One day in Los Angeles

Day by day

1. Day 1: Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Sign trails

   Griffith Observatory, Hollywood Sign trails, Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre and Getty Center, then Santa Monica Pier in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Griffith Observatory

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

   2. Late morning

      Hollywood Sign trails

      Hike early in the morning, carry plenty of water and stay on marked trails; there is little shade and rattlesnakes live in the park. Allow 2–4 hours.

   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

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

   5. Late afternoon

      Getty Center

      Visit on a clear afternoon and stay for sunset from the west-facing terraces and the cactus garden. Allow 3–4 hours.

   6. Evening

      Santa Monica Pier

      Rent a bike near the pier and ride the beach path south to Venice, about 3 km along the sand.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Miracle Mile): Come at dusk to see Urban Light switch on, then walk next door to the La Brea Tar Pits.
• Swap in La Brea Tar Pits (Miracle Mile): Walk the park first: the Lake Pit and the outdoor excavation areas are free to see before you decide on a museum ticket.
• Swap in The Broad (Downtown LA): Afterwards, cross Grand Avenue to the Walt Disney Concert Hall and climb to its public rooftop garden.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 10–15 hours of visiting over one day, 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.

Getting between stops: Metro. Metro rail's B Line links Downtown with Hollywood and Universal City, the E Line runs from Downtown to Santa Monica via Exposition Park, the A Line reaches Pasadena and Long Beach, and the D Line serves Koreatown.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Los Angeles
• 3 days in Los Angeles
• 4 days in Los Angeles
• 5 days in Los Angeles
• 7 days in Los Angeles

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