Los Angeles: How to Not Waste a Week There

LA rewards visitors who understand its geography and punishes those who don’t. The city covers 1,300 square kilometres, has no centre in the European sense, and operates almost entirely by car. Planning by neighbourhood is essential: Griffith Park and the Eastside are 25 minutes from the Westside on a good morning and 70 minutes at rush hour. If you book a hotel in Santa Monica and have tickets to something in Koreatown, budget the drive time accordingly.

In 2026, LA is hosting FIFA World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium, which means the city’s infrastructure and visibility are both heightened. It’s also worth knowing that several of the January 2025 wildfires significantly affected the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas; if you’re heading to those specific neighbourhoods, check current conditions.

The baseline: LA is genuinely excellent for food, has three world-class museums within 10km of each other, multiple good beaches, and enough interesting neighbourhoods to fill two weeks. It’s not excellent for pedestrians.

What’s Actually Worth Your Time

Getty Center on the hill above Brentwood is free to enter (parking is $25, or take the Metro E Line to Expo/Sepulveda). The Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection is excellent, the Richard Meier architecture is genuinely considered, and the gardens are beautifully planted with views across the basin on clear days. Allow 3 hours. Closed Mondays. It’s considerably less crowded than the collection warrants.

LACMA on Wilshire has a vast permanent collection. The Pavilion for Japanese Art and the South and Southeast Asian collection are particular strengths. The Peter Zumthor replacement building is under construction; check which galleries are accessible.

The Broad in downtown requires timed-entry reservations (book at thebroad.org, usually 1-2 weeks ahead; free). Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Roy Lichtenstein, a solid survey of recent American art. Downtown LA’s surrounding area around Grand Park has improved considerably in recent years.

Griffith Observatory is free. The exhibits are modest; the telescopes and the views over the city basin are the point. The Mt. Hollywood Trail from the observatory’s back offers a 4km loop with views of the Hollywood Sign and the city. Best on clear winter days after rain.

Where to Eat

Jitlada in Thai Town (5233 W Sunset Blvd) specialises in southern Thai cuisine: considerably spicier and more complex than the northern Thai food most restaurants serve. The jungle curry and pork larb are extraordinary. Budget $30-40 per person.

Mariscos Jalisco food truck at 3040 E Olympic Blvd: tacos dorados de camarones (crispy shrimp tacos) made by the same family from the same truck since 2002. Around $4-5 each. Cash only.

Gjusta in Venice (320 Sunset Avenue) has become overrun with people photographing their lattes, which is irritating, but the bread, cured fish, and sandwiches are genuinely excellent. Go at opening (07:00) or after the lunch rush.

Highland Park in East LA has the best independent restaurant scene in the city right now, largely discovered by food writers in the early 2020s and not yet overrun: El Huarache Azteca for huaraches, Hermosillo for natural wine and small plates. Two stops on the Metro A Line from Union Station.

Where to Stay

The Line Hotel in Koreatown is the best-positioned mid-range option for eating. Koreatown runs 24 hours and has the best Korean BBQ in the US ($40-60 per person at Park’s BBQ on Vermont), excellent Korean-Chinese restaurants, and late-night haejangguk stew spots. From around $180 per night.

Ace Hotel Downtown on South Broadway occupies a 1927 Spanish Gothic building, rooms from around $200. The rooftop pool is a good social space.

For budget: hostel options in Hollywood and Silver Lake run $45-65 per night in dorms. Freehand Los Angeles in Koreatown has private rooms from $130.

Getting Around

The Metro covers Union Station, Koreatown, the Westside (E Line to Santa Monica), and Hollywood. For most other things, rideshare or rental car. Parking in residential neighbourhoods is generally straightforward and free. Check traffic before every journey: a 15-minute trip at 10:00 is often 50 minutes at 17:30.