I didn’t love LA when I first visited. It’s a city of 3.8 million people, spread out over a very wide area. Because of that, it’s hard to get around, so if you’re expecting to be able to sightsee just like you can in London, Tokyo, or NYC, you can’t. I hated how I couldn’t get around quickly.
That’s where I went wrong.
That’s because Los Angeles isn’t for sightseeing; it’s for being in. So when I stopped trying to race around and just enjoyed the lifestyle, I began to see why people love LA. It has a great quality of life. Residents love to go outdoors: they go for walks; they relax at restaurants; they “chill.” To get a real sense of the city, you have to slow down. It’s this slow lifestyle that I came to love.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother to go sightseeing. You just shouldn’t expect to see a lot of things.
To help you plan your trip, below is my suggested itinerary for a three-day visit. It covers the highlights — and takes traffic into account so that you see Los Angeles in sections!
But first: How do you avoid LA traffic?
Los Angeles is famous for its sprawl and car culture. That makes visiting here a logistical challenge if you don’t have a car, because it takes so long to get around and the public transportation system here isn’t great unless you are exploring downtown. (Pro tip: If you can, rent a car.)
LA traffic follows the workday: Everyone goes into the Hollywood/downtown area in the morning and out in the afternoon. It also starts early, too.
If you get stuck in traffic, you’re stuck for a long time. You can spend up to 90 minutes going from Santa Monica to Silver Lake, a distance of 19 miles. The city’s spread-out nature also makes it hard to see lots of things.
So, when you are planning your Los Angeles itinerary, you’ll want to focus on just a few things. You won’t see it all.
You’ll also have to be very conscious of where you plan to stay, especially when you only have a few days. (This guide on where to stay in Los Angeles can help you pick the best hotels and hostels.)
To cut down on time spent in traffic, I divided the itinerary into sections based on location. This way, you can visit in one go without rushing around or spending too much time in the car.
Furthermore, if you’re heading to another district and want to avoid rush hour, it’s always best to cross the city after dinnertime. So, make sure you eat dinner in each area!
Los Angeles itinerary: Day 1
Today we’re going to start in the main sightseeing part of town: Hollywood. Here you’ll find a lot of the most famous attractions. There’s a lot to do here, and some of these activities can take up to half a day, so you’ll want to pick and choose and go at your own pace.
Explore Griffith Park
This park is great for hiking. Trails lead up to Mulholland Drive and the famous Hollywood sign for sweeping views of Hollywood (which is especially beautiful at sunset, with the city lights spread out in front of you). The park also contains the LA Zoo, the Autry Western Museum, a golf course, a driving range, and an observatory. And you can take pony rides!
It’s a good place to spend a few hours or half a day. I would start the day early here before the museums open and the weather gets too hot.
Walk Hollywood Boulevard
One of the most famous streets in town has undergone a revival recently. Here you can see the Walk of Fame (with over 2,700 stars embedded in the sidewalks), Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (where you can see celebrities’ handprints and footprints), and also catch a movie), and street performers, and eat at old-school restaurants like Musso and Frank.
It’s also where you can join one of those famed “houses of the stars” tours; they all go to the same places and last a few hours.
Take a studio tour
Warner Bros., Universal, Sony, and Paramount all offer studio tours on which you can see famous soundstages. Most last 1-2 hours and either involve walking or riding a tram or bus. They are a fun and informative way to learn how movies and shows are made. If you go during the week, you might run into celebrities too!
Prices vary, but most tours start around $70 per person. I’d recommend getting tickets in advance (here), so you can plan your day around the tour.
Admire Greystone Mansion
This Tudor Revival building is surrounded by landscaped English gardens. The mansion was built in the 1900s as a gift from oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny to his son. It became a public park in the 1970s and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The mansion is open to the public on the first Sunday of every month, but the grounds are free to visit anytime. The gardens are a beautiful, relaxing place for a stroll and a good way to end your day, as they don’t take a lot of time to see and are near lots of good bars and restaurants in West Hollywood for dinner or happy hour.
Los Angeles itinerary: Day 2
Today we are going to the west side of town, near the beach. This way, you get to explore Santa Monica and Venice and avoid lots of traffic!
Go for a hike
If you like to start your morning with a bit of exercise, Los Angeles has a lot of wonderful hiking and running trails, the most famous being Runyon Canyon, along with Caballero Canyon (3.4 miles), Fryman Canyon Park (2.5 miles), and Los Liones Trail (3.5 miles).
Most of these can be done in a short amount of time. There are some trails out in Will Rogers State Park just north of Santa Monica, too.
Tour the Getty Museum
The Getty Museum is amazing for four reasons: its impressive art collection, its dramatic Richard Meier architecture, its ever-changing gardens, and its sweeping views of LA.
Opened in 1997, the museum focuses on pre-20th-century European art, as well as 19th- and 20th-century American and European photographs. It features works by Van Gogh, Gauguin, and other masters.
The Getty Museum is free to enter. However, you have to pay $20 to park.
