Los Angeles in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Los Angeles is the epicenter of cinema in the United States and the world, as well as the home of the most famous movie stars. Hollywood is the most successful film industry in the world and that is why it is such an experience to visit this area of the United States. There are certainly a lot of things to do and see in Los Angeles that you can plan in just a few days.

Three days to see Los Angeles may not seem like a lot for some people. However, if you travel with a well-organized itinerary, it will be possible to see the most famous sites. I assure you that you will have an unforgettable short vacation without wasting a single minute of your time.

You've arrived in the land of the movies! That's why in this itinerary the first thing I recommend if you come to Los Angeles is to visit Hollywood. There is no time to waste! If you come by car, you can take it to the parking lot of the hotel you booked in advance. If you come by plane, keep in mind that you can choose different types of transfers from the airport for more comfort.

I recommend you to start your itinerary early in the morning. This way you will be able to see more things, go on walking tours and eat something delicious. It is also an option to hire one of the best tours of Hollywood in the city. But if you want to go it alone, there's no need to worry, because I'll guide you step by step. Let's get to it!

Transfer from the airport to the hotel

You've finally arrived in Los Angeles! If you are arriving by plane, keep in mind that you have several options to get to your hotel from Los Angeles International Airport. You can rent a car for the three days you will be in Los Angeles.

To be a little closer to Hollywood many people choose to stay on Sunset Boulevard. If you need to get there you can take a Culver CityBus from the 96th / Sepulveda stop. Then you should get off at Westwood Blvd & Weyburn Ave, where you can catch the next bus at the Westwood / Le Conte stop.

The final stop would be Sunset / Kings, but I still recommend checking your route on Google Maps so you know exactly which station to get off at. At all of these stations you can find other accommodations that may be convenient for you.

Visit the Griffith Observatory

Before you start, eat a good breakfast at your hotel or at a restaurant near you. As it is the first day, your hotel will be the best option. To start your first day in Los Angeles, I recommend visiting the Griffith Observatory. It is located south of Hollywood Mountain in Griffith Park. From there you can see Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and even the Pacific Ocean.

To get there you can take the Observatory / Los Feliz bus line. You will have to get off at "Griffith Observatory", the last stop, but you can check which one is more convenient with LADOT, the bus service provider.

Inside the observatory you will be able to see various exhibits about science and the cosmos. Besides being an excellent experience, admission is free! However, to enter the Samuel Oschin Planetarium you will have to buy a ticket for around 10 €. These tickets must be purchased at the box office to see the day's presentation. Children under 5 years old do not need to buy tickets.

Details of interest

• Location: 2800 East Observatory Road.
• Price: Free general admission. To enter the Samuel Oschin Planetarium you must pay €10.
• Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 12:00 noon to 10:00 pm. Saturdays and Sundays: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Tour the Walk of Fame

After your visit to the Observatory, you should go to the Walk of Fame. You can go to the bus stop and take the Observatory / Los Feliz Southbound, get off at Los Feliz / Vermont. Then take the other bus and get off at the Hollywood / Argyle station which is located a few minutes away from the Walk of Fame.

When you arrive I advise you to take as many pictures as you can at the different places I will point out. Run around and look for the stars of your favorite artists! As you walk down Hollywood Boulevard you will see the Dolby Theater, where the Oscars are held. You can also see the Grauman's Chinese Theater, where movie previews are held and many of the actors mark their footprints on the floor.

If you want, you can enter the Hollywood & Highland Mall, located next to the Dolby Theater and access the observation deck. From there you can see the famous Hollywood commercial and take a well-deserved picture, even if the sign is a bit far away. I'll tell you how to get a closer look later.

Lunch on Hollywood Boulevard

After your tour of the Walk of Fame you may already be a little hungry. I recommend that you visit one of the restaurants along the boulevard. Just around the Dolby Theater there are different options, such as Los Burritos where you will taste typical Mexican food.

Behind the Dolby Theater you will find Yamashiro Hollywood restaurant, where you can eat Asian dishes in a very quiet atmosphere, if you prefer something more sophisticated. You can also check out other options along the way.

If you want to try a dessert, I suggest you go to Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop, an ideal place to include in the list of things to do with kids in Los Angeles, they will love chocolate for sure.

Visit a museum on the Walk of Fame

Some of the best museums in Los Angeles are located near the Walk of Fame. While you're there, you might as well visit one and see what's there once you've finished your lunch. Some of the ones you will find very close to the Dolby Theater will be the Hollywood Museum, an ideal place for movie lovers. Tickets cost an average of 12 €.

