Adapted from the Condé Nast Traveler “Los Angeles Travel Guide & Tips”
Los Angeles is glamour personified sunlit beaches, Hollywood lore, sleek hotels. But the truest stories happen off the marquee. Here’s how to travel L.A. like someone who lives here, discovering its neighborhoods, hidden gems, and layered textures.
Neighborhoods to Wander
Arts District & Downtown L.A.: edge-to-edge murals, micro-galleries, hip cafés.
Inglewood: rising as a food and culture hub.
Koreatown & Thai Town: savory late-night eats and karaoke crosswalks.
Malibu & Pacific Palisades: hills, seaside views, quiet trails.
Venice & Santa Monica: boardwalk spectacle, canal neighborhoods, street performers.
Top Things to Do
Hike Runyon Canyon at dawn the city unfolds below.
Tour the Arts District’s murals and hidden studios.
Drop into small museums like the Museum of Jurassic Technology, or boutique galleries in Eagle Rock.
Walk Echo Park Lake after sundown, lanterns reflecting on water.
Drive Mulholland Drive at twilight and let the view steal your breath.
Where to Stay (for style lovers)
Glam hotels are everywhere, but pick those with personality: retro mid-century in West Hollywood, art-forward in Downtown, or beachy boho in Santa Monica.
Eat & Drink Like a Local
South L.A. has taco stands with stacked corn tortillas. Silver Lake has cafes with vegan steak and matcha lattes. Koreatown’s Korean BBQ rooms are open late. Don’t sleep on regional Mexican and Salvadoran cuisine in East L.A.
Practical Tips
Rent a car if you can distances are real, public transit is improving but still patchy in some zones.
Use apps like Transit, Citymapper, or Metro’s scheduler to optimize routes.
Time your beach drives around sunset traffic peaks then.
Respect neighborhoods: park legally, avoid honking, tip well in small places.
True, L.A. can dazzle in postcards. But its soul lives in cracked sidewalks, neon convenience stores, quiet art alleys, and late-night laughter echoing down narrow spines.