Visit the Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier, built in 1909, is also a fun way to spend a few hours, especially if you have kids. It has several rides, several greasy food stalls, and loads of carnival games.
You don’t need a lot of time here, because it’s not that big, but it’s a great place for some old-fashioned fun!
Relax at Venice Beach
Venice Beach is just one of the best places in town to hang out. It features street performers, surfers, skaters, and intense basketball games. Wander around, take in the street art, and eat and drink at any of the many of the restaurants that line the beach.
Avoid the weekends, as it gets crowded.
Walk Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Near Venice Beach, this hip boulevard is chock-full of diverse shops, galleries, restaurants, and bars. There are all kinds of quirky businesses to pop into, and on the first Friday of each month, the street is taken over by live music and food trucks.
There are lots of wonderful places to eat and drink, including Gjelina, Roosterfish, and The Butcher’s Daughter.
Los Angeles itinerary: Day 3
Today, we’re going to be visiting many of the city’s museums before ending in downtown LA, which has seen a revitalization in the last few years.
Shop at the farmers market and the Grove Mall
There’s a great farmers market in the Grove, featuring loads of fresh bread, fruit, and veggies, plus a delicious food court (I love eating here) and a few specialty coffee shops.
Nearby is an outdoor shopping mall featuring all the major brands and a movie theater. It’s nice to walk around, as it’s very well decorated.
Visit LACMA
The nearby Los Angeles County Museum of Art is the largest museum in the western United States. It boasts a massive collection, including works by Rembrandt, Cézanne, Ansel Adams, and Magritte. There’s also ancient artwork from around the world, including Egyptian, Greek, and Roman sculptures, plus modern art, including Michael Heizer’s 340-ton boulder wedged over a narrow walkway. It’s definitely a must-visit.
See the La Brea Tar Pits
Right next door to LACMA, these natural tar pits have been trapping and fossilizing animals since the Ice Age. More than 3.5 million fossils have been found here, ranging from small honeybees to giant mammoths.
It doesn’t take long to see and the signs are very informative. It’s a cool spot for kids!
Explore downtown
Downtown has experienced a complete revitalization in recent years, including a brand-new pedestrian center with museums, concert halls, theaters, and dining options. I love wandering here now.
If you do just one thing here, visit the Grand Central Market, home to over 40 of the best food vendors, including the original Eggslut. You can find almost any cuisine here, so be sure to be hungry!
Additionally, while in the area, visit the Last Bookstore, one of my favorites in the country (and one of the few remaining big independent ones) — it is an LA institution.
See the Grammy Museum
The exhibits, interactive experiences, artifacts, costumes, and numerous films here guide you through the history of the music industry, as well as the careers of Grammy winners. If you’re a music aficionado, it’s one of the best attractions in town and a good way to end your afternoon.
Enjoy Koreatown
This is one of the most fun nightlife destinations, not too far from downtown. There are tons of lively bars and clubs, including fun karaoke joints. It’s a must for foodies though, with over 500 restaurants in the area.
Established in the early 1900s by Korean immigrants, the neighborhood has grown into a vibrant part of town that spans over 150 blocks. Don’t miss Dawooljung, the first traditional Korean monument in LA, and be sure to feast on mouth-watering Korean BBQ and toast a good weekend!
Los Angeles 3 day itinerary FAQs: Must-know info
When is the best time to visit Los Angeles?
The best time to visit Los Angeles is spring (March-May) and fall (September-November). During these months, visitors can enjoy pleasant temperatures, better air quality, and fewer crowds, making it ideal for sightseeing and outdoor activities.
How many days are enough for Los Angeles?
Three days in LA lets you hit the highlights, from Hollywood’s Walk of Fame to Santa Monica Pier. A week gives you time to explore gems like Runyon Canyon and Disneyland. With more time, you can enjoy day trips and unique local haunts.
How can I get around Los Angeles without a car?
To get around L.A. without a car, tap into the extensive Metro system. Buses, trains, and DASH shuttles cover most of the city and top attractions. To ride, simply use the TAP card or app. And if Metro doesn’t quite reach your destination, Uber and Lyft are another option.
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Final thoughts
Los Angeles is huge and spread out. The above itinerary will help you divide and conquer it, which you should do, because traffic can be very unforgiving, especially during rush hour — and if you don’t plan well, you’ll end up sitting in a car for a long time. And, with so much to do, you don’t want that!
This list is just the tip of the iceberg of things to do in LA, though. For a complete list of more activities and costs, check out my Los Angeles travel guide.
Matt Kepnes runs the award-winning travel site nomadicmatt.com, which helps people travel the world on a budget. He’s the author of the NYT best-seller How to Travel the World on $50 a Day and the travel memoir Ten Years a Nomad. Matt’s writings and advice have been featured in the New York Times, The Guardian, Afar, Budget Travel, Time, and countless other publications, as well as on CNN and the BBC. You can follow him on Instagram @nomadicmatt.
