Los Angeles is not a city you can “do” on foot. It is enormous, the sights are spread across a huge basin between the mountains and the sea, and the late-summer sun is fierce. My friend and I gave it four days at the end of summer, stayed on the west side and moved around almost entirely by Uber and Lyft. It was expensive in total, but there was no driving stress and no parking to worry about. If you are comfortable driving on the right, renting a car is just as sensible here, because many visitors do exactly that.
Here are the four places that made the trip for us.
Griffith Observatory: Day and Night
If you only have time for one viewpoint in Los Angeles, make it Griffith Observatory. The white Art Deco building opened in 1935 and sits on the slope of Mount Hollywood inside Griffith Park. You may recognise it from films such as La La Land.
Entry to the building is free. Inside, the most popular exhibits are the Foucault pendulum, swinging slowly across the floor of the main hall, and the crackling Tesla coil. There is also a large public telescope on the roof. We queued for quite a while to look through it, the line moved fast and I am honestly not sure what I saw, but it was still fun.
The real star is the view. From the terraces you look across the whole city to the towers of downtown, and on a clear day all the way to the ocean. Turn the other way and you get a side-on view of the Hollywood sign on the hillside.
Los Angeles city lights stretching to the horizon at dusk seen from Griffith Observatory
We went up just before sunset, which is when everyone else goes too. The road was jammed with cars, people were parked along the hill far below the building, and the terraces were packed. But watching the sky turn orange and then seeing the lights switch on across the city was worth it. Los Angeles does not have many skyscrapers, so the view is less about glittering towers and more about an ocean of lights that never seems to end.
Two warnings. First, even after a hot day it gets cold up there at night. I went in a T-shirt and shorts and was shivering. Bring a jacket. Second, when the observatory closes at night, everyone wants a ride at the same moment. We waited a long time and eventually paid almost double for a larger car just to get home. The observatory is open from midday on weekdays and from morning at weekends, and it is closed on Mondays. If you drive, arrive early or use the DASH Observatory shuttle bus.
Hollywood Sign Viewpoints
The Hollywood sign on the dry hillside framed by a palm tree and green trees
We spent a hot afternoon on Hollywood Boulevard looking at the stars on the Walk of Fame and the famous Chinese Theatre. To be honest, the boulevard itself was a little underwhelming and crowded, and you need to watch your belongings. The best moment was going up to the third floor of a shopping complex nearby and seeing the Hollywood sign on the hills, framed by palm trees.
From the boulevard the sign looks quite small, so here are the better options:
- Griffith Observatory gives you the sign from the side, with the city below.
- Lake Hollywood Park, a small park at the foot of the hills, is the classic close-up spot. You can drive or take a ride up the narrow residential streets, then walk about ten minutes to the lawn with the sign right above you.
- Even from the streets below the hills, the sign pops out between the palm trees, which is a very Los Angeles photo.
We also stopped for our first In-N-Out burger nearby. It was good, but I am not sure it lived up to the hype.
The Getty Center
A rock fountain in front of the travertine walls and curved glass rotunda of the Getty Center
The Getty Center sits on a hilltop in the Santa Monica Mountains and was built with the fortune and art collection of the oil billionaire J. Paul Getty. You leave your car or ride at the bottom and take a small automated tram up the hill, which already feels like the start of an adventure.
Admission is free, but you need to book a timed entry online in advance, and parking costs extra if you drive. Inside are paintings from many periods, with the famous Van Gogh and Monet works in the West Pavilion. Honestly, though, I enjoyed the place itself even more than the art. The buildings by architect Richard Meier are made of pale travertine stone, white panels and glass, there are fountains and terraces everywhere, and the gardens are beautiful.
Hazy view from the Getty Center over green hills toward west Los Angeles
It was cloudy when we arrived, but by the afternoon the sky cleared and the views from the terraces over the hills and the city became better and better. The Getty is closed on Mondays and stays open later on Saturdays.
Santa Monica and Venice Beach
From the Getty we took an Uber down to Santa Monica. Blue sky, blue sea and a huge sandy beach: it felt perfectly peaceful. The pier is like a small amusement park, with rides, food trucks and restaurants, and a sign marking the end of the historic Route 66.
Then we decided to walk along the beach to Venice Beach. It is further than it looks, so we took our time and stopped for lunch on the way. The closer we got to Venice, the hipper it became: skateboarders, people working out by the sand, street musicians and colourful murals. It is exactly the Los Angeles beach scene you see in films.
Tips for Los Angeles at the End of Summer
- Plan your transport. Rideshares are easy but add up quickly. A rental car makes sense for longer stays, but never leave valuables visible in a parked car.
- Days are hot, hilltop nights are cool. Carry a light jacket for Griffith Observatory after dark.
- Book the Getty in advance. Entry is free, but timed reservations are required.
- Remember Mondays. Both Griffith Observatory and the Getty Center are closed.
Final Thoughts
Los Angeles took me a day or two to understand. At first it felt too big, too spread out and too dependent on cars. But standing on the terrace at Griffith Observatory as the lights came on, or walking barefoot from Santa Monica towards Venice in the late-summer sun, I finally got it. This is a city of views, beaches and light. Just plan your rides well and bring a jacket for the hills.
