Everyone’s heard of Los Angeles, which means you probably have some preconceived notions already. What do you picture? Movie sets? Palm trees? Sunshine? Traffic? 

Well… you’re not wrong, LA is all those things. But it’s also big. Like really big. There’s a lot more than the movies show, and seeing it all in a single trip is impossible. 

Luckily, there’s an army of Jack's Flight Club Navigators (including some former LA residents!) working around the clock to bring you the best tips and real-world info available. Rather than making you run a million Google searches, dig through a million blogs, and watch another million videos, we’ve done all that for you, a million times over! 

The result of all that work? This handy little guide with everything you need to know for a visit to the City of Angels, including sections on day trips, Hollywood, theme parks, getting around the city, and so much more.

Note: We’re not affiliated with any of the outside links we use here — we recommend the sources we think are the best, not the highest bidders. You’re getting our honest opinions, nothing more, nothing less.

So without further ado, here’s your no-BS guide to visiting one of the biggest (and most daunting) cities in the US: Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

• Things to Know Before You Go
• How to Get There
• Getting Around Town
• What to Eat
• Things to Do Around Town
• Day Trips from Los Angeles
• Events in Los Angeles
• Recommended Resources

Things to Know Before You Go

Visas

Whether you need a visa to enter the United States depends on your country of citizenship. Visitors from Canada only need a passport for visits up to six months. If you’re coming from the UK, most of the EU, or anywhere else that qualifies for the Visa Waiver Program, you can skip the visa and fill out an ESTA. 

The state of California and the city of Los Angeles have no local requirements for entry.

Visit the US State Department website for more information.

What to Bring

Los Angeles has warm, sunny weather year-round, so you’ll want to pack lightweight clothes, sunglasses, and plenty of sunscreen. It never gets that cold, but the temperature does drop a bit in the evenings, so layers will definitely be your friend. If you’re planning on hiking (and you should plan on hiking), bring comfortable shoes and a hat to keep the sun off your face. You won’t find much natural shade in the desert.

You might want to bring a swimsuit, although a word of warning — the Pacific Ocean can be surprisingly cold if you’re used to warmer shores, even in sunny SoCal.

If you forget anything important, you can likely find a replacement at any big box store like Walmart and Target.

Internet and Cell Service

Wi-Fi is abundant in the city and can be used at most cafés and restaurants. It’s also the norm for all hotels, so remote workers should have no trouble finding their oasis.

SIM cards and eSIMS are also widely available. This site has everything you need to know about getting hooked up with mobile data.

Travel Style

Los Angeles is big and varied enough to satisfy most travel goals. Family trip to Disney? Couple’s vacation by the beach? Wellness retreat at a top-tier spa? Fulfilling childhood dreams of movie sets and shooting locations? You can do it all within a week!

While it’s not the most budget-friendly city, you don’t need to go all out with Beverly Hills luxury either… although it’s always an option! Grab a hostel in hippie-friendly Venice for under $40 a night, or blow your savings on the $1000+ per night Ritzes and Waldorfs — we won’t tell you how to spend your money.

What you won’t find within the city itself is any real wilderness for a nature escape — but you can skip town for a day trip just a short drive away.

Safety

Like any major city, LA has both safe and unsafe areas. Generally speaking, if you’re there to see the major attractions and wander the most famous neighborhoods, you’ll be pretty safe. Just follow the typical city advice (i.e., keep your wits about you and look out for pickpocketing) and if you drive, make sure all your possessions are hidden out of sight when you’re parked. 

This article breaks it all down nicely, with some general safety tips and the best neighborhoods to stay in.

It’s also one of the safest cities in the country for LGBTQ+ folks and minorities. While every city has problems, the diversity of Los Angeles makes it safer for everyone. We’ve found Reddit to be a good way of hearing what it’s like on the ground there for locals, like this thread here.

Solo female travelers should feel pretty safe too. You can expect the usual dangers that come with city travel, but there are so many women out alone that you’re unlikely to draw much attention.

DIY-ability

Since LA has everything you could possibly need at your fingertips, it’s an easy place to plan your own trip. Just pick a neighborhood as your home base, and a primary mode of travel (rental car, metro, etc.), and you’ll be on your way.

