The 20 best places to visit in L.A.: Where to go when you arrive

Now more than ever, Miracle Mile is a cultural jewel that all of L.A. can be proud of. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art finally completed its David Geffen Galleries, which display some 2,500 works of art from the permanent collection in Peter Zumthor’s striking concrete structure, which elegantly crosses over Wilshire Boulevard. Though there are lots of pieces you can see for free around the campus, the focal point remains Chris Burden’s photogenic installation Urban Light. LACMA shares a park with the La Brea Tar Pits (whose own museum is about to undergo a major, two-year renovation) and sits just across the street from the Petersen Automotive Museum and Craft Contemporary, and next to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures—an excellent celebration of cinema from the folks who hand out the Oscars. Even better? The whole stretch is finally more accessible via public transit after the recent opening of the Metro D Line extension.

Time Out tip: In addition to its collections, the Academy Museum is also home to two movie theaters—including the 1,000-seat Geffen Theater in that giant glassy sphere you drive by on Fairfax. Screenings are often supplemented by Q&As with famous filmmakers. The best part? Tickets are only $10, way less than you’d pay at your run-of-the-mill AMC. 

Make sure to check out all of the free museum days before you visit.

Most visitors will be plenty satisfied with sunning themselves in Santa Monica or Venice, but put in the extra miles to venture a little farther up the coast, and you’ll be rewarded with the most picturesque beaches in L.A. County. We couldn’t pick just one stretch of sand to visit in Malibu, so we’ll instead offer three: Point Dume for picnicking and sunbathing by an as-seen-on-TV scalable cliff, El Matador for sunsets among photogenic coves and outcrops, and Leo Carrillo for secluded sand and an on-leash dog beach.

Time Out tip: If you’re hungry, we’ll also recommend a trio of seafood spots, from east to west: excellent fish and chips at Malibu Seafood, superlative lobster rolls at Broad Street Oyster Co. and fried goodness at Neptune’s Net.

Want to make a night of it? Book a stay at the best beachfront rentals in L.A.

The Getty Center is packed full of artistic masterpieces and enjoys an awe-inspiring hilltop location with incredible views of L.A. and a stunning Central Garden. The grounds and buildings here are so remarkable that you could never step inside a gallery and still probably walk away satisfied. But you absolutely should, particularly to see works by Rubens and Impressionists such as Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh and Cézanne—though the lovely French decorative arts galleries are our personal favorites. During the summer, check off the popular, free Off the 405 concert series. Meanwhile, the museum’s predecessor, the Getty Villa, rewinds the clock a few millennia with Greek and Roman antiquities in an Italian-style estate in Pacific Palisades.

Time Out tip: The Getty Center will be closing for a year-plus to undergo some improvements and modernization ahead of the 2028 Olympics, so make sure to plan a visit (or two) before March 15, 2027. 

Make sure to see these must-see works at the Getty.

Sure, light pollution and some old-timey optics mean that you can’t see all that much through its enormous telescope, but you can still spend a few hours browsing around the Griffith Observatory quite happily (closed Mon; grounds open daily). There’s the popular Hall of the Sky and Hall of the Eye, a pair of complementary displays that examine the interplay between people and space. The Art Deco building itself, which just turned 90, is the star attraction, though—and the stunning view of the city from Griffith Park makes it worthy of a visit whether you’re a space buff or not.

Time Out tip: Parking in the congested lot and along the hill leading up to the Observatory now costs $10 per hour—though you can take a DASH bus up there for only 35 cents with a TAP card (or even take a hike).

Don’t miss out on these other essential Los Angeles attractions.

Downtown L.A. has seen waves of change since this food hall first opened in 1917, and so too has the lineup of vendors here. But one thing stays consistent: People flock to GCM from all corners of L.A. to mix and mingle among rows of spices, produce and vintage neon signage. Tacos Tumbras a Tomas serves the hall’s go-to taco, particularly the carnitas and al pastor. But you’ll find worthwhile bites from the recent influx of trendy eateries, too, like Sticky Rice, Knead Noods, Ghost Sando, Shiku, Eggslut, McConnell’s, the Donut Man and Go Get Em Tiger.

Time Out tip: For more exemplary tacos, GCM is the only place outside of Highland Park where you can find a Villa’s Tacos, the onetime roadside stand which is now on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list (it also made a cameo in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show). 

