If you live in LA, you know the drill. You have visitors every year. Family flies in, friends text "we're finally coming to visit!", and suddenly you're not just hosting. You are a tour guide. I have done this enough times for family and for friends, usually over a 3 to 5 day stretch, that I've know where to go. Some of it never fails. Some of it I have quietly stopped recommending. And there is one big LA institution I keep sending everyone else to without ever taking my own kids.
Table of Content
Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign
This is one of the place that I would never skip, it is such iconic spot from Rebel Without a Cause to La La Land. And it also does double duty. You get the Hollywood Sign view and the Observatory in one stop.
The only downside is that you can't really see the Hollywood Sign at night, but you have to be here at night. So I choose right before the sunset, when you can see the Hollywood Sign, then, once the sun is set, then you are good for the night view of the City of Angels.
A word of warning first: parking situation has gotten rough since movie, La La Land came out and everyone decided they needed that exact view.
The designated lot right in front of the entrance fills up fast, and it's $10 an hour. Parking lot is so small that most of the time, they don't even let you go up to the parking lot, unless you are Uber driver. So, if I can't find a spot, I just drop everyone off at the top and go find parking on the street. It's not worth circling with a car full of people who are ready to get out and look at things.
The Observatory is open until 10PM, so there's no need to rush. Inside, there's a Foucault pendulum that's oddly mesmerizing to watch. You will find a lot of people gazing the pendulum and another set of line for the ticket office. If you time it right, you can actually get in line to look through the telescope inside the dome. Also, there's a spot to sit and eat outside, but I wouldn't bother. That's not what you're there for.
My recommendation? I would go at night, after dinner. You get the city lit up below you, which is the whole point. You might miss the Hollywood Sign, but you will see if somewhere else if you are in Los Angeles area anyway. Daytime is pretty too, but LA sun does not play around in the summer, and you will end up squinting through what should be a nice view. The later you go, better at the Observatory.
Chinese Theatre
On Hollywood Blvd, you will find the Chinese Theatre, where you can see the famous hand and shoeprints out front, along with the stars on the sidewalk along the walk of fame.
Fair warning: finding your favorite actor's prints isn't hard because they are hidden, it is hard because there are so many people standing on top of them. Same with the stars. Half the fun is just scanning names until you spot one you recognize.
There is no street parking, so you will have to park in the Ovation Hollywood public parking lot on N. Orange Dr. This is only parking lot I usually use. You will have to pay $2.50 per 20minutes or daily maximum of $25.00. If you get validation, fee will be $3 for 2 hours, so don't forget to get some ice cream while you visit.
The Getty Center
This is another place I will not let people skip. The Getty Center is a serious art destination, and you don't want to be the person who came to LA and missed it.
The catch is that you are supposed to book your visit online ahead of time. But if you didn't, and it is your last day in LA and this is your only chance, don't panic. I have walked in without a reservation and gotten in anyway, as long as your group isn't too big. I did it once with a group of five.
For the Getty Center, I would bring your own food. It can be something simple, like snacks or takeout from your favorite restaurant. There is plenty of open lawn where you can have a picnic, and there is also a small bar and snack area if you didn't bring anything.
If are not into the art, but the Getty architecture, I would actually plan your visit for Saturday evening. The art gallery will be closed by 6PM, but the Getty stays open until 9 PM, and I think staying later is worth it. On a clear day, you can see all the way to downtown LA, and the view gets even better as the light starts to change in the evening.
If you're into the impressionism, go to the West Pavilion, Gallery W204. That's where the Impressionist collection is, and if you like Monet the way I do, you're going to want to sit there for a while.
But the Getty isn't just about the art. The collection is spread across different buildings, and in between them, you'll find a beautifully designed garden and plenty of open space.
My kids actually love this part. Let's be honest, kids aren't always excited about walking around looking at paintings all day. The garden is a perfect place to let them run around before or after the "boring" art part. It makes the Getty a place that the whole family can enjoy, even if everyone isn't there for the same reason.
