Things to Do in Los Angeles: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
Start with Hollywood and the coast. Day one: the Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory (free), the Walk of Fame and a Beverly Hills celebrity-homes bus tour. Day two: Universal Studios Hollywood, or the Warner Bros. studio tour in Burbank if you prefer real sets to rides. Day three: Santa Monica Pier, a bike ride to Venice Beach and sunset on the sand. With four or more days add a day trip — the Catalina Island ferry, Santa Barbara and the Solvang wine country, or the boulders of Joshua Tree. LA is spread out and traffic is real, so a guided tour or hop-on-hop-off bus saves hours. Hollywood tours start from about $25, Universal tickets from around $110 and the Catalina ferry from $41.
1,137 tours · prices per person, book with partner
All experiences in Los Angeles — FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Los Angeles?
By traveller ratings: 1) the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory, 2) the Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre, 3) a Beverly Hills celebrity-homes tour, 4) Universal Studios Hollywood, 5) the Warner Bros. studio tour, 6) Santa Monica Pier, 7) Venice Beach boardwalk, 8) The Getty Center (free entry), 9) a Downtown food tour around Grand Central Market, and 10) a Catalina Island day trip.
How many days do you need in Los Angeles?
Three days covers the essentials: one for Hollywood and Beverly Hills, one for Universal or a studio tour, one for Santa Monica and Venice. A fourth day is the sweet spot for Catalina Island, Santa Barbara or Joshua Tree. Theme-park families should plan five, adding Disneyland in Anaheim.
What can you do in Los Angeles for free?
Griffith Observatory and its Hollywood Sign views, the Walk of Fame, The Getty Center and Getty Villa (free, parking is paid), the Broad museum, Venice Beach boardwalk, Santa Monica beach, The Grove and the Original Farmers Market, and the Last Bookstore Downtown.
What are the best day trips from Los Angeles?
Catalina Island (1-hour ferry from Long Beach, from $41 for island tours), Santa Barbara and Solvang (2 hours, wine tasting from $83), Joshua Tree National Park (2.5 hours, from $13 self-guided to $192 small-group), Malibu and the Pacific Coast Highway (45 minutes), and Palm Springs (2 hours).
