Choose from 88 Fun Things to Do in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Theater District
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Hualapai Village
- Hualapai Village offers an alternative look at the iconic Grand Canyon.
- The village is a must for thrill seekers.
- Don’t forget to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of drinking water.
Hollywood Hills
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Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
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Hoover Dam
- Bring sun protection, comfortable shoes, and plenty of water.
- A concession stand at the base of the dam’s parking garage offers a variety of food and drink options.
- The Hoover Dam Visitors Center and power plant tour are wheelchair accessible, but the dam tour is not accessible. Complimentary parking is available for wheelchair users.
Los Angeles Convention Center
One of the largest convention centers in America, the LACC long seemed marooned in an increasingly-fading swath of Downtown, but in the late 1990s, it received a huge commercial boost from the creation of Staples Center and the adjacent L.A. Live entertainment/dining/hotel complex. The area surrounding the LACC is now booming with revitalization efforts which have rippled across the whole of Downtown.
Convention attendees are now spoiled for choice when it comes to lodging, high-end chain restaurants and bars, concert and sports venues, and a multiplex movie theatre. A popular coffee-meeting spot is the lobby of the J.W. Marriott Hotel, which features an Illy coffee café, and a Metro Rail station on the Red Line right beneath L.A. Live means that conventioneers can easily travel to other sections of Downtown, as well as Hollywood and Culver City.
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Los Angeles Cruise Port
The sprawling city offers more than you could ever see in a day (or five), so if your cruise starts or ends in LA, it’s worth your while to extend that vacation by a few days and see what all the fuss is about (who wants to go back to work, anyway?).
How to get to Los Angeles
Most cruise ships dock at the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, about 20 miles (70 km) south of downtown LA. Most Carnival ships, however, dock at the terminal in Long Beach. Los Angeles is not a walking town, nor is public transport very prevalent, so you’ll want to rent a car if you’re exploring the city on your own.
One Day in Los Angeles
Gas up your rental car (it’s going to need a full tank) and hit the freeway for a day of LA’s greatest hits. Start in Hollywood with a walk down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, looking for the stars of your favorite actors. Then drive to the Farmer’s Market for a snack, keeping your eyes out for famous faces.
Enjoy a ride through Beverly Hills, marveling at the mansions and perfectly manicured lawns, on your way to the Getty Center, one of the city’s best places to see art. The architecture of the building itself is just as impressive as the work on the walls, as is the view.
Now you deserve to relax, so head to Santa Monica. Take a few spins on the Ferris wheel and try your hand at vintage carnival games before finishing your day with a stroll on the beach.
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Hollywood Wax Museum Los Angeles
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Hollywood Bowl
- Children ages 2 years and up must have their own ticket; you may be asked to check your stroller or baby carrier at the operations office.
- You may purchase food and beverages at the Bowl or bring your own, including wine and beer for some events (alcohol is not allowed to be brought in during other events but can be purchased).
- Selfie sticks and audio/video recording devices are prohibited.
- There are several wheelchair-accessible seating locations with space for a limited number of companions.
Hollywood Sign
- The sign hasn’t been lit up since New Year’s Eve of 2000, but its bright white letters often make it seem to glow in the night.
- Guided tours allow for safe photo op stops so there’s no need to make a dangerous stop in the middle of the mountain road.
- Dogs are permitted on hiking trails so long as they arekept on leash.
- Hikers should bring sun protection and water.
- Hiking to the letters themselves is strictly prohibited (you’ll be met with a chain link fence and security cameras), but the Brush Canyon Trail brings hikers to the peak right behind the sign.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Basics
Aside from the thousands of stars studding the sparkly black sidewalk, the Walk of Fame is a totally normal public thoroughfare accessible 24/7 every day of the year. Most Los Angeles city tours and Hollywood tours include a stop along the Walk of Fame, providing geographical context as you descend past the famous Hollywood sign and the celebrity homes of Beverly Hills or sweep in from industrial downtown Los Angeles. You'll also be treated to a historical narrative as scandalous as the film industry itself.
Some tours of the area also include stops at other nearby landmarks such as Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, the Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive, Warner Bros Studio, Disneyland and Universal Studios, and the Dolby Theater, home of the Oscars.
- Ideal tour options are available for every type of traveler.
- Bring your camera to take a picture with your favorite celebrities' stars.
- The Walk of Fame is easily accessed independently or by guided tour.
Getting close to celebrities is difficult; getting close to their names isn't. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a stretch of public sidewalk extending along Hollywood Boulevard between La Brea Avenue and Gower Street and along Vine Street between Yucca Street and Sunset Boulevard. Drive, walk, or take the Metro Red Line to Highland or Vine.
When to Visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Los Angeles is known for its pleasant year-round weather. Check the Hollywood Walk of Fame's official website for an up-to-date calendar of public induction ceremonies that could make your visit extra memorable.
Gene of All Trades
iFLY Hollywood
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Japanese American National Museum
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Laugh Factory
Masada would go on to become a comedian, manager and producer, helping the cast of 1990s TV comedy “In Living Color” achieve fame, and continuing to support minority comics via the Laugh Factory. The club is an ideal place to see emerging acts, watch showcases headlined by Kevin Nealon, Tim Allen and Tom Arnold, and witness comedy stars like Dane Cook and Dave Chappelle test their endurance by vying for the title of longest one-person comedic performance – presently longer than seven hours.