The only exception is if you can’t or don’t want to drive, but still really want to stretch out and explore the area outside the city. In that case, you’ll likely need to book a tour to cover the whole area.

Seasonality

You won’t have to worry too much about this one! LA really doesn’t have seasons. It can get a little sweaty in the summer (think mid-80s F/around 30 C) and there’s occasional rain, but that’s about it. Even in the dead of night, in the middle of winter, temps rarely drop below 40 F/ 4.5 C.

One concern is the crowds — since weather’s not an issue, tourist season follows the holidays. Summer vacation and the winter holiday season are the busiest, especially at the theme parks and other major attractions. And if the beach is what drew you to LA, you might have to brave the summer crowds on the sunniest days. 

The other main concern is fire. Officially, fire season is June-October, but they can happen at any time of year. However, it's not likely to ruin your trip. The January 2025 fires were an unusually catastrophic event for LA. Most fires occur far from tourism areas and are quickly controlled by the fire department. Nonetheless, they can affect air quality and traffic, and major firestorms are always possible. 

For visits during late summer or fall, we’d recommend booking accommodations with free cancellation, and making sure you have comprehensive travel insurance.

How To Get There

The vast majority of international flights to and from Los Angeles go through LAX, so you’ll likely be landing there. If you’re coming from Canada or Mexico, there’s a chance you’ll be landing in John Wayne Airport (SNA) instead, over in Orange County.

Most domestic flights also land in LAX, but a handful go through Hollywood Burbank (BUR) and Long Beach Airport (LGB) as well. It doesn’t make a huge difference where you land, though — all of these airports are within an hour’s drive of one another and close enough to the busiest tourist areas.

Here’s what to expect from airfare to Los Angeles:

From within the USA

• Expected average price range: $100-$250 RT
• How many cheap flight alerts we’d expect in a year: 8-10

From Canada

• Expected average price range: $300-$500 RT
• How many cheap flight alerts we’d expect in a year: 6-8

From the UK

• Expected average price range: £350-£550 RT
• How many cheap flight alerts we’d expect in a year: 5-6

From Europe

• Expected average price range: €500-€700 RT
• How many cheap flight alerts we’d expect in a year: 5-6

Pro-Tip: There aren’t a ton of train routes serving Los Angeles, but if you’re coming from elsewhere in SoCal, then the Surfliner is a solid option. You can also take a Greyhound bus from most cities in the US, although it won’t be much cheaper than a domestic flight and take far longer.

Getting Around Town

Walking isn’t good for much in Los Angeles besides exploring individual neighborhoods — it’s a sprawling city, where most of the sights are very far apart. Here are your options for getting around town:

Public Transit

Despite being heavily car-centric, LA actually has a decent public transit system (by American standards) that can save you a lot of money and headaches. It’s a great option if you just want to get a neighborhood or two over.

The two main services are the bus and the metro rail. Here’s a super detailed map of all the routes. Both buses and trains cost $1.75 per ride and include two hours of free transfers. Your payment options are cash, Apple Pay, a metro (TAP) card, or the TAP app. 

We usually find the TAP cards to be the most convenient if you don’t have an iPhone. These are prepaid metro cards that you can purchase from vending machines across the city, or at a TAP vending location. The card itself is $2, and you can load it with more money for fares.

Driving

While transit can get you across town, a car is still the best way to cover long distances or take day trips. 

A few words of caution before you put down that car rental deposit: driving in LA can be… intense. Traffic is frequently miserable, and rush hour often lasts from 2pm all the way to 8pm on weekdays. It also involves a lot of freeway driving, difficult/expensive parking, and road rage. If you’re not used to driving very much, you probably won’t enjoy LA’s roads.

Another word of warning: since the traffic is so lousy, we recommend leaving plenty of extra travel time when you’re making plans. A 15-mile drive could take you anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours, depending on the time of day.

You’ll have numerous options for car rental agencies. Prices vary greatly depending on dates and location, but anything from $75-$150 per day is common. Note that the minimum age limit for US car rentals is 25 as standard, but most places will let you rent at 21 if you pay a higher premium. It’s also common for agencies to solely accept credit cards (not debit).