Another museum located a few meters away is Madame Tussauds Hollywood. This is an ideal place to take pictures and selfies with the wax statues of many celebrities. It will be a great illusion to say that you have a photo with your favorite artist in Hollywood... or at least the photo with his wax statue. Tickets to this museum cost an average of 35 €.

Stroll through Beverly Hills and you might see a star

The day is winding down, but if you want to see where the Hollywood stars hang out you should head to Beverly Hills. From the Walk of Fame you can look for the Santa Monica / Orange bus stop. From there it will be 18 stops to Santa Monica / Canon, the stop that will drop you off 3 minutes from Beverly Hills.

Here you can walk down the main shopping street known as Rodeo Drive on your own. You will see luxurious stores, bars and restaurants. This whole area can be toured on a tour bus or a Hop On Hop Off in Los Angeles. You can even get private tours to visit some of the homes of celebrities who live in this city.

Before leaving you should take a picture next to the small sign of Beverly Hills. To end the day you can choose one of the restaurants in the area for dinner. You will see renowned restaurants like Il Pastaio, owned by chef Giacomino Drago, or Mexican restaurants like Mírame or Cantina Frida.

Los Angeles is known for having a variety of amusement parks. However, the most famous of them all is Universal Studios Hollywood, since besides being a theme park, it is also a movie studio. Touring and enjoying it can take you a whole day. The general admission has an average cost of 110 € and includes all attractions and tours.

Also, very close to this wonderful park you can see the Hollywood sign. Are you ready for all that your second day in Los Angeles has to offer?

Meet the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

If you are a loyal fan of the Harry Potter movies and books this should be your first stop once you arrive at Universal Studios. Here you can enter Hogwarts Castle, see the Hogsmeade stores, ride the Flight the Hippogriff roller coaster or fly on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction, a simulator full of surprises.

Inside the castle you can also see a light show. The sky lights up and along with special effects and background music, all the Harry Potter stories come to life. In addition to all this fun, you can also try the food at one of the restaurants in this area.

Don't miss the Studio Tour!

The Studio Tour is a unique tour in the Universal Studio parks and is only available in Hollywood, so I invite you to take it mid-morning. On this tour, narrated by Jimmy Fallon, you will be able to visit some of the sets where the most famous Hollywood movies have been filmed, such as Jaws or Psycho. In addition, you will be able to see the world's largest 3D attraction: King Kong 360 3D.

This tour ends with a trip to the world of Fast & Furious - Supercharged. This is a ride based on hydraulic motion and a 3D projection that makes this a hyper-realistic experience.

Enter Jurassic World

Are you going to leave Universal Studios without seeing Jurassic World? It would be a sin, so I invite you to have lunch at one of the park's magnificent restaurants and then get to know the fantasy dinosaur world. Jurassic World / The Ride is an aquatic and dark ride in which you will surely get a good scare. As the boat progresses you will come face to face with Indominus rex, but not before fearing for your life as he will be stalking the boat from the jungle.

Then you will find yourself in the middle of a battle between him and his enemy Tyrannosaurus rex. Later, the tour will continue through the DinoPlay, a play area dedicated to young children. You can also enjoy a drink at the Jurassic Café or at Nu-Bar Island, where I invite you to have a snack, because you will surely spend a couple of hours in this magnificent attraction.

Visit Springfield

It's getting close to the end of the day, but not so soon. If you are a fan of The Simpsons you must visit this area of the park. The biggest attraction is the virtual reality roller coaster. On this ride you will travel through the Krusty the Clown theme park with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

In addition to the roller coaster, you can visit the iconic stores from the animated series, but in real life! Enter the Krusty Burger restaurant, Moe's Tavern or try a drink from Duff's Brewery - this space is great for an American dinner to say goodbye to Universal!

Don't forget your picture with the Hollywood sign!

Once you're done with your tour at Universal and night is falling, it's best to head over to the Hollywood sign, because this will be your best chance to see it up close. Unfortunately there is no way to access the sign. Although there are no police around the area, I assure you that there are cameras and even motion sensors that detect when any tourist gets too close to that area. That's why my recommendation is to get close enough to take a good picture.

From Universal Studios you can see the sign, but I recommend going to this address: 3100 Canyon Lake Dr. From there you can see it more clearly and take all the pictures you want. Surely there will be a lot of tourists next to you doing the same. It will definitely be a great way to end your second day in LA.

To end your vacation in Los Angeles I recommend you to visit the beach. After two super intense days it is worth to rest and relax a bit without forgetting to visit famous places. So I invite you to stroll along Venice Beach and end your day watching a beautiful sunset from the Santa Monica Ferris wheel.

