Los Angeles' The City of Angels' is a beautiful, bustling city. Whether you have lived in Los Angeles your whole life, a month, or are planning to move to LA, there are plenty of things left to discover.
Los Angeles is such a large metropolitan city with apartment complexes mixed in among the million-dollar mansions with such a diverse culture and residents from all walks of life. It's nearly impossible to have visited all the places within the city limits, in addition to all the new businesses that open regularly.
No doubt, you have your favorite places to hang out at, and when family and friends come to visit, you take them to all your favorite spots.
The Los Angeles City Lifestyle guide will help you find some new adventurous things to do in Los Angeles. Maybe the places you frequent have become lacking in the luster they once held, or your children are getting older, and you're looking for more family orientated things to enjoy together. Regardless of the reason, there is always something to do in Los Angeles.
When creating this guide, we have considered everything, including your budget, ages, weather, how adventurous or calm of an activity you want, and special occasions.
Keep reading, and you will discover things in Los Angeles you may not have even known existed.
Your Guide to Fun Things to do in Los Angeles
As a Los Angeles resident, you probably already know, there are lots of fun things to do and places to visit. We will look at some of the sites we consider to be the best. We decided to tell you about a few of our favorite places to help get you started. Tours are also a popular activity in Los Angeles.
Universal Studios Hollywood: A film studio and amusement park enjoy 15 rides and attractions. Take a tour of the studio and see how your favorite movies are made.
Universal CityWalk: It is filled with restaurants of different ethnicities enjoy an assortment of mouthwatering food and sweet treats. Then shop till you drop at all your favorite stores and boutiques from Abercrombie & Fitch to the Zen Zone.
Santa Monica Beach and Pier: This is one of the best places to spend the day and evening. During the day, frolic in the ocean and enjoy a nice dinner and some shopping in the evening.
Rodeo Drive: This is a well-known area of Los Angeles. You can shop at the celebrity-owned boutiques and restaurants here. If you're looking for luxury, entertainment, and fashion, then head to Rodeo Drive.
Parents Listen Up: Things to do in Los Angeles With Kids
There are hundreds of things to do in Los Angeles with toddlers and teenagers.
Knott's Berry Farm & Knott's Soak City: The two are in Buena Park. The two share a parking lot. There are rides, activities, and characters for the whole family. During Halloween, they turn it into Knott's Scary Farm, and during Christmas time, it becomes Knott's Merry Farm.
The Los Angeles Zoo: Has over a thousand animals. Several interactive activities for toddlers, children, teens, and adults to participate in, including feeding individual animals, holding different animals, and learning all about wildlife. Several days a week, they offer special events during the day and in the evening.
The Aquarium of the Pacific's: Is in Long Beach. The aquarium is home to more than 12,500 Pacific marine life. They have several exhibits that both children and adults will love.
Third Street Promenade: In Santa Monica is one of the top markets in Los Angeles. People come from miles to browse the vendors' goods, including fresh fruits, vegetables, handmade items, over 80 retail shops, and an assortment of cafés and restaurants span three blocks. It's only a few blocks from the Santa Monica beach and a great experience to be enjoyed by the whole family.
California Science Center: The center allows children of all ages to explore the wonders of science. Some of their exhibits include the following:
- World of Life – Explores seven of the life systems; the energy factor, control center, supply network, defense line, cell lab, body works, and the life source.
- Eco-systems – An interactive exhibit that includes live animals.
- Air and Space exhibits – Humans in space, missions to planets, stars and telescopes, air and aircraft's, and space shuttle endeavor.
The science center is filled with the best activities for children and adults.
La Brea Tar Pits: This is one of the most amazing places to visit in Los Angeles. Step back in time to the Ice Age and learn all about it firsthand. The pits are a top Los Angeles visitor's spot. The pits are the only actively excavated Ice Age fossils anywhere in the world. There have been more than a hundred excavations since the early 1900s. The fossils that have been found include sloths, tiny plant and animal remains, and mammoths. The fossils range in size from tiny to huge. This truly a magnificent place to visit.
Things to Do in Los Angeles for Adults
Los Angeles has plenty of entertainment and activities for adults.
Sidewalk Food Tours of Los Angeles: You can choose from a few different food tours, one in downtown Los Angeles and one in West Hollywood. Both food tours offer a large selection of diverse culinary experiences. Choose from American fare, authentic French dishes, Asian fusion, Thai, and authentic Mexican food.
The Getty Center: While the Getty Center is also a nice place to visit with the family, they have specific activities for just school-age children. Adults can enjoy exhibitions that younger people would probably not have much interest in, such as the Mesopotamia Civilization or a performance by The Greek Trilogy Luis Alfaro.
Venice Canals Walkway: This is a great place to take a nice leisurely walk and enjoy the sunrise or sunset. The paths run along the side of docks and small seasonal homes. The footbridges are lovely and connect for a long walk in the warm sunshine.
Madame Tussauds Hollywood: This is a top choice to visit for residents and visitors. Madame Tussauds has the most lifelike wax figures of celebrities than any other museum. This museum is a super fun place for adults to visit.