Rideshare, Taxi, and eBikes

Rideshare apps (e.g., Uber and Lyft) are usually cheaper than taxis in LA, but both options are readily available. 

For shorter journeys, you might want to consider an ebike or escooter. These can be found scattered around the city, and you can grab any vehicle off the street by using the app associated with that brand. Note that these services require a valid driver’s license. 

What to Eat

You can get any food in the world somewhere in Los Angeles, but there are a few cuisines the area is known for:

• Mexican - There’s so much Mexican food in LA that you can find every region represented. Here are a few local recs, with La Casita Mexicana and Guelaguetza coming up regularly. If it’s tacos you’re after, you can get a good taste test with Angel’s Taco Crawl.
• Korean - LA’s Koreatown is obviously a hotbed for Korean food, especially KBBQ. You’ve got dozens of options, but Park’s BBQ and the BTS-approved Aghassi Gopchang are frequent faves.
• Vegetarian/Vegan - Plant-based food is also a big cultural staple in LA. You can find a vegetarian or vegan version of basically anything, making it a true veggie-lover’s paradise. And be sure to try a locally beloved staple — smoothie bowls!
• In n’ Out - California’s most iconic fast food chain draws a lot of tourists who expect it to blow their minds, but that’s just not the point. If you want fast food that’s cheaper than McDonald’s and ten times better, go to In n’ Out. If you want to shell out for a genuine top-notch burger, check out one of the thousands of independent burger joints in town.

Things to Do Around Town

Explore Hollywood

LA's most storied neighborhood is a pretty popular jumping-off point, so we'll start there! Here's a few things to do in Tinseltown:

See a Movie

The bar is high for movie theaters in Los Angeles, and these are the best of the best. We’re talking classic films, director Q&As, and ruthless ushers — be prepared to get kicked out if you check your phone during the movie! We’re also talking real film projectors for that warm color and gorgeous grainy texture, so unless noted otherwise, assume these screenings are all 35mm or 70mm film prints.

• New Beverly Cinema - The New Beverly is a little cramped and there’s only one screen, but the vintage posters and memorabilia on the walls send a clear message: this place is by movie nerds, for movie nerds. It should come as no surprise, then, that the theater is owned by Quentin Tarantino, the biggest nerd in Hollywood. Check out the schedule here.
• Vista Theater Hollywood - Although it shares an owner with the New Beverly, the Vista has a more elegant atmosphere (and more legroom!). Keep an eye on the schedule for Q&As with your favorite directors or check out the summer-only Video Archives Cinema Club, 20-person micro screenings of cheesy old genre films on VHS and 16mm.
• Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre - The Egyptian is a piece of bona fide film history — it hosted the very first Hollywood movie premiere way back in 1922. If you happen to visit during one of their rare nitrate film festivals, try to score a ticket — this theater is one of only five on the planet that can still play nitrate-treated film reels from before the 1950s.

Tour a Studio

If you’ve ever wanted to see how entertainment sausage is made, a studio tour is a great way to take a peek behind the curtain. Here’s a rundown of the most popular tours, covering Universal, Warner Brothers, Paramount, and Sony Pictures.

Filming Locations

You don’t have to take a studio tour to step into the world of your favorite movies. Hollywood productions film scenes literally all over the city, so you can easily track down the shooting locations that interest you the most. This guide will get you started, although it’s just scratching the surface.

Check Out Some City Parks

There are over 600 city parks in Los Angeles, but we’ve narrowed that list down to a few of our favorites:

• Griffith Park - Home to the famous Griffith Observatory, Griffith Park is a little slice of wilderness in the heart of the Hollywood Hills. We could spend five pages just going over all the museums, hiking trails, and IG-worthy vistas in the park, but this guide covers it all pretty well.

• Barnsdall Art Park - Barnsdall looks like your typical city park—green grass & shady trees— but the real attraction is the park’s connection to LA’s artistic community. There are a variety of gallery spaces, including the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, artist studios, a theater, and one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s earliest LA buildings. Check their website for a schedule of the park’s famous summer wine tastings.
• Echo Park Lake - Once a municipal reservoir, Echo Park Lake has been transformed into a gorgeous public park, with lotus flowers and palm trees set against a backdrop of the downtown LA skyline. For $13 an hour, you can rent a swan boat and get out on the lake itself.

