Los Angeles

Venice Beach is the gritty, artistic, chaotic soul of LA's coast—completely different from polished Santa Monica next door. The Boardwalk features Muscle Beach (outdoor gym), street performers, skaters, artists, and vendors selling everything from incense to hand-painted portraits. It's raw, unapologetic, and showcases LA's weirdness. The canals nearby offer a quieter, picturesque alternative.

Mulholland Drive is a winding ridgeline road offering spectacular views of the LA Basin on one side and the San Fernando Valley on the other. The drive is quintessential LA—a car experience through the Hollywood Hills with scenic overlooks. Sunset is the prime time. The road inspired the David Lynch film and countless songs. It's where LA's geography and mythology intersect.

Griffith Observatory is an Art Deco monument to public science perched on Mount Hollywood with the best vantage point in the city. You get direct views of the Hollywood Sign, downtown skyline, and the entire LA basin sprawling to the ocean. Inside are planetarium shows, telescopes, and exhibits. Entry to the building and grounds is free. It's appeared in countless films including Rebel Without a Cause and La La Land.

Vintage shopping is a sport in LA, where people build their 'effortlessly cool' aesthetic by hunting through flea markets. The Rose Bowl Flea Market (second Sunday monthly in Pasadena) is the massive, famous one with 2,500 vendors. Melrose Trading Post (Sundays in Fairfax) is smaller, more curated, and local-focused. You'll find vintage Levi's, mid-century furniture, band t-shirts, and art. Arrive early for best selection.

Runyon Canyon is LA's 'social hike'—a 3-mile loop in the Hollywood Hills with city views, off-leash dogs everywhere, and a high probability of celebrity or influencer sightings. It's less about nature and more about being seen in your best matching workout set. The views are spectacular, the hike is moderate, and the people-watching is unmatched. It's peak LA culture.

The Getty Center is a hilltop modernist masterpiece by architect Richard Meier, housing world-class art (Van Gogh, Monet, Renaissance paintings), stunning architecture, and white travertine gardens with panoramic city views. Entry is free (parking is $20). The tram ride up sets the tone—you're leaving the city chaos behind. It's serene, beautiful, and one of LA's best free attractions.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour is the most authentic behind-the-scenes Hollywood experience, taking you into working soundstages and backlots where Friends, Gilmore Girls, The Big Bang Theory, and Batman films were actually shot. Unlike Universal Studios (a theme park), this is a real working studio. Tours are small groups (12 people) led by guides. You see sets, props, costumes, and learn how films and TV are made.

Los Angeles is arguably the best Mexican food city in the world outside of Mexico itself, with diverse regional styles from Oaxaca, Jalisco, Yucatán, and beyond. Taco trucks offer fast, late-night street tacos with al pastor (spit-roasted pork) shaved fresh. Taquerías are sit-down restaurants serving regional specialties like mole negro, cochinita pibil, or birria. The food spans from $1 street tacos to upscale modern Mexican cuisine.

Korean BBQ is a 2-hour communal dining experience where marinated meats are grilled at your table, accompanied by endless banchan (small side dishes like kimchi, pickled radish, and seasoned vegetables). Koreatown is a dense city-within-a-city in Mid-Wilshire with dozens of 24-hour K-BBQ restaurants. It's loud, smoky, interactive, and social. Leaving smelling like grilled meat is a badge of honor.

In-N-Out is California's iconic fast-food burger chain, founded in 1948 and still family-owned. The menu is deliberately simple: burgers, fries, shakes. The secret is fresh ingredients—beef is never frozen, potatoes are hand-cut daily, and produce arrives fresh. The 'secret menu' includes 'Animal Style' (grilled onions, extra sauce, pickles) and 'Protein Style' (lettuce wrap instead of bun). Quality fast food at shocking prices ($5-8).

Los Angeles has the largest Japanese population in the US and some of the best sushi outside Japan. The best sushi is often found in unassuming strip malls in the Valley, West LA, or Torrance—not flashy restaurants. Options range from $300 omakase (chef's choice tasting menu) at intimate sushi bars to $12 hand-roll counters. The fish quality is universally high due to proximity to ports and Japanese suppliers.

Health and wellness food is a lifestyle in LA, not a diet trend. Cold-pressed juice, açaí bowls, adaptogenic smoothies, and grain bowls dominate breakfast and lunch culture. Ingredients like spirulina, activated charcoal, and CBD are mainstream. Breakfast often looks like a $14 green smoothie rather than pastries. It's available on every corner, from Venice to Silver Lake to Beverly Hills.

LA's donut culture is driven by Cambodian-American families who own 90% of independent donut shops—a unique immigrant success story. These pink-box donut shops are everywhere, open early (5am) or 24/7, cheap ($1-2 per donut), and unpretentious. Classic varieties include old-fashioned buttermilk, apple fritters, and glazed twists. The shops are community hubs, often the only thing open in neighborhoods at 6am.

Grand Central Market is a historic food hall in Downtown LA operating since 1917. It's a chaotic, multicultural food bazaar under one roof: pupusas, currywurst, tacos, Thai boat noodles, and trendy egg sandwiches. The market survived decades of downtown decline and gentrified in the 2010s, now mixing old-school vendors with hipster food stalls. It's crowded, loud, and iconic.