If you think vacationing in LA is an expensive affair, I’m going to change your views! I have planned out the ultimate Los Angeles vacation guide on a budget. I’ll share the top spots you can visit, activities and tips to keep things affordable. For food recommendations, check out my blog post Los Angeles Food Guide.
Los Angeles is a popular city in Southern California, known for its pristine coastline and, of course, Hollywood. Several celebrities call this place home, and it’s also the birthplace of many famous rock bands from the ’80s.
I visited Los Angeles on a 5-day trip, spending 3 days in LA and the remaining 2 days in San Diego. It’s just a 2-hour bus ride from downtown LA, and San Diego turned out to be one of our favorite cities in the USA. You can read all about my San Diego adventures here.
Reaching Los Angeles
Los Angeles is well-connected by both road and air. The city has an international airport (LAX) and offers affordable domestic flights from Seattle, Las Vegas, and many cities across California. During the off-season, you can even find Frontier flights for as low as $19, which in my opinion is a steal!
We took a morning flight from Seattle and landed at LAX. We chose Hollywood as our base since we wanted some major attractions within walking distance of our hotel. It turned out to be a beautiful location, conveniently connected to public transportation.
Los Angeles Public Transit Scenes
I have mixed opinions about Los Angeles’ public transit system, but this is solely based on my visit in 2022. The last-mile connectivity was good, with plenty of buses and trains connecting all major spots throughout the day. The fares were also reasonable, and some locations offered complimentary shuttle services, like the one to Griffith Observatory.
However, when it comes to safety and cleanliness, I had some bad experiences in both regards. Public transit at night felt quite unsafe, so after day one, we decided to use ride-sharing instead. Moreover, some of the vehicles were extremely dirty, especially the floors, which had a stench. I wouldn’t recommend using public transit, but let me know in the comments if things have improved.
Staying in Los Angeles
We stayed at The Dixie Hollywood Hotel, located near Thai Town. It’s a 3-star hotel with spacious rooms and a comfortable bed. It was a motel-style property with a decently big bathroom but lacked amenities. They had an outdoor pool but didn’t offer breakfast. It was a budget hotel and we payed $300 for 3 nights, which was good enough for the price but could definitely be better.
What we liked the most was its prime location right on Hollywood Boulevard. I was initially concerned about the noise, but it turned out to be fairly quiet at night. You can read my review here.
3-Day Los Angeles Itinerary
Los Angeles is huge, with so much to do, and 3 days might seem short for a city this vast. However, with our optimized itinerary, we managed to make the most of our time, and the best part was that it wasn’t too hectic. Here’s a complete breakdown of our itinerary, divided by time of day, with links to the activities we did each day. If you’re looking for restaurant recommendations, check out this detailed blog post where you can find all the eateries we tried.
Day 1: Exploring Hollywood District & Griffith Observatory
Afternoon: Thai Town
Our first stop was Thai Town, right next to our hotel. We chose it for lunch since we were hungry and craving some hot Tom Yum soup after a not-so-long flight. But you all know how much I love Asian food, so I really didn’t need much of an excuse!
LA is home to several ethnic neighborhoods, including Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Little India, and Thai Town. I highly recommend picking one or two of these areas to explore the culture and diversity of the city.
For lunch, we picked two restaurants because it was hard to choose just one! The first place had great reviews for their Tom Yum soup, so it was a no-brainer. The soup came in a large bowl, loaded with veggies and seafood. From the smell alone, we could tell it would taste amazing, and we were right!
Our second restaurant was in the same plaza, where we ordered a Thai yellow curry that came with rice. Unfortunately, we were a bit disappointed by the flavor, as the turmeric taste was overpowering and didn’t feel right. I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant, or at least their yellow curry, but I highly recommend the first one!
📍First restaurant: Pa Ord Noodle 3
📍Second restaurant: Crispy Pork Gang
Early Evening: Hollywood Walk of Fame
We then walked along Hollywood Boulevard and reached the beginning of the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. I had no idea the HWOF tiles would cover the entire boulevard. I thought it would just be a small street or a square area with all the stars.
Instead, it turned out to be like a fun treasure hunt, looking for our favorite artists’ names, from musicians to actors. I found most of my favorite celebrities on the boulevard, and it was such a fun experience.
We also caught glimpses of Hollywood Hills every now and then, and passed by many iconic spots, including the famous TCL Chinese Theatre, which features handprints and footprints of legendary stars. You can even take a 30-minute guided tour of the theatre, available every day between 10 AM and 4 PM.