Go Shopping

Shopping is practically a way of life in Los Angeles, and you know what they say — when in Los Angeles, do as the Angelenos do. You may already have heard of Rodeo Drive, where the movie stars and other millionaires shop, but here are a few spots we’d recommend that aren’t quite as pricey:

• Jet Rag - If you love thrifting, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Stop by on Sundays to take advantage of their weekly sale (everything for a dollar!) but be prepared to battle it out with a ton of other deal hunters.
• Melrose Ave - Melrose Ave isn’t quite as hip as it used to be, but it’s still an eclectic shopping stop with some of the best stores in the city. Check out this guide for some tips on where to visit, or just start at the Santa Monica Boulevard cross-street and walk west on Melrose.
• The Citadel - You might have seen outlet malls before, but never like this. Over 130 stores selling directly from manufacturers like Kate Spade and Armani, a full-service hotel, and a massive facade complete with battlements, all just a half-hour’s drive away from Disneyland.
• The Grove - Right in the heart of old Hollywood, the Grove is LA’s over-the-top version of an outdoor mall. The regular stores are great, but make sure you check out the Original Farmer’s Market, take a ride on the antique trolley, and snap a pic in front of the Dancing Fountain too.

Visit a Theme Park

If you’re visiting SoCal (especially with kids), you’ll most likely be spending at least one day at a theme park! Here’s what you need to know about each of them: 

Disneyland

The iconic park is located in Anaheim, around an hour from downtown LA. Its sister park, California Adventure, is right next door but requires a separate ticket (or park-hopper passes). It’s no secret that this place is pricey. Single day, single park passes range from $104-$194. And that’s just the entry fee — it doesn’t end there.

If those admission fees break your bank, you can get a small taste of Disney magic by wandering around Downtown Disney for free instead.

Universal Studios

Prices at this Hollywood Hills park rival Disneyland, ranging from $109-$154 for a one-day pass. They have a fantastic backlot tour, but if it’s film history that brought you to Hollywood, you’re probably better off booking a tour at one of the major studios for less. That said, Universal definitely has major appeal to the little ones with Minion Land, and the Wizarding World is on plenty of bucket lists. 

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Rollercoaster enthusiasts need look no further! Thrill riders are pretty much guaranteed to walk away from Magic Mountain satisfied, but be forewarned that the park doesn’t offer much besides adrenaline. If you have a family member who can’t ride coasters, you might want to pick a different park.

Tickets here are much cheaper, at $49 a pop. It’s all the way in Valencia (about 90 minutes from downtown) so it’s a bit of a drive.

Knott’s Berry Farm

While it’s certainly not the largest or most famous of SoCal’s attractions, Knott’s is the most local — what started as a family-owned farm is now a kid-friendly, California-themed park.  A one-day pass is $60, and attractions include a model ghost town, a Mexican village, Camp Snoopy, and a horse stable. While the key demographic definitely skews young, there’s some solid thrill rides to keep the teens happy too.

Smaller Parks

Those aren’t your only options! The LA area is also dotted with carnival-sized attractions. Santa Monica Pier is easily the most famous, but there’s also Adventure City and El Dorado’s Frontier Park.

Head further south to San Diego County, and you can visit Legoland, SeaWorld, or the Zoo.

Check Out Some Museums

LA has too many museums to count, so we’ve broken them down into a few categories to give you the highlights. Forgive us if we fail to mention your fave — there are well over a hundred museums in the area.

Art Museums

There are dozens of smaller galleries around town, but these are the three big art museums:

• LACMA - the Los Angeles Contemporary Art Museum in La Brea houses works by Picasso, Matisse, Rivera, and more.
• The Getty/Getty Villa - The Getty is in Brentwood and features centuries of European art, including Van Gogh’s Irises. The Getty Villa is over by Malibu and houses Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art. Both have free admission.

• The Broad - Another large contemporary art museum downtown, this one featuring works by Koons, Warhol, and Basquiat.