Parking rates vary depending on the time of day. The standard rate is $25, but the price goes down as it gets closer to closing time. Parking rate is $15 at 3 PM and only $10 at 6 PM on Saturdays.
They only accept credit cards. If you’re also planning to visit the Getty Villa Museum on the same day, your parking will be covered by either venue. You just need to get a parking coupon from the information desk at the first site you visit. Note that this does not apply on Mondays or Tuesdays.
And just like at many other places, if you have an active-duty military member or veteran in your group, show their military ID. The Getty will let them in for free.
ATTENTION: The only bad news is that the Getty Center will temporarily close to the public for renovations starting March 15, 2027. It is currently expected to reopen in spring 2028, ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
So if you're planning an LA trip before then, don't put the Getty on the "maybe" list. Put it on the itinerary.
Melrose and Rodeo Drive
You don't need a plan here, you just need to go and be in it for a bit. Rodeo Drive is the upscale, look-don't-touch version of LA shopping. Melrose is the opposite — independent shops, more personality, better people-watching. I usually let whoever is visiting pick based on their vibe, but either one is worth an hour or two just to say you've walked it. But some how every female including 7 years old found interest in a store called CHANEL!
Melrose is a different story — you're mostly hunting for street parking, so budget a few extra minutes of circling before you find a spot. And of course no more Quarters, they accept credit cards.
The Grove or The Americana at Brand — Pick One
Both of these outdoor shopping centers have the same basic idea: restaurants, stores, and a fountain show that runs on the hour. Honestly, doing both feels like a waste of a day, since they're similar enough that the second one starts to feel like déjà vu.
I personally like Christmas season because The Grove offers snow days. Every evening, they drop fake snow flakes to make it more like a holiday season. There is no cost to go in, but they charge parking fee. Many people used to go in the Nordstrom to get validation from unattended validating machine, but that's no longer available now. You will have to either purchase goods or pay for the parking.
I really like farmer's market at The Grove. There are variety of food that you can choose from, but out of all, my favorite is finger-licking' Fried Chicken sandwiches at Fritzi Coop. You can get it under $20 and if you are there you must try this. Crispy but tender chicken will get you.
I pick whichever one is closer to where my guests are staying and call it done. I usually go to Grove due to its location and farmer's market. I feel that The Grove has little more vibe than The Americana at Brand. Actually, The Grove is closer to my house, and that's the main reason.
Disneyland — Where I Have to Be Honest With You
Here's the part where I lose some credibility as an Angeleno: I haven't been to Disneyland in years. My own sons, 5 and 7, still haven't gone. It's not that I don't recommend it — I do, constantly, to everyone who visits — it's that between the crowds and what it costs these days, I've kept putting it off for my own family even while sending guests there.
If you're going, my advice is to give it more than one day if you can. I used to buy the 3-day pass and just spread the whole park out over three days, which made the whole thing feel a lot less like a race. If you've only got one day, you need Lightning Lane, full stop. There are three tiers:
Lightning Lane Multi Pass — lets you skip the regular line at multiple rides throughout the day. This is the right call for most families.
Lightning Lane Single Pass — bought separately for the big-ticket rides like Rise of the Resistance or Radiator Springs Racers.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass — the expensive one. One Lightning Lane entry at every eligible ride, no reservations needed.
For most people, Multi Pass hits the right balance of not going broke while still getting to a handful of the rides that are worth the trip.
I got this from their websites. You probably want to do more research before you go.
Universal Studio
When I was in middle school, my mother used to drop me off at the universal Studios with my friend. We had annual passes and basically spent all day at the park. I still remember the Jurassic Park Ride when it first came out. We were thrilled and I still can't forget the first time feeling coming down the ride with water all over me. And believe it or not, it is still there and I want my guests to feel the same heart dropping moment as they come down the slope.
Now, 30 years have passed, and there are new rides that capture many travelers around the world. Super Nintendo World. One of our friends gave us annual passes to Universal Studios Hollywood when my son turned five. Price tag for the passes were nearly $1,000 and we were ready to go every day since Super Nintendo World were just opened. We were all excited to check it out.