Tickets: TCL Theatre Tour (Pre-booking recommended)
Late Evening: Griffith Observatory
Next, we headed to Griffith Observatory, which overlooks downtown LA from the south-facing slopes of Mount Hollywood. This is a FREE attraction offering breathtaking views of the city, along with cosmic experiences. You can catch a show at the Planetarium, which I highly recommend. It’s one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, thanks to its highly immersive experience. Additionally, you can explore planets and nebulas through the observatory’s telescope room, which is truly a unique experience.
Be prepared to stand in a long queue, but it will be totally worth it. We had the chance to see Saturn and its three moons through the telescope, which was an incredibly cool experience. We also watched a breathtaking sunset from Griffith Park, with the gorgeous LA skyline in the backdrop.
Reaching Griffith is easy, they offer a FREE shuttle service from Hollywood until [time]. Here’s a schedule for reference.
Since we were still full from overeating in Thai Town, we decided to skip dinner. But if you’re looking for suggestions, I recommend trying L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, a historic pizzeria in Hollywood known for its amazing Neapolitan pizza. Don’t miss the Zucchini Flowers, they’re a must-have!
📍Restaurant recommendation: L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Day 2: All about Music, Hollywood Stars and Gorgeous Sunsets
Morning: Little Armenia
Day 2 started with a scrumptious breakfast at Little Armenia, another ethnic neighborhood in Central LA. We roamed around the neighborhood for a while and stumbled upon an Armenian sandwich shop called Sahag’s Basturma. The place felt more like a grocery store, offering a plethora of authentic snacks. Walking further south, we reached our breakfast spot, Papillion Bakery.
The owner of the bakery was sweet and friendly, giving us a detailed explanation of the dishes and even helping us pick our breakfast. We had a great time trying out authentic Armenian food. The key takeaway? They eat a lot of potatoes, almost every dish had something made with potatoes! 🤪
📍Restaurant recommendation: Papillion Bakery
Afternoon: Barnsdall Art Park
In the afternoon, we headed to Barnsdall Art Park in East Hollywood, just a 5-minute walk from Papillon Bakery. The park features a hilltop mansion called Hollyhock House, designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The mansion is a short hike from the lower parking lot through manicured lawns.
The view from Hollyhock House was simply breathtaking, offering us a panoramic view of LA. From here, we could see all the major landmarks like downtown, Hollywood Hill, Griffith Observatory, and many more.
This is one of my top spots to get an aerial view of the city in LA, and I highly recommend adding it to your list. It’s also a fantastic spot to watch the sunrise or sunset, and if you love short city hikes, Barnsdall Art Park is the place for you!
📍Restaurant recommendation: Pink’s Hot Dogs
Late Afternoon: Downtown Los Angeles
We then headed to the much-anticipated neighborhood of Downtown LA. This area is a blend of art, history, and cultural landmarks that we were eager to explore. Our first stop was The Broad, one of the top modern art museums in the city. Unfortunately, the wait time was long, and we had many places left to visit, so we grabbed some delicious fish tacos from a food van across the museum and made our way to the Museum of Contemporary Art instead. This museum showcases a vast collection of multimedia works produced since the 1940s. It was fairly empty, giving us a peaceful experience, and the inspiring artwork was truly worth the visit.
Next, we made our way to Angels Flight Railway, home to the WORLD’S SHORTEST RAILWAY. This 118-year-old funicular took us on a short ride up Bunker Hill. We followed it with a quick stop at California Plaza Park to enjoy the view. The ride was brief but fun, and the fare was just $2 round trip.
From there, we headed to Grand Central Market, located just across the street, to try out some local eats. Although we were quite full, we definitely had room for ice cream from McConnell’s!
While strolling around downtown, we also explored a couple of iconic spots. The Last Bookstore, one of the most popular bookstores in LA, offers a mix of new and used books, records, and art. This multi-level space is airy and decorated with local art.
Lastly, we visited the Bradbury Building, famous for its stunning Victorian center court with wrought-iron stairs and birdcage elevators. It’s a photographer’s paradise and a must-visit for anyone who appreciates historic architecture.
📍Restaurant recommendation: Any place in Grand Central Market
Lunch: Mel’s
For lunch, we headed to Mel’s on the famous Sunset Boulevard. This 50s-style diner gained popularity after being featured in the 1973 classic film American Graffiti. We ordered the classic American breakfast dish, Fried Chicken ‘n’ Waffle, along with a milkshake. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s never too late for a second breakfast! 😛
📍Restaurant recommendation: Mel’s Drive-In
Evening: Madame Tussaud’s
Our next stop was the world’s greatest wax museum, Madame Tussauds. This place never fails to amaze me with its precision and how real each wax figure looks. This was my third visit to Madame Tussauds (after Singapore and Delhi) and Abhi’s first, so I was quite excited to see his reactions.