Have a little bit of this and that at the rest of SoCal’s best food halls.

A decade in now, and the arrival of the Broad still feels like a game-changer, thanks to the museum’s distinctive design, free admission and post-war art collection. Yayoi Kusama’s pair of Infinity Mirror Rooms in particular continue to pull in the crowds—one that transports viewers into a twinkling, pulsating starfield of LEDs (you can reserve a time slot here), the other a smaller reflective chamber that you can pop your head into. And soon there’ll be even more to love: A large-scale museum expansion is in the works, which will add three floors and 55,000 square feet of new gallery space above the parking lot—amounting to a whopping 70% increase of the museum’s footprint—by 2028.

Time Out tip: The Broad’s permanent collection alone is worth a visit, but the museum regularly hosts excellent special exhibitions (which require paid tickets). And if you want a double dose of contemporary art, you can head across the street to the also-free MOCA Grand Avenue.

Have time to kill before your reservation at the Broad? Explore the best things to do by the Broad.

If you’re in SoCal to take in as much culture as possible, you’ll be spoiled for choice at San Marino’s three-in-one attraction, the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens. A truly one-of-a-kind destination, it’s home to an impressive art gallery (featuring the famed Pinkie and Blue Boy), a substantially stocked library (with a Gutenberg Bible) and elaborately themed botanical gardens. The hilly Japanese garden, beautifully designed Chinese garden and cacti-filled desert garden are among our favorites. Take a whole day out to explore this fabulous Pasadena-adjacent place.

Time Out tip: For a special occasion, book an upscale afternoon tea at the Huntington’s renovated historic tea room, then stroll through the adjacent idyllic rose garden.

Stop and smell the flowers at the rest of the city’s best botanical gardens.

Venice Beach has long made its case as the bohemian epicenter of California, and while the area gets plenty of mainstream tourists, it still boldly embraces its eccentric spirit—for better or worse. Abbot Kinney has transformed into a high-end ’hood over recent years, but the gritty boardwalk is still a, let’s say, unique place for people watching, with street “performers,” skateboarders and body builders all making their presence known (if you’re simply after a picturesque stretch of beach, we suggest venturing to Santa Monica or Malibu instead). Grab lunch at the Fig Tree or the Waterfront before browsing the shelves at Small World Books.

Time Out tip: For a completely different side of Venice, take a stroll through the idyllic, Italy-inspired Venice Canals (hence the neighborhood’s name). And for some of the best shopping and dining in Los Angeles, head to Abbot Kinney.

Looking to relax by the ocean? Check out the best beaches in L.A.

We’ve all dreamed of being Julia Roberts shopping on Rodeo Drive, but very few of us could actually afford to shop in the designer boutiques and flagship stores seen in the film Pretty Woman. Which means window-shopping is the order of the day. Along the $200-million ersatz European cobbled walkway Two Rodeo, browsing tourists mingle with serious spenders. Oh and if you’re still after the Pretty Woman experience, duck into the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, where Roberts stays in the film, which boasts a luxe spa and a steakhouse by Wolfgang Puck.

Time Out tip: Just a hop away from Rodeo is Anderton Court, the only shopping center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his last Los Angeles project. It was recently restored and now houses Givenchy’s West Coast flagship.

Fulfill your fashion dreams at the best shops in L.A.

The “Studios” part of this theme park’s name isn’t bluffing: Universal’s amusement park sits adjacent to its working movie and TV studios, and the two even cross over a bit on the long-standing tram ride (which now includes the Western theme park from Nope). The rest of the standouts reside in a few big-name thrills: Super Nintendo World has warped a Mario Kart ride into the lower lot, and Jurassic World: The Ride breathes some new life into a dino-filled favorite. Meanwhile, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter remains a highly detailed, fantastical draw. If you’re a Halloween lover, don’t miss Horror Nights; in the spring, the newer Fan Fest Nights is a fun, non-scary alternative. Just outside the gates, you’ll find shopping and dining destination CityWalk, whose tenants include L.A.’s first-ever Hello Kitty cafe. 

Time Out tip: The eagerly anticipated Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift—the theme park’s first-ever high-speed outdoor coaster—is finally opening this summer. Its vehicles—modeled after Dodge Chargers, Mazda RX-7s and other cars from the franchise—will spin as they make their way along the track.

See more moviemaking magic on a studio tour.