Free and Cheap Things to Do in Los Angeles
HOLLYWOOD Sign: It is an iconic place in Los Angeles, while you cannot see it up close and personal. You can see it sitting high above the city on Mt. Lee from just about anywhere within the city limits. The sign has a rich history that is shrouded in mystery and tragedy.
Olvera Street: It is known as the birthplace of Los Angeles. The street has a rich history and original murals and structures from the late 1930s. You can shop or dine at a café or restaurant, walk around, and listen to music and take in all the sights. Overall, it makes for an inexpensive outing.
Hollywood Walk of Fame: You can walk along Hollywood Boulevard and admire the celebrities' stars from days gone by and the stars of today. There are currently 2,690 stars along with the 15 blocks on Hollywood Boulevard and an additional three blocks on Vine Street.
You can also visit the famous Roosevelt Hotel that was once home to Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Cliff for a while.
National History Museum – This is a great museum. It has exhibits on the ocean, bugs, dinosaurs, and gems and minerals. One of the best things people like about this museum is it's free.
TCL Chinese Theatre: This theatre used to be Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and many people still refer to it as Grauman's because that was the name since May 18, 1927. From here, you can admire this building's architecture inside and out. The theatre also immortalizes some of Hollywood's greatest celebrities of all time. You can check the handprints and signatures in the cement in front of the theatre. These stars came, and most went before they started placing the stars on Hollywood Boulevard.
Third Street Promenade: In Santa Monica is one of the top markets in Los Angeles. People come from miles to browse the vendor's goods, including top shelf fresh fruits, vegetables, handmade items, over 80 retail shops, and an assortment of cafés and restaurants.
It's only a few blocks from the Santa Monica beach and a great inexpensive experience to be enjoyed by the whole family.
Night Scene: Things to Do at Night in Los Angeles
The nightlife in Los Angeles is phenomenal. The star-studded nightlife is something you don't want to miss out on whether you're a newbie, a lifelong resident, or a visitor.
Most celebrities usually hang out in VIP rooms of the most popular clubs, but not all of them. Some celebrities prefer to be treated like everyday people, so they mix and mingle in the clubs. Residuals Tavern has been voted the #1 bar in Los Angeles.
They offer karaoke, a sports bar, and fabulous "cheap food." This bar earned itself a spot on the HBO TV show "Barry." While the drinks may be a bit simpler than some of the fancier clubs, it certainly is an excellent nightspot to check out in Los Angeles.
If it's a dancing, fancy cocktail night club, you want. The 5 Star Silver Platter is where you want to go, located on W 7th Street. This club is one of the ones you may run into a celebrity who wants to hang out and enjoy a beer and some loaded French fries.
If you're looking to run into an A-list celebrity, then the place for you is AVALON Hollywood and a forewarning dress to impress! You will need to call in advance to reserve a VIP table.
If the bar/club scene isn't your style, don't worry, there is plenty of other things to do at night in Los Angeles that you can't do during the day.
A tour is a great way to spend a night in Los Angeles – Take a four-hour night tour in a luxury vehicle. Enjoy your tour will take you through Beverly Hills, Disney Concert Hall, Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood sign, and drive-by celebrities' homes.
If you're looking for a more adventurous night in Los Angeles, how about an hour-long helicopter ride over the beautiful city of Los Angeles it is a magnificent sight to see, the cities lights twinkling below an array of colors lighting up the city. This tour is perfect for special occasions.
If bars and clubs are not your ideas of a good time. There are plenty of other nighttime activities for you to enjoy. Bowl a few frames at Highland Park Bowl.
Enjoy a concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Griffith Park's Greek Theatre, or the Hollywood Bowl.
None of these venues will disappoint you.
They offer comfortable seating and great performances by some of the country's biggest performers. Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Brad Paisley, and many more performers put on phenomenal shows that you won't soon forget at these music venues.
Visit the Cultural Center: Things to Do in Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles doesn't attract as many visitors as its counterparts in the city. It's a shame, too, because you're missing out on a lot. Downtown has lots of historic and cool places to visit.
There are only three Japantowns in the US, and all three are in California. If you enjoy Japanese food, this is the place to go – Little Tokyo is a national historic landmark. It is also the largest of the three and has some of the most authentic Japanese experiences you can have.
The OUE Skyspace is an adrenaline rush that only lasts 3 seconds and provides a great city view. This adventure is not for the faint of heart. If you have a wild side, then sliding down the glass slide suspended hundreds of feet in the air is for you.
LA Opera: This is the fourth-largest opera in North America. They have many operas every year. If you love the opera, you will love all the elegance the LA opera has to offer.
Love is in the Air: Romantic Things to Do in Los Angeles
Go on a romantic gondola ride. Dress warm it gets chilly once the sun dips behind the horizon. Several companies provide gondola rides such as — Gondola Getaway and Gondola Amore.
