I’m not really big into the touristy things when I’m traveling. Sure, I believe that you have to check out some of them, but it’s not necessary to spend your entire trip doing them. That’s why Hannah and I decided that we didn’t want to make the trip to Hollywood, or really do any crazy touristy things (but yes we did make a trip to Rodeo drive). So now you’re probably thinking about things you can’t miss in LA. What do you think they are? For us it was a combination of seeking out some color, heading to the beach, and finding picture perfect spots. Find out some of the can’t miss things in LA below!
Things You Can’t Miss In LA
1. Golden Hour At Griffith Observatory
Pretend you’re in La La Land and wander around Griffith Observatory. If you want to actually go inside, don’t go on a Monday like we did. If you don’t care and you just want to see the stunning views over the city, head there around golden hour. The light was perfect and the hazy view was so worth the windy Uber ride.
2. Mural Hunting Around The City
LA is filled with murals. Like literally, it was mural heaven. And while I didn’t get to visit even half of the ones I know exist, I did get to see some of my favorites that I’ve seen on Instagram before. It was so exciting for me (because hi, I’m the queen of murals), and I had so much fun shooting in front of them!
3. Wander Down Abbot Kinney In Venice
I had mixed feelings about Venice. Venice Beach was kind of rundown and dumpy, but Abbot Kinney Blvd. is worth the stop. Head there for some shopping, sweets, drinks, and good local hang outs (and some more murals).
4. Sunset In Santa Monica
Yes, we did walk on Santa Monica Pier, but the real treat is watching the sunset from the beach. The way the ferris wheel turns into a silhouette against the colored sky is truly magical and definitely not something you want to miss out on!
5. Hike Runyon Canyon
We woke up bright and early one morning to hike Runyon Canyon. While I was still recovering from vertigo, I’m so glad we did it. The views are so awesome and I understood why people in LA are so fit and active.
6. Wander Around The Venice Canals
You can’t visit Venice without visiting the canals. They’re so picturesque and magical and you can spend a nice hour wandering up and down looking at the pretty houses.
7. Head To LACMA
Another favorite for fans of La La Land, LACMA’s light installation, Urban Light is fun to visit. It’s literally right outside the museum and is a great spot to snag some cute photos!
8. Visit The Museum Of Ice Cream (If it’s still there and you can get your hands on some tickets)
This was truly the highlight of my trip. And while the Museum of Ice Cream is only a limited engagement, they keep extending it, so keep your eyes out for tickets. It really is one of the things you can’t miss in LA. It was so much fun to taste all the delicious ice cream and see all of the themed rooms (and of course play in the sprinkle pool).
Read more about my California trip here and here!
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This all sounds like so much fun! I’ve visited LA, but so long ago and I definitely didn’t head to these key spots. The photography is so beautiful it makes me want to travel there again! xx
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I hope one day I can visit LA because it has been on my list for years.
The view from Griffith Observatory looks amazing!
x