broad collection of mostly European art, including Van Gogh’s Irises, and the Getty Villa, which has Greek and Roman art. The Getty Center has some nice gardens and great views over Los Angeles.
Both are free, but they prefer if you reserve tickets in advance.
Second the recommendation to visit the Griffith Observatory. The building itself is cool, and there is a small museum inside. The views are spectacular.
Santa Monica pier is nice, but unless you really like the beach, it’s not going to take up a whole day.
Both are worthwhile places to visit but be aware that access to the Observatory is from the Los Feliz side of the park, on the other side of the mountain from Burbank. The Observatory is a great first stop because of the magnificent view. It’s really the only place to really get a feel for how the city is laid out.
One of the best streets for Googie used to be Harbor Blvd. in Orange County but I can’t vouch for how many remain today.
I lived in LA for 18 years… greatest city in the world.
Another vote for the Nethercutt Museum. If you can be sure to reserve to see the music room…it is fascinating.
The Museum of Jurassic Technology is interesting as well.
Take in a show at the Bob Baker Marionette Therater.
If you like tropical drinks and are free early evenings the Tiki Ti is one of the oldest continuous operating tiki bars in the country. It is tiny but if you get there right at opening there is no better bar atmosphere than the Tiki Ti.
They have revtialized a lot of the old movie palaces. The Vista on Sunset just reopened after major overhaul.
If you want a fancy dressup night there’s the Cicada Club.
Now if you really love trains, you’ll want to fly to Seattle first, board the Coast Starlight there, and ride it the full 36 hours to LA. The scenery is unmatched and if you spring for a roomette you’ll have a private place to sleep, free meals in the diner, better access to bathrooms, and even a shower.
Native former LA person checking in. I have no comment on that McD’s in general, but I’ll suggest that:
Santa Monica is a great area for hotels and nightlife if your budget permits. You can fan out many directions from there. AND
If you think Downey is a long way from Santa Monica, then Greater LA will utterly defeat you. 130 miles to San Diego is a long way to drive to see something interesting. 30 miles is not.
If you’re at all interesting in beach stuff, the area south of Santa Monica at Hermosa and Redondo Beaches is also full of classic 1950s/1960s LA.
As you probably know, the water is cold year round and in June the air still is too, and it tends to be overcast much of the day. If you want warm and sunny, whether for beaching/boating or just for driving around topless in “Sunny California!” and enjoying outdoor meals, aim for July-Sep, not May-June.
Thank you for being the first person to answer the “Where should I stay?” question. I thought it might have gotten buried under all the attractions/sightseeing stuff.
I had been looking at the West Hollywood and Le Brea areas just because it seemed pretty central to the whole greater LA region, except I wasn’t sure how great an area that is, and parking seems to be an issue with a lot of places around there. A lot of places around there seem to either a) don’t have their own parking on site at all and rely on valet parking, which adds to the cost, b) advertise “free parking”, but when I look at Google Street View the parking appears to be just a few spaces in the alley behind the hotel, which seems rather limited, or c) just rely on street parking. I also noticed a lot of places market themselves as “Beverly Hills” when on Google Maps they’re clearly in West Hollywood.
So I started looking farther west. There’s a little place in Brentwood that looks nice and Google describes as “top rated”. But I’m not really at the booking stage yet.
Well, I did buy my house based largely on the fact that it’s walking distance from Trader Joe’s…
Near La Brea and LACMA is the Original Farmers Market of LA. It’s less like the Saturday farmer’s market and more like a collection of semi-permanent produce stands mixed with fast-casual restaurants and craft shops with a lot of local and ethnic flair. If you have a couple hours it’s a nice, relaxing diversion. The Grove is next door if you are into the whole upscale shopping thing, and is also a great place to sit with a coffee or snack and people-watch.
Also, if you want to be on or attend a Game Show you can plan that in advance.
The Burbank-North Hollywood hotels, motels, and Airbnbs might have a better parking situation than other places you have looked. Ventura Blvd. has a lot of great restaurants and nightlife.
ETA- I just remembered the name of a rather Googie hotel I stayed at in Burbank a couple years ago: The Safari Inn.