It was fun. We even purchased $45 wrist band to do extra things with it. You couldn't even get into the ride if you weren't wearing the power up wrist band. I personally do not think it was necessary, but looking at the price tag, they were making money.
Looking back, five years old was probably a little too young to fully enjoy the park. There was height limitation for many ride and he was scared to see some of the attraction with loud noise.
I used to love Back To The Future ride, but it is replaced with The Simsons ride. They also built Harry Potter ride, which many fans are more than happy to wait on the line to ride.
Most of the ride, you will have to wait at least 30 minutes, but it seems not too long. They presented the waiting line with many entertainment. It would have been felt like 45 minutes without it. One of the best tips is that there is a single person rider lane for you to cut through a long line. If you don't have much time and don't mind split up with your group, go for a single rider lane.
For visitors, though, I definitely recommend it. Ticket price is $110 and if you want to add an express lane pass, you only need to pay $190 for a day. And only covers one person. There’s a good mix of rides and shows for different ages, and if you go on a weekday, it’s usually much less crowded than during the weekend. Of course, compared to Disneyland, there are way less crowd.
If you're visiting LA, I’d definitely put Universal Studios on the list.
Santa Monica Pier
Whenever I think about Santa Monica Pier, I immediately think of Iron Man.
The pier was featured in Iron Man during the early test-flight scenes, so every time I visit, I can't help but picture Tony Stark flying around the area. Unfortunately, you probably won't see Iron Man flying over the Pacific, but if you're lucky, you might catch the trail of a SpaceX rocket disappearing into the sky.
There are plenty of restaurants and shops around the Third Street Promenade, although the shopping mall itself feels almost like a ghost town these days. I wouldn't make the mall the main reason for your visit.
Instead, I'd park in one of the public parking garages. Like several other LA destinations, you can get 90 minutes of free parking, which is plenty of time to walk around and enjoy the area.
And if you have the time, I especially recommend visiting the pier at night.
The lights, the ocean breeze, the sound of the waves, and the view back toward Santa Monica make it a completely different experience from visiting during the day. It's a simple walk, but it's one of those things I think visitors should do at least once.
The pier is also back open after the recent fire, so you can enjoy Santa Monica without dealing with that lingering burnt smell that was around the area after the incident.
For me, Santa Monica Pier isn't just another tourist stop. It's a little bit of beach, a little bit of old-school California, and, in my mind, a little bit of Iron Man.
If you are visiting LA, I'd strongly recommend adding a nighttime walk at Santa Monica Pier to your itinerary.
Stüssy
This is actually a place I learned about from my 15-year-old niece.
She visited me a couple of years ago and wanted to get some T-shirts and hoodie here. I knew the name of the company, but I had no idea it was still this popular with the younger generation.
They open at 11 AM, (12PM on Sundays) and there is always—I mean, always—a line before the store opens. I usually get there around 10:45 AM, find street parking, and get in line. That's pretty much the only way to keep the wait to around 10 minutes once the store opens.
When the store opens, they don't allow everyone to get in at once. They allow 6 to 8 person at a time. The inside interior was simple and smaller than I expected. It was not bigger than 800 square feet. Knowing that the brand is hyped up, I just couldn't understand why they wouldn't move to a bigger store. I guess waiting in line is another trend for shopping these days, which I hate it.
Their clothing design was not complicated. Many most people bought black or white T-shirts with Los Angeles logo on it. The price for T-shirts were between $45 to $50 and the Hoodies were $80 to $130 depending on the design.
Official Website: Stüssy
So, Would I Do It All Again?
Every time. That's the thing about being the local tour guide — you complain about the parking and the crowds and the $10-an-hour lot, and then you do it again for the next person who comes to visit, because watching someone see the Hollywood Sign or stand in the Getty gardens for the first time never really gets old. I just might finally get around to taking my own kids to Disneyland one of these years. Maybe.
If you ever need a personal LA tour guide, you know where to find me!
LET'S GO!
Please check out my LA quick & easy food choices.
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