2019 has been a year of travel for me. I am not complaining. From Asia to Europe to North America, the journey has been beautiful so far. And it has not ended yet. Last week, I was in LA for work, and I saved the day to explore the city. LA is vast and you certainly can not finish it exploring in a day. There are a lot of things to do in a day in Los Angeles.
In my opinion, the west coast is beautiful! The Pacific Ocean has clear white water which is always a treat to eyes and soothing for the soul. And it’s cold – very cold! It would be a good idea to have an elaborated itinerary to explore it! I have been to California a lot of times now, but LA is my favourite place – after Austin, of course!
But first, some travel tips to LA
- The best time to visit is either between March through May or between September and November. The temperature is pleasant, and the sun is not really on a killing spree – not with those beautiful breezes.
- I personally felt that after the Daylight savings, you really don’t get a lot of nightlife to see around. I did not go to Downtown LA. If it is your thing, maybe you should.
- Even if you don’t have a car which you should rent, Uber and Lyft are a good idea. Just plan your day a li’l ahead, so you ain’t stuck at the busy hours and end up paying a bomb to the conglomerates!
The Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign and the Universal or Warner Brothers Studio were there on my list before I went to LA this time. In fact, I had already been to the Disneyland and Disney Adventure Park this year, and I know I was done for the theme parks and studios for this year! I have shared a guide to all the fantastic place in LA to visit at the end of this post. Don’t forget to check it out! But then I realized that it was not the only time I am going to go to LA. Also, I wanted to see a different side of LA for some reason. Whatever the reason was, I am thankful for the sudden change of mind and heart – I don’t regret it a bit.
I was in West LA for work and I was staying in a hotel pretty close to LAX Airport because of the short duration of my stay. I decided to explore the nearby areas only. So yes, I decided to stay by the beach.
The first three places are located in Venice, which is a seaside resort town in Westside. If you have just one day in Los Angeles and you want just to relax and chill, Venice is the place to be!
Venice Beach
Venice beach is the recreational beachfront of Venice, LA. I love beaches, and this one has a quieter side to offer as well.
The beach is probably one of a kind because it has an open gym, skateboard rink and a circus styled promenade.
The promenade is around 2.5 kilometres long with street performers, artists and street food vendors. This place is full of life and very overwhelming at first. You can also rent bicycles to cycle around this historic city of Venice. Bikes are prohibited in some areas like the Venice Canals.
If you are a street art lover, this place is certainly for you. Every building’s wall is adorned with something amusing.
Cannabis is legal in Los Angeles and, trust me, the air smells of pot here. I mean you will be passively smoking up, when here!
Tip: Keep some dollar bills for the street performers and artists. It’s not a bad idea to tip them for they put a lot of effort into entertaining the tourists!
Venice Canals
This place is a must if you are looking for the top things to do in one day in Los Angeles. I can not recommend this enough.
We took a walk away from the promenade towards the residential area only to find a beautiful bridge over a canal. This settlement is a lovely replica of Venice. To me, it felt more like Amsterdam. Venice Canals are an excellent place to spend a quiet evening. Or maybe plan your pre-wedding shoot here. Yes, it’s that beautiful!
The six waterways form a grid. Each navigation is approximately one mile long and 50 feet wide. There are cute houses on both sides of the canal! There are nine footbridges for pedestrians. This place can be someone’s retirement dream. Well, it is mine!
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
This boulevard is named after the brain behind the historic district of Venice and Santa Monica.
Abbott Kinney Boulevard is hardly 10 minutes away from Venice Beach. It is a mile of international brands, small local business stores, eateries that satisfy your soul and everything that you can think of.
Often called the ‘coolest street of America’, you can see a mix of both historic bungalows and modern-age architectural buildings.
The nightlife is also hip – that is what I hear!
Santa Monica Pier
After spending a day walking in and around Venice, we finally landed up at the Santa Monica Pier. It is amusing how this old school pier still has a charm of its own. By the way, this place is a hundred-year-old!
The Pier is open all day. However, your favourite shops might close before 10 PM. Also, this is more of a family place because you ain’t allowed to smoke here. You can fish in the Pacific ocean too.
This is home to the Pacific Park as well which has the iconic Ferris wheel, lighted by solar panels. The view of the LA skyline from Colorado Avenue is beautiful!
Tip: This is a good time to visit the Pier. The Holiday Cheer Festival is on!
After having a great meal at one of the restaurants by the beach, digging into street-side churros and taking a long walk at the Pier, we returned to our hotel. That is how I spent my one day in Los Angeles.
Here are a few widespread things to do in LA. However, do let me know something different to do – I am very keen on finding a hike around this area!
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I feel like I was able to come along on your adventure with you. This was a very fun outing 🙂