Science Museums

If your interests run more towards the scientific, we’ve got you covered there too:

• The Natural History Museum - often just called the Nat, this museum south of downtown is the largest of its kind in the western United States.
• La Brea Tar Pits - these Ice Age tar pits are free to view in Hancock Park, and you can visit the accompanying museum to learn more about them. Located right next to LACMA.
• Griffith Observatory - an icon of the city, perhaps most famous for appearing in films, but it’s also a pretty neat astronomy museum with telescopes that visitors can peek through.
• California Science Center - free to enter and aimed at kids, this spot has exhibits on fire safety, space travel, ecosystems, and more. Located right next to the Nat.
• Aquarium of the Pacific - not technically a museum and not technically in LA, but this Orange County aquarium is massive and not to be missed.

Pop Culture Museums

If there’s one thing LA does right, it’s entertainment, so it’s no shocker that two of the best pop culture museums in the country are right here.

• Grammy Museum - downtown space packed with memorabilia, costumes, and interactive exhibits related both to the Grammys and past winners. 
• Academy Museum - where you can find film props, behind-the-scenes footage, red carpet gowns, and exhibits on the history of cinema. Located right next to LACMA and La Brea.

You’ll also find plenty of Hollywood kitsch along the Walk of Fame, in places like the Wax Museum, Madame Tussauds (another wax museum), and the Hollywood Museum. These are as tacky and touristy as it gets, but if you’re willing to cough up the inflated admission fees, they’re a goofy way to kill time and get some fun pics. 

Museums of History and Culture

Los Angeles has a complex and multicultural history, and plenty of places to learn about it. Here’s a small sampling:

• Autry Museum of the American West - contains Indigenousart and history, cowboy artifacts, and information about life on the frontier. Located near the zoo in Griffith Park.
• California African American Museum - this space off MLK Boulevard covers history and art of the Black diaspora, with an emphasis on California. 
• Skirball Cultural Center - Jewish heritage and artifacts dating from the Bible all the way to more recent pop culture like Star Trek. Located in the hills, right by Mulholland.

Hit Up the Beaches

No trip to Southern California is complete without a beach day, and you’ve got a lot of options in the LA area:

Venice & Santa Monica

The boardwalk in between these beaches makes them perfect for a 2-in-1 trip. The main attractions here are shopping and sightseeing — while there is a long stretch of good beach, it’s usually packed. So don’t go for the beach; go to soak up the (very stereotypically Californian) vibes!

Venice Beach tends to lean more towards the hippie, boho side, with lots of street art, vendors, and skaters. Santa Monica has the amusement park on the pier, but it’s otherwise a little more upscale, with plenty of fancy hotels and restaurants.

Malibu

Despite its Barbie-dreamhouse fame, Malibu is a lot quieter and more secluded than other LA beaches. It’s a bit of a drive from the city and lacks the “beach town” atmosphere of other spots.

If you want to actually swim, surf, or otherwise relax at the beach, it could be worth the drive.

Here’s a detailed summary about some of the 36 beaches in Malibu. The highlights? El Matador and Leo Carillo for natural beauty, and Surfrider for (what else?) surfing.

South Bay

We think this is the go-to spot for beaches in LA. It’s just popping enough that there’s plenty to do, but not so full & touristy that you can’t find any peace. Redondo, Manhattan, Torrance & Hermosa Beach all have nice oceanfront spaces with restaurants, shops, beach clubs and piers. 

You could also rent a bicycle from any shop on the water and ride up the Strand, one of the country’s most scenic bike rides. Don’t worry, it’s all flat, and you can usually rent an e-bike too.

Day Trips from Los Angeles

When you're ready to leave the city, you have plenty of options to choose!

National & State Parks

As great as LA’s city parks are, the 100+ state and national parks scattered across SoCal are even better. Here are a few of our faves to get you started — and don’t forget to bring plenty of water and sunscreen, especially if you’re visiting in the summer!

• Joshua Tree National Park - Joshua Tree is the perfect introduction to the wild SoCal deserts. The hiking trails are easy, the landscape is quietly picturesque, and the night sky is ideal for stargazing. It’s about 3–4 hours away from LA, but the drive out is pretty scenic in its own right.
• Death Valley National Park - Infamously the hottest place on Earth, Death Valley is not for the faint of heart. However, if you time your visit right, you’ll see the desert landscape  transformed by massive fields of colorful wildflowers, making it well worth the 3–4-hour drive from Los Angeles.
• Red Rock Canyon State Park - This state park offers plenty of trails with great views of the desert cliffs, buttes, and canyons that are so iconic to the American Southwest. Best of all, it’s only 2 hours away from downtown LA, so you’ll be back in time for dinner.