The museum featured wax figures of famous celebrities, ranging from movie stars to musicians and sports personalities, including Bruce Lee, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Cristiano Ronaldo, and even Bollywood stars. We had loads of fun clicking pictures with our favorite celebrities, exploring each section, and interacting with the props.
I highly recommend stopping by Madame Tussauds in the Hollywood District, it’s a fun place that will entertain you and make you laugh. Plus, kids love it! If you’re traveling with children, it’s a great spot for them to see their favorite icons up close.
On our way out, we stopped by a hot dog stand near the Chinese Theatre. The hot dogs looked so tempting that we couldn’t resist trying one, and it was totally worth it!
🎟️ Ticket: $29 per person
📍Restaurant recommendation: Hot dog stand near Chinese Theatre
Late Evening: Santa Monica Pier
Right before sunset, we headed to Santa Monica Pier, a local favorite and a bustling entertainment hub. This is also where you can snap a photo with the iconic Route 66 end marker. By the time we reached the pier, the sun was about to set. The view was absolutely stunning, with the sky painted in hues of orange and pink, and waves crashing onto the beach.
After witnessing a breathtaking sunset, we headed to Pacific Park amusement park and enjoyed a few thrilling rides. The queues for each ride were quite long, so we only tried a few. However, the lively atmosphere made up for it, I loved the vibrant lights that created a fun, carnival-like vibe.
There were several food stalls by the pier offering the popular Mexican street food, Tostilocos. We decided to give it a try, and it turned out to be a fun and flavorful snack made with Doritos tortilla chips, topped with a mix of ingredients like fruits, a very hard nut (not sure what it was), and chili. It was the perfect crunchy treat and paired wonderfully with a refreshing Agua Fresca.
We also made a quick stop at the Venice Beach neighborhood, as it’s quite popular on social media. However, we found it a bit disappointing. There were many homeless people around, and we didn’t feel entirely safe walking along the beach or the streets. While the canals looked beautiful, the area felt unsafe, so I wouldn’t recommend visiting at night.
Day 3: Thrill and Chill
Morning: Universal Studios Hollywood
On our final day in Los Angeles, we headed to the most-awaited destination, Universal Studios Hollywood. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was the part we were most excited about but ended up finding some new favorites too! We started our day with a quick breakfast stop at Jersey Mike’s, and from there, we took a cab to Universal Studios Hollywood, located in Universal City. You can read my Universal Studios Hollywood guide, where I share all details about our day at the park along with some tips to plan your visit.
Late Evening: Beverly Hills
Finally, after a thrilling day at Universal Studios, we headed for a relaxing night in the posh Beverly Hills neighborhood, which turned out to be my favorite area in all of Los Angeles. We sat by the pond in Beverly Gardens Park for a while, observing the people passing by. We also took a walk along Rodeo Drive, exploring luxury showrooms of brands like Ralph Lauren, Gucci, and more. Along the way, we came across several galleries displaying beautiful art and exquisite showpieces.
For dinner, we stopped at 208 Rodeo, an upscale American bistro in The Golden Triangle, near Rodeo Drive Steps. The ambiance was incredibly romantic, with soothing overhead lights and cozy outdoor candlelit seating. The staff was warm and friendly, and we had a lovely chat with our server about Harry Potter. We ordered the risotto, which was out of this world delicious. Honestly, it was the best risotto I’ve ever had in the US, not even Gordon Ramsay’s famous risotto served at Hell’s Kitchen could beat this one!
I highly recommend stopping by this restaurant if you’re visiting Beverly Hills. Also, if you’re a wine enthusiast, try their wine menu. We were too full to try it, but the menu had an excellent selection of wines that would pair perfectly with the food.
Overall thoughts about Los Angeles
Los Angeles is one of the top cities in the USA when it comes to international fame, thanks to Hollywood. My first impression as we landed in the city wasn’t great due to the poor conditions of public transit. However, the city grew on me gradually, and by the second day, I was enjoying myself walking around the streets of Sunset Boulevard, imagining how wild the scenes must have been here in the ’80s and ’90s when rock music and TV were emerging as dominant media.
I think I’d love to come back someday to watch an up-and-coming rock band perform their first gig and explore the nearby national parks, like Joshua Tree National Park and Channel Islands National Park, located near Ventura, a few hours north of LA.
From here, we headed to San Diego, which is about two hours south of Los Angeles, and we loved our time there as well. You can read all about our San Diego trip in this blog post. Let me know in the comments what you think of LA and share your favorite spots in the city!
