If you feel the need to see the touristy sites in Los Angeles – No judgment. I fell prey to them the first time I visited. Now that I have those checked off, I was able to see more of LA and the surrounding areas that actually interest me.

My lovely cousin lives in Santa Monica and let us crash with her a few nights. I highly recommend booking an Airbnb in Santa Monica or Venice area.

Los Angeles

• Griffith Observatory – Visit here to get a great view of the city and the Hollywood sign for FREE.
• Arts District –
  • Pop into a street market if you’re lucky (usually on weekends)
  • If it’s around brunch time, check out Zinc Cafe and Market
  • Angel City Brewery, Arts District Brewing Co, Iron Triangle – Article on breweries in the Arts District HERE
  • Ice Cream!! Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream (Vegan options)

Santa Monica

Head down to the Santa Monica Pier. Even though its a tourist trap, the view is pretty great. Scope out a spot on the beach for a bit or rent bikes and bike along Ocean Avenue. Check out the Farmer’s Market on Sunday.

Hike: Head to the Pacific Palisades and hike Temescal Canyon 

• 3 mile loop
• Easy
• Great views of the ocean and city

Food/Drink:

• My favorite place to get drinks in Santa Monica is Basement Tavern
• The Bungalow Santa Monica – Another GREAT drink spot. Baja style cottage atmosphere
• Esters Wine Shop & Bar – Grab a glass of wine in a trendy, modern environment. Small plates and cheeses available
• Thai Vegan – Cheap and Delicious
• Samosa House – Tasty and affordable (It was right outside my cousin’s doorstep)

Malibu

Visit the Getty Villa. FREE. The museum is a designed as a recreation of a Roman Villa that has been partially excavated. The Getty Villa houses the J. Paul Getty Museum’s collection of approximately 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities.

An advanced time-entry ticket is required that you can get online.

Venice

Just a short walk from Santa Monica with great food and shopping options. Check out some of the trendy stores on Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Walk along the famous Venice boardwalk

Food/Drink:

• Cafe Gratitude – Delicious Vegetarian/Vegan restaurant, hippie vibes
• Scopa Italian Roots – We hung out here for a while when trying to get into a speakeasy attached to this restaurant. Great cocktails and food options.
• Click HERE for an article showing other food options

Please comment on your favorite places to visit in Los Angeles as I’m sure I’ll be back to visit my cousin and would love some recommendations!!