Solo travel · Los Angeles · United States
Solo travel in Los Angeles
How to enjoy Los Angeles at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: David Zaitz, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
LA can feel spread out on your own, but basing yourself in Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood or Downtown keeps transport simple, and food tours, group hikes and food halls make it easy to meet people. Many solo travellers base themselves in Venice.
Key facts
- Base
- Venice
- Getting around
- Metro
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Language
- English and Spanish
Solo travel tips
- Stay near a Metro rail station to cut rideshare costs.
- Join a food tour or a group hike in Griffith Park to meet other travellers.
- Food halls such as Grand Central Market and counter-service taco stands are easy places to eat alone.
- Avoid walking alone through quiet, poorly lit areas at night, including parts of Downtown and the Venice boardwalk after dark.
- Hike popular trails at busy times, tell someone your route, and carry water and a charged phone.
Where to stay
$$$ · Best for beach, solo travellers and food lovers
Venice
Venice mixes the carnival-like Ocean Front Walk, Muscle Beach and the skate park with residential canals laid out in 1905 and the restaurants and boutiques of Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Accommodation is mostly small hotels and rentals, and Santa Monica's pier and shops are a 30-minute walk or short bike ride north.
- Good
- Beach and boardwalk on the doorstep; Good restaurants on Abbot Kinney; Easy cycling along the beach path
- Watch out
- The boardwalk can feel rough after dark; Few hotels
- Nearby
- Venice Beach Boardwalk, Venice Canals, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Muscle Beach
Great on your own
Landmark · Griffith Park
Griffith Observatory
Parking near the building fills quickly around sunset; the LADOT DASH bus from Los Feliz runs up the hill.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- After dark
- Kids
- Couples
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Street · Hollywood
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.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- After dark
Museum · Brentwood
Getty Center
Visit on a clear afternoon and stay for sunset from the west-facing terraces and the cactus garden.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Views
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Waterfront · Santa Monica
Santa Monica Pier
Rent a bike near the pier and ride the beach path south to Venice, about 3 km along the sand.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Kids
- Views
- After dark
- Free
Museum · Miracle Mile
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.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- After dark
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Architecture · Downtown LA
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Book an LA Phil concert to hear the hall's acoustics; in summer the orchestra moves outdoors to the Hollywood Bowl.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- Iconic
- After dark
Meeting people
- Taco truck crawl — In the evening, trucks and stands set up across East LA, Boyle Heights and South LA. Try al pastor, carne asada and lengua at two or three before choosing a favourite.
- Grand Central Market lunch — Graze across Downtown's historic food hall, from carnitas and pupusas to modern counters, then walk off lunch up Bunker Hill to The Broad.
- Hollywood — Nightclubs, rooftop bars and historic venues such as the Hollywood Palladium near Hollywood and Vine.
- West Hollywood — The Sunset Strip's music clubs, including the Whisky a Go Go and the Roxy, and the LGBTQ+ bars of Santa Monica Boulevard.
Sensible precautions
Car break-ins are common, so never leave bags or valuables visible in a parked car. Some Downtown blocks and parts of Hollywood and Venice can feel unsettled at night, so use rideshare after dark. Respect lifeguard warnings at the beaches, and follow official alerts during wildfires or extreme heat.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Staying connected
- US SIM cards and eSIMs are widely sold; free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, hotels, libraries and malls.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Los Angeles good for solo travellers?
LA can feel spread out on your own, but basing yourself in Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood or Downtown keeps transport simple, and food tours, group hikes and food halls make it easy to meet people.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Los Angeles?
Venice: Boardwalk performers, quiet canals and Abbot Kinney's boutiques.