Los Angeles, CA
Plan a trip to Los Angeles
A collection of neighborhoods forty minutes apart in good traffic. Plan by geography, one region per day, and the city gets much easier.
- Weekend getaways
- Beaches
- Food trips
- Road trips
Free to run, and you keep editing after. Add who's coming or a pace like “slow mornings” to shape the result.
Los Angeles at a glance
Most trips run 4 to 6 days. This page covers the 4 stops worth anchoring a plan around, 3 neighborhoods to base yourself in, and what the timing looks like across the year — then you can turn any of it into a mapped Los Angeles itinerary you can edit and share.
- How long
- 4–6 days
- When to go
- March to May and September to November. Late spring mornings often start overcast and burn off by noon. Summer is hot inland while the coast stays mild.
- Getting around
- Rent a car and plan around traffic, or base yourself on the Metro E and B lines, which now reach Santa Monica, downtown, and Hollywood. Rideshare across town gets expensive fast.
What to build the plan around
- 1
Griffith Observatory
Free entry, city-wide views, and the Hollywood Sign from the lawn. Park below and walk up, or take the DASH bus.
- 2
The Getty Center
Free admission with paid parking, a tram to the top, and gardens worth as long as the galleries.
- 3
Santa Monica and Venice
The pier, the beach path, and Abbot Kinney's shops in one three-mile stretch.
- 4
Grand Central Market
Downtown food hall since 1917, and the best single lunch stop in the city.
Where to stay in Los Angeles
- Silver Lake / Los Feliz
- Walkable east-side base near Griffith Park, with the best coffee and casual food.
- Santa Monica
- Beach base with a real downtown, and the Expo Line into the city.
- West Hollywood
- Central for nightlife and dining, roughly equidistant from the beach and downtown.
Los Angeles planning questions
- How many days do you need in Los Angeles?
- 4 to 6 days. Four days lets you give the beach, the east side, and downtown one day each without living in the car. Six adds Malibu or Disneyland.
- What is the best time to visit Los Angeles?
- March to May and September to November. Late spring mornings often start overcast and burn off by noon. Summer is hot inland while the coast stays mild.
- Where should I stay in Los Angeles?
- Three areas cover most trips — Silver Lake / Los Feliz (walkable east-side base near griffith park, with the best coffee and casual food); Santa Monica (beach base with a real downtown, and the expo line into the city); West Hollywood (central for nightlife and dining, roughly equidistant from the beach and downtown). Pick based on whether you'd rather walk to dinner or pay less per night.
- How do you get around Los Angeles?
- Rent a car and plan around traffic, or base yourself on the Metro E and B lines, which now reach Santa Monica, downtown, and Hollywood. Rideshare across town gets expensive fast.
- What should I see first in Los Angeles?
- Start with Griffith Observatory, The Getty Center, Santa Monica and Venice. Griffith Observatory is the one to schedule first: free entry, city-wide views, and the Hollywood Sign from the lawn. Park below and walk up, or take the DASH bus.
- Can I build a Los Angeles itinerary automatically?
- Yes. Describe the trip — length, pace, who's coming — and Arriv builds a Los Angeles itinerary with real, mapped venues you can reorder or replace. It's free to run, and you only sign in to save it or share it with your group.