Venice Beach has a lot to offer besides the beaches. You can stroll the Venice canals, take a tour of the Boardwalk or walk along Kinney Boulevard. Then you should head to the pier and enjoy the attractions offered there.

Meet the Kinney Boulevard and Venice canals

To start your tour of this area of Los Angeles you can go to Kinney Boulevard. This street is named after the founder of Venice Beach and has bars, restaurants, stores, art galleries and many other things.

Early in the morning, on this boulevard you can go to the Venice canals where you will see boats, lakes and bridges that remind a little of Venice, Italy. It is without a doubt a landscape that you will want to photograph. You can reach this area from Washington Boulevard on foot without any problem. I invite you to walk around the area, cross the small bridges and see the churches, pizzerias, mansions and other curious establishments in this neighborhood.

Traveller Tip
At all times it is important to use sunscreen, especially if you visit the beach. You don't want to ruin your trip with annoying sunburns.

By mid-morning and after seeing the Venice canals, you will be very close to the beach. On your way to the busiest spot where you will see other tourists and locals, you will see several places of interest. The first of these is Muscle Beach, an open-air gym where Arnold Schwarzenegger used to train before becoming the famous actor we know today. Another point of interest is the Skatepark, the walls decorated with urban art and the Venice Beach sign.

You can walk around this area until you reach the beach, take advantage and take a swim! Admission is free and you can make yourself comfortable wherever you want. Around noon you can look for a restaurant where you can have lunch. If you feel like fast food you can go to Regular Guy's Pizza. If you prefer to eat Californian food in a comfortable and cozy place, I recommend you to go to The Waterfront Venice.

Enjoy the attractions at the Santa Monica Pier

Ready for lunch? It's time to get on with the day. To get to Santa Monica from the beach, you can go to the Main NB & Sunset FS bus stop. There you will have to wait for the 33 Santa Monica bus. When you board it wait about 4 stops until you get to Ocean Santa / Monica, the trip will take about 10 minutes, so you won't get lost. From there you can use Google Maps to guide you and walk to the pier, but surely you can see the Ferris wheel from the bus stop.

Once at the pier you can take the opportunity and enter the Heal the Bay Aquarium to see various sea creatures and learn a little about each one. The entrance fee to this site is approximately 10 € and you can walk around for approximately two hours.

When you leave the aquarium you can walk to Pacific Park, the small amusement park on the pier that has its doors open from 11 am to 9 pm, so it can be the perfect place to watch the sunset and sunset. To get on each attraction it is necessary to pay a different price that can range from 5 € to 15 € approximately.

The attraction that everyone is waiting to try is the Ferris wheel or Pacific Wheel. You will not miss it because it is right next to it and its size will make it easy to get close to it. To go up you have to pay around 10 €. In addition to the attractions, you can eat at one of the park's restaurants or watch a live show offered in the park.

Details of interest

• Location: 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, 90401

• Price: each attraction has a price ranging from approximately 5 ¤ to 15 ¤.

• Hours: Every day from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Dinner at the Santa Monica Pier on the waterfront

Near the Santa Monica Pier there are several restaurants you can visit. However, my recommendation is to go to the Mexican restaurant Maria Sol. It is located very close to the pier's fishing platform and can be a great place to rest after your magnificent stay on the Ferris wheel.

Here you will have beautiful views of the ocean and an excellent atmosphere to spend a relaxing evening sipping your favorite cocktail. After dinner you can go to the souvenir stores near the restaurant. You can also go to the fishing area to watch the different fish. Please note that this place closes at 10 pm.

For a 3 day trip to Los Angeles you should be prepared with comfortable and easy to carry clothes. This area is mostly warm, so the clothes you bring should be light. Also, it is important that your shoes are ergonomic, as you will be walking through many areas.

If you are going to the beach, don't forget to bring your sunscreen and of course your bathing suit. Sandals will also be necessary for your visit to the beach. Sunglasses will also be useful during your stay in this paradisiacal Californian city.

I also recommend a portable charger for your cell phone, so you can always take a good picture and you can check your itinerary and the map. But if you are more traditional, buying a paper map would not be a bad idea. Are you ready to visit Los Angeles?

As you may have noticed in the previous sections, on more than one occasion I recommended you to take the buses to move from one place to another. Well, those buses are run by Culver CityBus or by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT). The latter has approximately 30 routes, however it only runs until 7pm.

To use the DASH buses you can pay for a TAP card whose average price is 2€. Once you have the card you can recharge it to use it during the 3 days you will be in Los Angeles. For that you can pay around 20 € or less. Keep in mind that each trip has an approximate price of half a euro. Although Los Angeles is a city made for the car, the tourist areas are well served by buses and I recommend that you do not stop using them.