4 days in Los Angeles

Day by day

1. Day 1: Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Sign trails

   Griffith Observatory, Hollywood Sign trails and Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre, then Hollywood Bowl in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Griffith Observatory

      Allow 2–3 hours (free). Parking near the building fills quickly around sunset; the LADOT DASH bus from Los Feliz runs up the hill.

   2. Late morning

      Hollywood Sign trails

      You cannot reach the letters themselves, but trails such as the Mount Hollywood Trail from the observatory and the Brush Canyon Trail give close views of the sign and panoramas across the basin.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tacos al pastor

      Taco trucks across East LA, Boyle Heights and South LA, many parked in the same spot every evening.

   4. Afternoon

      Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre

      Allow 1–2 hours (free). Look up a favourite star's location in the Walk of Fame's online directory first; the stars stretch for more than 2 km.

   5. Evening

      Hollywood Bowl

      Bring a picnic and arrive early to eat in the grounds; park-and-ride shuttles avoid the slow exit from the stacked parking.

2. Day 2: Getty Center and Santa Monica Pier

   Getty Center, Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach Boardwalk and canals, then Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Getty Center

      A driverless tram climbs from the car park at the foot of the hill, and the terraces look out over the city to the Pacific. Admission is free; parking is charged.

   2. Late morning

      Santa Monica Pier

      Allow 2 hours (free). Rent a bike near the pier and ride the beach path south to Venice, about 3 km along the sand.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: French dip sandwich

      Philippe the Original, near Union Station and Olvera Street.

   4. Afternoon

      Venice Beach Boardwalk and canals

      A few blocks inland, the Venice Canals are a quiet grid of footbridges and gardens, all that remains of Abbot Kinney's 1905 plan to recreate Venice in California.

   5. Evening

      Los Angeles County Museum of Art

      Come at dusk to see Urban Light switch on, then walk next door to the La Brea Tar Pits.

3. Day 3: La Brea Tar Pits and Petersen Automotive Museum

   La Brea Tar Pits, Petersen Automotive Museum and Walt Disney Concert Hall, then Hollywood in the evening.

   1. Morning

      La Brea Tar Pits

      Allow 2 hours (low cost). Walk the park first: the Lake Pit and the outdoor excavation areas are free to see before you decide on a museum ticket.

   2. Late morning

      Petersen Automotive Museum

      Wrapped in a red-and-steel ribbon facade on Wilshire Boulevard, the Petersen tells the story of car culture in a city built around the automobile, with Hollywood film cars, hot rods and supercars across three floors.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Korean barbecue

      Koreatown, along Western Avenue and Wilshire and Olympic Boulevards.

   4. Afternoon

      Walt Disney Concert Hall

      Allow 1 hour (free). Book an LA Phil concert to hear the hall's acoustics; in summer the orchestra moves outdoors to the Hollywood Bowl.

   5. Evening

      Hollywood

      Nightclubs, rooftop bars and historic venues such as the Hollywood Palladium near Hollywood and Vine.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Disneyland Resort

   About 45–90 minutes by car each way. Getting there: Car, rideshare or train to Anaheim.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Disneyland Resort

      About 45–90 minutes by car (Car, rideshare or train to Anaheim); about 45 km.

   2. Day

      Disneyland Resort

      The original Disney park, opened by Walt Disney in 1955, sits beside Disney California Adventure in Anaheim. One park fills a day with children and two days cover both; Sleeping Beauty Castle, Main Street U.S.A. and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge are the highlights.

   3. Evening

      Back in Los Angeles

      Dinner: try Double-Double burger.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Hollywood Bowl before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Santa Monica keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Hollywood ($$) suits first-timers, budget and nightlife. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 23–31 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in December to 14.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Los Angeles
• 2 days in Los Angeles
• 3 days in Los Angeles
• 5 days in Los Angeles
• 7 days in Los Angeles

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