A Weekend in Los Angeles: Things to Do, From a Local

If you have a weekend in Los Angeles, plan each day around one part of town: downtown first, then the coast, then Beverly Hills and a waterfall hike before you fly out. I have lived in LA since 2017, and this is how I would spend three days here.

My own weekends here are less about checking things off a list and more about soaking up the city: a slow morning by the ocean, a stroll through the Venice Canals, and ending up at the Santa Monica Pier just because it is there.

The plan at a glance

• Day 1: Downtown LA (Grand Central Market, The Broad, the Bradbury Building, The Last Bookstore)
• Day 2: The coast (Venice Canals, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, sunset in Malibu or Manhattan Beach)
• Day 3: Beverly Hills and a waterfall hike
• Best month to visit: September

Day 1: Things to do in Downtown LA

Downtown is where LA feels like a big city. Start with breakfast at Grand Central Market, then ride Angels Flight, the short funicular across the street, up to Bunker Hill for The Broad and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. General admission to The Broad's collection is free with a timed reservation.

Back down the hill, see the Bradbury Building, an 1893 office building with an iron-and-glass atrium you may recognize from Blade Runner, and The Last Bookstore a few blocks away, where the books are shaped into tunnels and arches. It is easy to lose track of time in there.

For views, the observation deck at Los Angeles City Hall is free on weekdays, so it works if your weekend starts on a Friday. Later, drive up to White Knoll Drive near Echo Park, where I found a view of the downtown skyline over the trees and had to stop for a mini photoshoot.

End the day on Wilshire Boulevard at LACMA to see Urban Light, rows of old streetlamps that light up after dark. LACMA has also hosted free jazz on Friday evenings, so check its calendar. For more downtown spots, see my list of 10 hidden gems of Los Angeles.

Day 2: Venice, Santa Monica and a beach sunset

Start at the Venice Canals, my all-time favorite spot in LA. The paths along the canals are so calm that you forget you are in a big city. I found them by chance, walking to the beach from a free parking spot.

From the canals it is a short walk to Venice Beach and Abbot Kinney Boulevard for coffee, then along the beach path to the Santa Monica Pier. Palisades Park, on the bluff just north of the pier, is a few minutes from the crowds and a good spot for a picnic.

For sunset, head north to Malibu, or south to Manhattan Beach, my top pick for beaches in LA. Walk out on the pier, or stand under it and watch the waves roll through the pilings.

Day 3: Beverly Hills and a waterfall hike

Most visitors go straight to Rodeo Drive. I would rather walk a few streets over to Walden Drive to see the Spadena House, known as the Witch's House. It was built in the 1920s as a film studio office before it became a home, and it is still a private residence, so look from the sidewalk. Then stop at Beverly Gardens Park for the Moreton Bay fig tree, planted between 1910 and 1914.

Then pick a hike. Escondido Falls in Malibu is 3.8 miles out and back with about 400 feet of elevation change. The lower falls are 50 feet tall, and the harder-to-reach upper tier is 150 feet and worth the extra effort. Sturtevant Falls in the San Gabriel Mountains is about 3.5 miles round trip, downhill first and uphill on the way back, with creek crossings and historic cabins along the trail. Parking at Chantry Flat fills up fast, so go early. Both waterfalls are best after rain.

For longer trips out of the city, I rounded up 5 nature getaways from Los Angeles.

Best time to visit Los Angeles

September. The days are warm, the evenings are mild enough for long walks and dinners outside, and after the summer rush there is more room at the beaches and parks.

Getting around

LA is spread out, so plan each day around one area instead of crossing town several times. The Metro works well downtown. The coast and the trailheads are easier by car.

Keep on roaming,

Polina