Downtown Los Angeles often has a bad reputation, but there are still plenty of great spots to explore there. My favorites are the Broad Museum for its modern art, Skyspace for its glass slide and stunning views, and the Grand Central Market for all its fun restaurants. The Griffith Observatory is probably my favorite spot in Los Angeles, with incredible views of the Hollywood sign in one direction and downtown Los Angeles in the other. Of course, the observatory is also amazing to explore, as it's free to enter and has lots of fun exhibits.
The Hollywood sign is probably the most iconic part of Los Angeles and something that everyone loves to see when they visit it. There are many great places to see the sign, such as Hollywood Lake Park, but if you really want to experience it, consider hiking to it. The walk is steep if you take the Tree of Wisdom Path, but it gives you great views of Los Angeles and allows you to get as close to the sign as you're allowed. As one of the most historic districts in Los Angeles, Olvera Street was founded in 1781 and is a great place to explore.
It has some nice restaurants and a fun central shopping area, but the main reason to come is for the Day of the Dead (Day of the Dead) festival every October. The festival has been running for more than 30 years and is a celebration of life with murals, dancers, a procession and face painting. The Echo Park area of Los Angeles is an up-and-coming spot with great restaurants, shopping, and a decent-sized lake right in the middle. It's a fun place to hang out on a warm day, and you can get out on the water by renting a swan boat if you want to go for a walk.
The area also has the Time Travel Mart, which is one of my favorite stores and excellent food, such as Masa's pizza and its fantastic bread pudding with croissant. It's one of those areas that I keep coming back to explore more. Like the Hollywood Bowl, watching a Dodger game is a must-see attraction in Los Angeles. Just driving through the parking lot to the stadium, you'll enjoy iconic views of downtown Los Angeles, and the historic stadium has been there for nearly 60 years.
If you come out of season, you can pay to take a tour of the stadium, or you can visit the store and go out to see the upper deck. It's a lot of fun, even for non-baseball fans. Are you convinced that Los Angeles isn't much more than a concrete jungle? Let Griffith Park change his mind. Covering the massive 4,310 acres in the eastern fringe of the Santa Monica Mountains, this massive park is home to a large network of hiking trails that offer some of the best hikes in Los Angeles.
Even if you only have one day in Los Angeles, it's a must to spend time strolling in these hills to take in the spectacular views of the entire city. For a great introduction to Griffith Park, take the trails that lead to the world-famous Griffith Observatory. The views from here are not only fantastic but it also houses one of the most powerful Zeiss telescopes in the world. Whether you're a dreamer, insomniac, astrology student or space enthusiast, looking up at the sky at Griffith Observatory is an experience not to be missed.
For movie lovers, one of the most famous attractions in Los Angeles is the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The famous sidewalk stretches more than 15 blocks on Hollywood Boulevard with more than 2,700 metal and terrazzo stars emblazoned with names of Hollywood legends and masterminds working behind-the-scenes. Rodeo Drive is home to many of the world's most luxurious brands and is an L. A must-see whether you're drooling over cars or fancy dresses.
But if you have some space in your budget (and means to pay for it), there's hardly a better place on planet Earth to splurge and indulge in haute couture and extravagance. Despite all its urban charms downtown L. A., there's no better place to witness this side of town than Zuma Beach at Point Dume - one of best places to see in L. A.
Whether it's through camera lens or pink glasses or child's wit - no walk along Zuma Beach is complete until you reach Point Dume for its spectacular views. Echo Park is another small self-contained area in heart of Los Angeles with great restaurants, shops and community of local artists - but what makes Echo Park one of best places to go in L. A., is its beautiful lake where you can enjoy swan boat ride or jog on pedestrian path that surrounds Lake Echo Park no matter what time year you visit.