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The best route to take by transit: Bus: 2/302, 217, 780, 218.
Los Angeles Farmers Market
A historic Los Angeles landmark, the Los Angeles Farmers Market is a bustling market of food stalls, eateries, prepared food vendors, produce markets, and much more. You can easily spend a morning or afternoon here browsing the more than 100 restaurants, grocers and tourist shops.
Opened in 1934, the Farmers Market is a popular destination for foodies in search of the market’s wide assortment of flavors and cuisines. The market started when a dozen nearby farmers would park their trucks on a field to sell their fresh produce to local residents. It quickly grew in popularity, especially when CBS Television City opened next door and began providing those working or visiting that television studio a convenient place to shop or eat.
You’ll find more than just food here. Buy bath and bodyworks, get a shave and a haircut at the Barbershop Club, find exotic candles, browse children’s clothes, find gifts and toys, browse designer and one-of-a-kind fashions, and bring home teas and jewelry. When a break from shopping beckons, you can marvel at some of the historic displays including Gilmore History Kiosk, Earl's Service Station, and the Farmers Market Clock Tower.
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The Farmers Market and is located just south of CBS Television City, at the corner of 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue in the Fairfax District. It is also adjacent to The Grove outdoor shopping mall; an electric-powered trolley runs between the two sites. The market is also close to the myriad galleries of Museum Row, at Fairfax Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard.
Los Angeles Zoo
With its 1,200 finned, feathered, and furry friends, a visit to the Los Angeles Zoo is a must for kids of all ages (parents will love the zoo, too). Even on a hot day the zoo is a welcome respite, thanks to the shady garden-like grounds. Meerkats are the current squeezables of the Disney set and one well-placed, big-eyed Timon wows kids entering the zoo. From there, undisputed crowd-pleasers include swinging gibbons, frolicking sea lions, posturing chimpanzees, and cuddling koalas.
Cleverly designed habitats highlight a visit here. The chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains has plenty of primate activity, while orangutans lumber about in the Red Ape RainForest. The Campo Gorilla Reserve provides a habitat for six African lowland gorillas that closely resembles their native West African homeland, and at the Pachyderm Forest, elephants and hippos relish in a climate-controlled environment, complete with an underwater viewing area. Tots gravitate toward Adventure Island with its petting zoo and hands-on play stations as well as the Children's Discovery Center.
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The Los Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park. Access to the park is easiest via the Griffith Park Drive or Zoo Drive exits off Interstate 5. Parking is plentiful and free. The Zoo has plenty of restaurants and cafes, as well two gift shops: the International Marketplace and Safari Station. The Los Angeles Zoo is deceptively larger than it appears from outside; you'll need at least 3 to 4 hours to see everything.
Hollywood & Highland
The core of Hollywood & Highland is arranged around a three-story courtyard, where soaring, elephant-topped columns evoke the Babylon set of D.W. Griffith's 1916 epic, Intolerance. Fanning out from here, you'll find over a dozen restaurants ranging from food-court outposts to destination dining, two night clubs, a bowling alley and 75+ retail shops, including large national chains like Gap, Build-A-Bear and Sephora.
Adjacent to the main mall is the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, an ornate movie palace festooned with Far East flourishes and featuring a cement-paved forecourt bearing over 200 celebrity hand and footprints. Originally opened in 1927 by movie-house mogul Sid Grauman, the Chinese Theatre is still a popular movie theater with a single large screen and more recently, an additional six-plex. The "Forecourt of the Stars," as well as a slew of character impersonators lingering around it in full costume, attract busloads of out-of-towners and souvenir hawkers each day.
L.A. Live
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La Brea Tar Pits
- The La Brea Tar Pits are a must-visit for history buffs and families traveling with kids.
- All exhibits within the museum are wheelchair accessible, and wheelchairs are available to rent.
- Don’t forget to bring sun protection, as some areas of the museum are outdoors.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Its original owners, San Fernando Valley developers Isaac Lankershim and son-in-law Isaac Van Nuys (whose names, respectively, are lent to a major boulevard in North Hollywood and a town in the northwest Valley), sold much of the cemetery in 1920 to Paramount Pictures, RKO Studios and the Beth Olam Synagogue. As a result, many entertainers (like Cecil B. DeMille, Douglas Fairbanks, and two of the Ramones) and prominent Jews (like gangster/entrepreneur Bugsy Siegel) are buried here.
In 1939, the entire cemetery was bought by morally-challenged ex-con Jules Roth, who proceeded to sell off dozens of acres of the cemetery's land (now used as adjacent strip malls) and embezzle millions from the business, allowing the grounds and graves to fall into complete disrepair for about 60 years. In 1998, the Cassity Brothers, a pair of Missouri funeral home owners, took steep advantage of bankruptcy proceedings and re-named their new bargain purchase the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The Cassity Brothers have since authorized a 2000 documentary on the cemetery called The Young and the Dead, and introduced the Cinespia Series, where, on Saturday nights during the summer, classic films like Sunset Boulevard are screened against a mausoleum for large crowds of gourmet picnickers.
Throughout the year, various musical acts perform at the cemetery's on-site Masonic Lodge, and on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, guided tours are given by film historian Karie Bible, who also serves as the "Lady in Black," responsible for putting a fresh rose each day on the resident grave of Rudolph Valentino.