Ghost Towns

The American West is covered in abandoned trading posts and mining towns, many of which are open for the public to explore. Here are a few haunted highlights within driving distance of Los Angeles:

• Amboy - This town was once a thriving stop on historic Route 66, but only the gas station attached to Roy’s Motel and Café is still open these days. If you don’t mind a 4-hour drive, the remnants of its mid-century Googie architecture make it worth a visit.
• Silver City  - Silver City is more of an architectural cemetery than anything else. The 20-plus historic buildings on display here are kept in a state of “arrested decay,” giving visitors a historical window into the Sierra Nevada during the final days of the gold rush.
• Mentryville - Tucked away in the hills of Santa Clarita, Mentryville was once a booming Old West oil town. Local legends claim that founder Charles Mentry’s ghost still haunts the Mentry mansion to this day, although the town remains a popular filming location for Hollywood productions.

Route 1/Pacific Coast Highway

The Pacific Coast Highway, or the PCH as locals call it, is easily the most beautiful highway in California, winding along the Pacific coastline for almost the full length of the state. This guide covers the highlights pretty nicely, including some stops closer to LA.

San Diego

San Diego is only a 2 or 3-hour drive from LA. If you prefer public transportation, take the Pacific Surfliner train from Union Station to Santa Fe Depot or Old Town (3 hours), and then take the bus or trolley around the city.

San Diego has a ton of stuff to see, but if you only have one day there, head straight for the zoo!

The San Diego Zoo is not your typical menagerie. It’s absolutely massive, housing over 12,000 animals, and constantly graces lists of the best zoos in the world. It’s also just a beautiful place to walk around, so definitely plan to spend most of your day there.

The zoo is located in Balboa Park, the museum quarter of the city. Highlights include a botanical garden, the iconic California Tower, and a ton of old Spanish-style architecture. 

And before you leave the area, stop for a smoothie from Señor Mango’s!

Events in Los Angeles

There are more events than we can count happening daily in LA, but here are a few of the biggest ones:

• Tournament of Roses Parade (January 1st) - This iconic parade of flower-covered floats takes place in Pasadena (the north end of the county) to celebrate New Year’s Day. It’s pretty hectic to get a seat and see it in person, but the official website is packed with tips.
• The Academy Awards (late winter) - You can’t attend the Oscars unless you’re famous, but you can fight for a spot overlooking the red carpet for some star-gazing. It’s run on a lottery system though, so unless you’re one of the chosen 700, you’ll probably just want to avoid Hollywood that day.
• Coachella (April) - While the famous music festival is technically in Indio (about three hours from the city), ‘chella is massive for Los Angeles. Tickets are in high demand for this one, but you can usually join the waitlist if you miss out.
• Film Festivals (year-round) - Unsurprisingly, there are film festivals happening almost constantly here. LA Film Festivals has a good array of options for any genre. As for our favorites — Screamfest is the most significant horror festival, AFI is one of the most prestigious in the country, and LA Shorts is where Oscar-winning short films often premiere.
• Sports (year-round) - There’s always a game on! Some of the most iconic teams in the US play in Los Angeles. Here are the seasons for the major leagues:
  
  • Baseball (Dodgers, Angels) - late March/early April to late October
  • Football (Rams, Chargers) - September to February
  • Basketball (Lakers, Clippers, Sparks) - October to June for the NBA, May-October for the WNBA
  • Hockey (Kings, Ducks) - October to June

Regular season tickets aren’t usually too tricky to get, but definitely book in advance if you can. Big names like LeBron James and Shohei Ohtani can make LA sports tickets cost more than they might in other cities.

If none of these events sound like something you’re into, check out the calendar for even more.

Recommended Resources

• LA Tourism Board
• r/AskLosAngeles
• Visit California - LA County Guide
• Capture the Atlas - Maps of Los Angeles