First time in Los Angeles — what locals actually recommend
If it's your first weekend in Los Angeles, this is the locals' shortlist — the sights worth the queue, the food you can't skip, and the neighbourhood walks that show you the place.
Top spots in Los Angeles
The Getty Center
CultureBrentwood
Free hilltop museum, Richard Meier architecture and ocean views.
Grand Central Market
Food & DrinkDowntown
Century-old food hall — Eggslut, tacos, fresh juice under neon signs.
Griffith Observatory
OutdoorsLos Feliz
Free planetarium with the city's best skyline-and-Hollywood-sign combo.
Runyon Canyon
OutdoorsHollywood
Quick hike with celebrity sightings and the classic LA-basin panorama.
Venice Beach
OutdoorsVenice
Boardwalk performers, Muscle Beach and rollerbladers at sunset.
Where to eat
Republique
$$$French bakery / bistro · Mid-Wilshire
Stunning Charlie Chaplin-era room, all-day pastries to dinner.
Bestia
$$$Italian · Arts District
Pasta and charcuterie in a warehouse — hardest reso in LA.
Guelaguetza
$$Oaxacan · Koreatown
Seven moles and live banda music on weekends.
Howlin' Ray's
$$Hot chicken · Chinatown
Nashville heat in LA — the line is the lifestyle.
n/naka
$$$$Kaiseki · Palms
Niki Nakayama's 13-course modern Japanese tasting.
Frequently asked
- Standouts right now: Griffith Observatory, Venice Beach, The Getty Center. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Los Angeles and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.