Compare Los Angeles holidays

What to do in Los Angeles

Los Angeles extends from surf-washed beaches to the Angeles National Forest, with a massive mix of cultural attractions in between. Spot celebrities in Beverly Hills, tour Hollywood’s silver-screen sights and gallery-hop downtown LA. For more California culture, Disneyland, The Getty Center and Malibu are only a day trip away.

Hollywood

Searching for Hollywood’s movie magic? Get behind the scenes on a Studio Tour at Universal Studios, embrace Pottermania at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, catch live music at the Hollywood Bowl or search for iconic tombs at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Don’t miss the Walk of Fame, where the names of greats past and present gleam from the pavement. It’s worth hiking (or taking an electric bike) to the Hollywood sign to see its oversized letters up close, bright against the arid Hollywood Hills.

Disneyland

Combining Disneyland with newer Disney California Adventure, ‘the happiest place on earth’ lets kids meet cartoon heroes before letting them loose on state-of-the-art rollercoasters. Add in the light shows, fireworks and pop-art architecture for an epic day out with the family.

Disneyland is one of several world-class amusement parks in and around Los Angeles. Universal Studios has studio tours and a Harry Potter theme park, Six Flags has adrenaline-pumping roller coasters and Pacific Park offers the fairground experience. There are also a handful of excellent water parks.

Venice Beach

After grabbing a cotton candy at Santa Monica Pier, head south to a true California icon: Venice Beach. Angelenos from all walks of life come to this boho beachside neighbourhood to skateboard, flex at the muscle gym or stretch out on the sand. Infused with the hippie aesthetic of the 1970s and ‘80s, Venice Beach feels more street carnival than neighbourhood, with street performers and musicians a constant feature on its palm-lined boardwalk.

Griffith Observatory

For views of the Hollywood sign, bracing hikes and phenomenal sunsets, Griffith Observatory is a Los Angeles must. Beneath the observatory’s great dome (constructed in 1935), you’ll find the world’s most advanced star projector and a planetarium where the universe’s secrets are revealed through laser lighting. Take time to ramble through Griffith Park and drink in the views and stay into the night to zoom in on the moon and planets through the Zeiss telescope.

Malibu

Just the name ‘Malibu’ is enough to conjure up images of surf rolling, beautiful people and golden sand. South of LA, Malibu is a dreamy day trip thanks to its surf culture and new-age aesthetic.

Head to Surfrider Beach to watch folks catch waves, then grab an outdoor cafe table and order tacos or an avocado brunch bowl. After the midday heat, hike from waterfalls to canyons on one of numerous Malibu walking trails – or chill and watch migrating whales from Point Dume (December to May).

Where to stay in Los Angeles

For families

With Pacific Ocean views, sandy beaches and family-friendly activities, sun-soaked Santa Monica is ideal for travel with kids in Los Angeles. Santa Monica Pier has a fairground and Ferris wheel, kids can paddle the shallows and play on the sand, and there’s a varied restaurant scene.

It’s far from built-up parts of town like West Hollywood and Downtown, which can feel a little too chaotic for families with young kids, and you’ll find B&Bs, self-catering apartments and midrange hotels to suit families. Alternatively live the magic at one of Disneyland’s three hotels.

For travellers on a budget

Many neighbourhoods in Los Angeles have a couple of budget inns and hostels aimed at travellers on a shoestring. But it’s Hollywood that is brimming with options for cheap Los Angeles holidays. There are hotels and apartment rentals to choose from, cheap eats such as tacos, Thai food and burgers in spades, and the neighbourhood is intriguing and walkable.

Stay in Hollywood and you’re close to icons like Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign, as well as attractions such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Universal Studios.

For food and drink

Gastronomes with a big budget will enjoy Beverly Hills, whose sleek hotels – often with palm-fringed pools – have world-class restaurants on site. But Beverly Hills is excellent for diners on all budgets, with authentic delis and diners, tastebud-confounding fusion restaurants, farm-to-table California produce, and superb Thai, Japanese and Italian food. The best restaurants in Beverly Hills have a whiff of old-school glamour (think leatherette booths and Prohibition style cocktails).

Accommodation options aren’t cheap but there’s a good choice of places to stay in Beverly Hills, including contemporary design hotels and palatial chain hotels.

For nightlife

In town to party? You’ve come to the right city. West Hollywood is the place to stay in Los Angeles if you want to enjoy nightlife on the storied Sunset Strip and experience the LGBTQ+ scene of Santa Monica Boulevard.

Accommodation in West Hollywood doesn’t come cheap but by LA standards there are reasonably priced period hotels, boutique self-catered apartments and bohemian chateaux that have been haunted by famous guests for decades.

For culture

Though downtown LA once had a reputation for being unsafe, its soaring skyscrapers are now home to contemporary mid-range accommodation and boutique hotels with rooftop bars. They’re generally in easy reach of attractions such as The Broad and the Museum of Contemporary Art and have good transport links across the city.

Alternatively, staying in a hotel or self-catering apartment in Hollywood places you at the heart of historic movie palaces, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, quirky museums and dive bars.