Ready-made trips · United States
Los Angeles in 5 days
Hollywood, Venice Beach, Downtown LA, a first evening in Santa Monica and a last morning on Museum Row.
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- Length
- 5 days
- Best time
- March to June, September to November
- Pace
- Moderate
- Day trips
- None, all in the city
Five days in Los Angeles: Venice; Downtown LA; Hollywood. Each full day is one our team has planned, to be walked in order around usual opening hours, with lunch and dinner suggestions close to the stops.
Day by day
1First Evening in Santa MonicaArrival
- When you arriveSanta Monica PierBeachfront amusement.Tip: A genuinely classic California pier with an amusement park — good for sunset given its ocean-facing position.
Lunch nearby: The Lobster
Dinner: The Lobster
2Venice
- MorningAbbot Kinney BoulevardVenice’s street of boutiques, cafés and restaurants.Tip: Gjelina and Salt & Straw ice cream are the Abbot Kinney classics.
- AfternoonVenice CanalsQuiet residential canals of footbridges and gardens, a block from the boardwalk.Tip: Walk the canals early, when the light is soft and the ducks are out.
- EveningVenice BeachBoardwalk & skate park.Tip: Known for its genuinely eclectic boardwalk scene — a good, offbeat contrast to LA's more polished beach areas like Santa Monica.
Lunch nearby: Gjelina or Salt & Straw Abbot Kinney
Dinner: Gjelina or Salt & Straw Abbot Kinney
3Downtown LA
- MorningOlvera StreetThe Mexican marketplace at the birthplace of Los Angeles.Tip: Try taquitos at Cielito Lindo, serving them since 1934.
- AfternoonGrand Central MarketA century-old food hall in Downtown, from Thai to pupusas to egg sandwiches.Tip: Eggslut’s queue moves fast; Sticky Rice and Wexler’s are the locals’ picks.
- If you have timeThe BroadContemporary art.Tip: Entry is free with a timed reservation; book the Infinity Mirror Room slot when you arrive.
Lunch nearby: Wexler's Deli or Eggslut
Dinner: Fugetsu-Do or Daikokuya Ramen
4Hollywood
- MorningRunyon CanyonHiking trails.Tip: A popular hiking trail offering genuinely good views over LA — known for celebrity sightings given its popularity as a workout spot.
- AfternoonTCL Chinese TheatreGrauman’s 1927 movie palace, with the stars’ handprints in its forecourt.Tip: Find Marilyn Monroe’s and Harrison Ford’s handprints in the concrete.
- EveningGriffith ObservatoryCity & space exhibits.Tip: Come for sunset and stay after dark for the city lights and the free telescopes; the Hollywood Sign view is from the terrace.
Lunch nearby: Musso & Frank Grill or In-N-Out Hollywood
Dinner: Ray's and Stark Bar or Fanny's
5A Last Morning on Museum RowLast morning
- Before you leaveLa Brea Tar PitsIce Age fossils.Tip: A genuinely active paleontological site right in the city, where prehistoric fossils are still being excavated from natural asphalt seeps.
Lunch nearby: Ray's and Stark Bar or Fanny's
Dinner: Ray's and Stark Bar or Fanny's
Where to stay
Santa Monica
The beach city by the pier, with the Metro to Downtown.
Metro E line to Downtown LA; buses and bikes along the beach path.
West Hollywood
The Sunset Strip, Melrose and some of LA’s best restaurants.
Buses and ride-hail; no Metro rail.
Hollywood
The Walk of Fame, the theatres and easy access to Griffith Park.
Metro B line to Downtown and Universal City.
Everything in the plan is ready to book
The full plan has a map of each day, directions between stops, opening hours, restaurant choices, hotels in these areas and tickets, tours and trains linked to book with the provider you choose.
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