Things to Do in Los Angeles: Top Attractions & Activities

Los Angeles rewards visitors who understand its geography. The city is enormous — Santa Monica to Pasadena is roughly 25 miles — and trying to do both in a single day without allowing for traffic will eat most of your time. Plan by neighbourhood or activity type, build in drive time, and the city becomes genuinely manageable. This guide covers the best attractions, outdoor activities, and experiences, with current admission prices and opening hours as of 2026.

Free Attractions

Griffith Observatory (2800 East Observatory Road, Los Feliz) The grounds are free and open Tuesday–Friday noon–10pm, Saturday–Sunday 10am–10pm (closed Monday). Planetarium show tickets cost approximately $10/adults, $6/children 5–12 as of 2026. The view from the terrace — Hollywood Sign to the northeast, Downtown skyline to the southeast, Pacific Ocean on clear days — is the best free panorama in the city. Parking is limited; the Griffith Park DASH shuttle from Los Feliz and Vermont/Sunset Metro station is often faster.

The Getty Center (1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood) Free admission; parking approximately $20 as of 2026. Open Tuesday–Friday and Sunday 10am–5:30pm, Saturday 10am–9pm. The gardens, designed by Robert Irwin, and the Central Garden in particular are as significant as anything in the galleries. Van Gogh’s Irises is the signature painting. The tram ride from the parking structure to the hilltop complex is part of the experience.

The Getty Villa (17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades) Free (timed reservation required; book at getty.edu); parking approximately $20. Open Wednesday–Monday 10am–5pm, closed Tuesday. A recreation of a first-century Roman villa housing Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities. The drive along PCH from Santa Monica takes approximately 15–20 minutes in light traffic.

Venice Beach Boardwalk Always accessible, no charge. The 2.5-mile boardwalk along Ocean Front Walk is one of the most distinctive public spaces in America. Muscle Beach Outdoor Gym, the Venice Skate Park (free, all skill levels), street performers, and the weekend art market are the main draws. Abbot Kinney Boulevard, one block east, is the city’s best independent retail and restaurant strip.

Runyon Canyon Park (2000 North Fuller Avenue, Hollywood Hills) Open 5am–sunset. Free. A 160-acre park in the Hollywood Hills with several trail loops. The main summit trail gains approximately 800 feet and takes 45–60 minutes. The view of the Hollywood Sign, the San Fernando Valley, and Downtown from the upper ridge is the most accessible hill view in the city. Dogs are allowed on most trails.

Museums

LACMA — Los Angeles County Museum of Art (5905 Wilshire Boulevard) Approximately $25/adults, free for LA County residents under 18 as of 2026. Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 11am–6pm; Friday 11am–8pm; Saturday–Sunday 10am–7pm; closed Wednesday. The Urban Light installation (202 vintage street lamps at the entrance) is one of the most photographed artworks in California. The collection spans 6,000 years; the Korean Art galleries and the Hammer Building are particular strengths.

The Broad (221 South Grand Avenue, Downtown) Free (timed reservation recommended at thebroad.org). Open Tuesday–Wednesday 11am–5pm; Thursday–Friday 11am–8pm; Saturday 10am–8pm; Sunday 10am–6pm; closed Monday. Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, and Ed Ruscha are central to the collection. Koons’ Tulips in the Oculus space is the most photographed single work. The building by Diller Scofidio + Renfro is worth seeing as architecture regardless of the art inside.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) (250 South Grand Avenue, Downtown) Approximately $18/adults as of 2026. Open Monday and Friday 11am–5pm; Thursday 11am–8pm; Saturday–Sunday 11am–6pm; closed Tuesday–Wednesday. The permanent collection covers Abstract Expressionism through the present; the Rothko Room and the Basquiat holdings are standouts.

The Hammer Museum (10899 Wilshire Boulevard, Westwood) Free admission. Open Tuesday–Friday 11am–8pm; Saturday–Sunday 11am–6pm; closed Monday. Affiliated with UCLA, the Hammer focuses on contemporary and modern art with a politically engaged programming culture. One of the most consistently interesting free museums on the West Coast.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (900 Exposition Boulevard, Exposition Park) Approximately $18/adults, $10/children 3–12 as of 2026. Open daily 9:30am–5pm. The Dinosaur Hall holds one of the largest dinosaur fossil collections in the country, including the only known growth series of T. rex specimens. The spider pavilion (seasonal, typically September–November) and the gem and mineral hall are the other highlights.

Theme Parks and Studios

Universal Studios Hollywood (100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City) From approximately $109/adults, $99/children under 48 inches as of 2026. Express Pass from approximately $80 additional. Open daily from 9am or 10am; closing times vary seasonally. The Studio Tour — a 45-minute tram ride through active production backlot sets — is the most unique experience and unavailable elsewhere. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the most popular single-day draw.

Disneyland (1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim — approximately 35 miles south of Downtown LA) One-day tickets from approximately $104–$189 depending on date as of 2026 (price tiered by expected crowd level). Open daily; hours vary seasonally. Park-hopper tickets add Disney California Adventure access for an additional approximately $65. Book well in advance for peak dates.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood (3400 Warner Boulevard, Burbank) From approximately $69/adults as of 2026. Tours depart every 30 minutes, Monday–Friday 9am–3pm (last tour); extended weekend hours seasonally. A working studio tour covering active soundstages, the backlot, and the DC Universe exhibition. More film-history focused than Universal; smaller crowds.

Beaches

Santa Monica State Beach — The most central and serviced beach. The Santa Monica Pier at the south end features Pacific Park amusement park (free to walk; ride tickets approximately $5–$10 each). Beach parking lots charge approximately $5–$12/day depending on season.

Malibu (El Matador State Beach) — 32800 Pacific Coast Highway; $10/vehicle parking as of 2026. Open 8am–sunset. Rocky sea stacks and coves; less crowded than Santa Monica. A 20-minute drive from Santa Monica in light traffic.

Manhattan Beach — A South Bay beach city approximately 18 miles from Downtown with a tight grid of shops and restaurants around the pier. No theme park crowds; a calmer alternative to Santa Monica.

Hiking

Temescal Gateway Park (15601 Sunset Boulevard, Pacific Palisades) — Free. The Temescal Ridge Trail gains 1,400 feet in approximately 2.5 miles one-way and delivers panoramic views of the Pacific and Santa Monica Bay. Trailhead parking approximately $8/vehicle.

Echo Mountain Trail (Pasadena, accessed via Lake Avenue) — Free. A 5-mile round-trip hike to the ruins of a 19th-century incline railway and observatory at 3,207 feet. One of the best hikes within city limits; allow 2.5–3.5 hours.