Sunset Ranch Hollywood: how about a nice romantic horseback ride during the day or the evening. The ranch is nestled in the hills, and the sunset is breathtaking.
One-Hour Private Sunset Helicopter Tour select your flight path, champagne or sparkling cider, and chocolate-covered strawberries. Take in the beautiful city lights, the mansions in the Hollywood hills, fly over downtown Hollywood, and all over the city of Los Angeles. This is a unique and romantic activity to do in Los Angeles.
Romantic Dinner for Two – Let Olivetta's Restaurant wine and dine you on your romantic date. Velvet stools, fabric-covered ceilings, a coastal European menu, and one of the best chefs in Los Angeles.
Dinner Cruise – Enjoy a romantic dinner cruising on a yacht under the twinkle of the night skies. Sip champagne while you listen to background music and take in the sights of the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
Picnic on the Beach – Sit on a soft blanket and enjoy a picnic dinner and sip champagne while you watch the ocean waves crash gently on the shore as the sunset's behind the horizon it makes for a nice romantic evening for couples.
Creative Ideas: Cool Things to Do in Los Angeles
Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Hollywood Forever Cemeteries: A cemetery may seem like an odd place to visit, but the cemeteries in Los Angeles are not your ordinary cemeteries. Millions of people from all around the world visit Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Hollywood Forever cemetery every year. Most people come to see their favorite celebrities' final resting place. The larger cemeteries such as Hollywood Forever also holds concerts, film screenings, Halloween fundraisers, and several other events throughout the year.
Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills hosts a museum, The Great Mausoleum, the Hall of Liberty, and exhibits both permanent and temporary.
Los Angeles cemeteries all have a few things in common they are beautifully landscaped, the graves are well-kept, and most of them are mesmerizing. The gravesites often include some of the most beautiful statues, fountains, gardens, marble benches. Anything money can purchase be found at these gravesites. Nearly every cemetery in Los Angeles has a few dozen celebrities laid to rest. It is not only a free or cheap and unique way to spend a day. It is a day you won't soon forget.
Ghost Tours: They say many of the celebrities from days gone by still walk the streets of Hollywood. They visit the studios they once worked at, the nightclubs they frequented, and their former residence. Some of the top ghost tours include the following:
- Dearly Departed Tours – Not recommended for children or the faint at heart. This tour offers three different tours so you can decide which one best suits your interests. The Tragical History Tour, Homicide True Crime Tour, and the Helter Skelter Tour. These tours tell the top stories that celebrities and residents both still talk about to this day.
- The Los Feliz Murder House – Is one of the top ghost stories told throughout Los Angeles, which is impressive because this ghost story has been going around since 1959 when it all started. I don't want to spoil it for you, so all I'll say is the house is exactly how it was 61 years ago when the murders occurred, including the Christmas tree still trimmed with gifts wrapped and waiting for Christmas morning. Ask anyone who lives in Los Angeles. It is the scariest ghost story ever told.
Rainy Day? Indoor Things to Do
Movies are a great indoor activity for the whole family in Los Angeles, and there is no shortage of theaters. The Vista opened in 1923 as a playhouse. It now shows movies and is used as a venue for special events. It is a beautiful piece of architecture with the "old fashion" style sign of advertising movies by placing them in lights on the building. The Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles oversized chairs in the lobby, a large snack bar, is a theater, cinema, and music venue.
Museums are always a great place to visit, and Los Angeles has plenty of them.
- Getty Center – Has some of the top exhibits, drawings, manuscripts, decorative art, paintings, and photography.
- Griffith Observatory – Exhibits include stars, the cosmos, planets, sun and moon, astronomy, and gravity.
- National History Museum – This is a great museum. It has exhibits on the ocean, bugs, dinosaurs, and gems and minerals.
- The Hollywood Museum – Lots of stuff about Lucille Ball, Jean Harlow, and Marilyn Monroe, to name a few celebrities. "Back to the Future" trilogy exhibit, Superhero Legends exhibit, and a Marylin Monroe exhibit. This museum was voted a top Los Angeles museum.
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures – Wonder through this museum and see all the top movies from the last few decades.
Are you an extreme sports fan? LA Boulders and the Hollywood Boulders offer indoor rock-climbing walls. With 11,000 square feet and over 200 boulder problems to work your way through. The Cliffs of ID in Culver City offer 27,000 square feet of climbing space. There are numerous indoor rock-climbing gyms throughout Los Angeles. Try them all until you find your favorite.
Two Bit Circus – This is a carnival, circus performers, and arcade that has classic games. It is fun for the entire family.
Virtual Reality Arcade Hollywood – Spend an hour or two living in a fantasy world where you can experience over 30 virtual realities. You can fight zombies, experience an Alien invasion, and free fall. This is an excellent activity for both parents and children. Los Angeles is a great city to live in or to visit. It has a rich, diverse culture. There is something for everyone in Los Angeles to do and have fun doing it. If you haven't found your go-to place yet, don't worry, you'll find it when you least expect it. Los Angeles, CA, is a beautiful busy city with plenty to do with or without the kids.