My LA What to do List

Los Angeles.  The City of Angels.  Busy, busy and even busier than that but a truly beautiful city in a beautiful state. California is one of the sunniest states in the states, almost seasonless with the amount of sun they get year round, this alone makes it an appealing place to visit, not to mention all the things to see…

The obvious first stop on an LA roadtrip is the Hollywood sign.  There are plenty of places to head for a good photo but you can spot it a mile off so take your time admiring the view before stopping off for some insta shots. There’s also the opportunity to hike up and get a real close up look for my adventurers!

The Best Hollywood sign viewing spots:

• Lake Hollywood Park
• Lake Hollywood Reservoir
• Mt Lee Drive
• Griffith Observatory

Another must go-to spot is the Walk of Fame, which is only a 2 mile trip from the Hollywood so a perfect way to kill 2 Hollywood birds with one stone.  Now I must admit, the walk of fame was slightly underwhelming.  Maybe because in my head it would be just like the movies… sun beaming, stars shining, no people, clean streets but it was pretty much the opposite.  It was one of the busiest areas we visited (I should’ve guessed that) so actually stopping to see the stars was practically impossible, the street was pretty regular and dirty, as a pavement usually is, so it didn’t give the movie vibe I was expecting.  However that’s just L.A, so embrace it.  Take your time (even if you slow down the crowd), get some good pictures with your fave celebs’ stars and make the most of one of the most famous streets in the world. 

Next, I recommend The Getty Museum, one that not many people may have heard of.  It’s a museum located in the hills of Los Angeles, full of architecture, gardens and unbelievable views of the whole of LA.  It was a lovely day to get out of the city madness and instead enjoy some sunshine in the gardens and admire the spectacular architecture on show.  It may not be for everyone but for anyone who enjoys that little bit of peace it’s perfect.

Rodeo Drive is the hot spot shopping area for celebs so keep your eyes peeled at all times.  High end shops flood the street and are beautifully designed to be just as aesthetically pleasing as expensive.  The most luxurious cars line the sidewalks and it makes for the most transforming 2 miles in Beverly Hills.  Speaking of, my favourite way to explore Beverly Hills was on an open top bus tour.  This can either be a general LA tour or specifically a famous house tour, taking your around the most well known celebrities homes, both are pretty eye opening to say the least!  The best way to book these is online.. personally I recommend Starline tours for a great celebrity tour but Hollywood City Tours is also a great website with a number of city tour options around LA.

Now onto the beaches… Muscle beach is Santa Monica is brilliant for a lively beach atmosphere and long walks past beautiful houses, skateparks and restaurants.  It’s famous for being the home of bodybuilding, with plenty of gym equipment across the beach where the fittest people choose to practice and show off what they can do, it’s like an episode of Baywatch!  And just a short walk away is the famous Santa Monica Pier, shown in movies constantly for first dates, big parties (Referring to Hannah Montana The Movie here) and frankly just any sunny movie day out.  There’s loads to do, including rides, a ferris wheel and an arcade!

Finally, the one and only Disneyland!  But this one is different… It is the oldest theme park in the world, opened in 1955 by Walt Disney himself as the first Disney theme park located just outside of LA in Anaheim.  It’s small and modern with original Disney Rides and the Walt Disney statue at the entrance.  Although it may look pretty similar to other Disney Parks, it has a whole different feel.  It feels so special and so full of joy, with reminders everywhere that this is where is all began.  As they say, ‘It’s the happiest place on earth’!