Los Angeles

Swallow your preconceived notions with a shot of wheatgrass: Los Angeles is a cocktail of culture. Sure, there are the over-the-top poolside parties, but the real L.A. is a diverse blend of characters that drive pop culture, inspire counterculture, and embrace all ethnicities. Nestled between the mountains, the desert, and the sea, L.A. beckons locals and travelers alike to engage in an active and healthy lifestyle. Avocado is always on the menu, a yoga class is always about to start, and a celebrity sighting is just around the corner. But truly the best way to learn is to listen: Getting to know L.A. can take years, so insider knowledge is invaluable.

A view of a person at sunset biking down a ramp towards a road just to the left of the ramp in Los Angeles, California. A the beach is to the left of the road, with houses and palm trees in between the road and ocean. Hazy mountains are in the background.

Courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Overview

When’s the best time to go to Los Angeles?

Los Angeles has a moderate temperature year-round, so any time is a good time to visit. If you’re looking for warm nights, wait until August or September, because “June Gloom” delays the start of summer with overcast skies. L.A. may not experience much seasonal change, but the temperatures can fluctuate over the course of each day—so be prepared to bring some light layers just in case things do cool down.

How to get around Los Angeles

If possible, drive into Los Angeles for convenient transportation. Otherwise, fly into LAX and rent a car—cabs are pricey, and fares add up quickly. In sprawling L.A., a car is essential, so use Waze for quicker routes to dodge traffic jams. For alternatives, try Uber or Lyft to avoid cab hassles. While L.A. is car-centric, some neighborhoods are walkable and bike-friendly, offering a break from the city’s traffic. Public transit is improving, but check routes ahead of time, as locals may not know the best connections.

Local travel tips for Los Angeles

Avoid the crowded center. The best and freshest parts of L.A. are on the fringes: Venice, Santa Monica, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and Echo Park. Exceptions may be made for unique spots in other neighborhoods like West Hollywood, Downtown, and Culver City, but for those who like to wander and discover, the border neighborhoods are your best bets. Start the week off right with free concerts on Mondays at Hollywood’s Bardot. Or, head to popular east side music venues like the Satellite, which hosts monthly residency nights for the indie elite.

Guide Editor

READ BEFORE YOU GO
HOTELS
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RESOURCES TO HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP
Los Angeles isn’t known for its sports pride, but if there’s one team Angelenos will rep without question, it’s the Dodgers. Just take a trip to Dodger Stadium and you’ll feel the energy—then, you’ll understand why it’s an L.A. experience that’s not to be missed. Plus, Dodger Stadium isn’t most ballparks. It has its own zip code, seats more people than any other baseball stadium, and is one of the most Instagrammed places on the planet, for starters. There’s also a hidden Japanese garden tucked behind Parking Lot 6, the stadium’s signature grilled Dodger Dogs, and, of course, hundreds of die-hard fans that span the broad spectrum of L.A. residents.
Located inside the rectory building of the former St. Vibiana’s Cathedral, Redbird pays homage to its historical walls by keeping decor simple and minimal. The patio outside was practically built for brunch, which features an impressively deep set of cocktail options alongside frittatas and ricotta-blueberry pancakes. The real draw of the place, though, is its fabulous dinner menu, which offers American-inspired dishes like California sea bass, Day Boat Scallops, and a thyme-heavy chicken potpie. The wine list is extensive when it comes to both bottles and sips by the glass, so follow your server’s lead when it comes to picking the perfect one for your meal.
The largely French-inspired menu at Republique has more than a few surprises on it, like the generous selection of oysters and kanpachi crudo in Thai green curry and peanuts. The high ceilings, walls of windows, and loads of natural light make the atmosphere ideal, as the omnipresent line outside suggests. The grilled octopus salad—made with cabbage, Santa Barbara pistachios, chile, citrus, and lime—is a must. Brunch, however, is the real draw. The brioche French toast is doused in Vermont maple syrup; pupusas come with Oaxacan cheese, avocado, a fried egg, and roasted poblano; and the kimchi fried rice is dished up with beef short ribs and eggs.
Servers, somms, and chef-owner Nancy Silverton all swirl around Osteria Mozza’s centerpiece Mozzarella Bar, where small dishes of freshly imported mozzarella, ricotta, and burrata are plated with pairings like bacon or braised leeks. With eyes closed, white-tablecloth diners attempt to fully savor each bite of cool, moist cheese before it melts in their mouths. These flavors are a tough act to follow, but the restaurant certainly steps up to the plate with signature meals like the Squid Ink Chittara Freddi with crab, sea urchin, and jalapeño. Just be sure to leave room for a rosemary olive oil cake for dessert: The eatery’s Dahlia Narvaez was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2016. Reservations at least one month out are recommended unless you have the flexibility to take a chance with a walk-in seat at the Mozzarella Bar itself—a one-of-a-kind experience.
You can find unique structures by famed architect John Lautner (an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright) all over Los Angeles, but none are as mind-boggling at his Chemosphere. Lautner was drafted to design the Hollywood Hills house for Leonard Malin, an aerospace engineer whose mountainside property presented a steep architectural challenge. Lautner’s answer to that challenge was the hovering, spaceship-like home that still sits on stilts above Torreyson Drive today. Panoramic windows allow lucky guests stunning views of the San Fernando Valley, and the only way to reach the inside of the building is by funicular. The home is still privately owned, so you’ll need an invite to see that view. Luckily, the exterior is worth a visit on its own (but maybe leave the jokes of alien abduction at home).
Just north of Downtown L.A., the green neighborhood and parkland of Elysian Park, the oldest municipal park in the city, is a spot seldom trafficked by tourists. In fact, its impressive hiking trails are usually crowd-free. In a city of 4 million, it’s not easy to find quiet, solitary space, but Elysian Park offers just that. The paths are moderate, and the elevation is enough to get some pretty prime views of Downtown to the south as well as Dodger Stadium, which the park hugs on three sides. But for most of the trek, it’ll be just you, the trail, and the thick surrounding trees and foliage—an unusual sight amid L.A.'s sprawling urban jungle.
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