Today I want to share my travel itinerary for spending 1 day in Los Angeles with you. The City of Angels is one of the most popular places to visit in California, and there’s plenty to see and do here. From the Hollywood Walk of Fame to Downtown LA and Beverly Hills, Los Angeles has something for every visitor. Read on for my itinerary. I’ve included a map, too.
1 Day in Los Angeles
I’ve been visiting Los Angeles since I was born. Having grown up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I took trips to this part of SoCal throughout my childhood. Now I spend a lot of time here since my boyfriend’s entire family lives in LA. I know the city and surrounding area well, and when people ask me how to spend a day in Los Angeles, I have a lot to tell them.
The nice thing about LA is that despite its size, there’s more than enough to do in a compact area that you don’t have to spend all day in a car. Whether you like seeing the sights, shopping, exploring markets, delving into the city’s past, or going to famous filming locations, you’ll find plenty to keep you entertained during your visit.
My 1-day Los Angeles itinerary covers a range of things to do. It’s a great guide for first-time visitors and those who haven’t been to LA in a long time. It will give you a good introduction to the highlights of the city and whet your appetite for seeing more of this part of Southern California on a future trip.
Where to Stay
If you’re spending 24 hours in LA, there’s no shortage of places to call home-away-from-home. Whether you want to stay downtown, in Hollywood, or by the beach, there are plenty of hotels, apartment rentals, and other options to choose from.
My favorite place to stay for one night in Los Angeles is the STILE Hotel. It’s in a great location downtown and I love the hip guest rooms, amazing views from the rooftop bar, and historic 1920s theater-turned-concert venue. I’ve stayed here before and I can personally recommend it. You can book a room here.
If you want to see more options, you can take a look at some of the most popular hotels in the city here. There are plenty of good places to stay.
1 Day in Los Angeles: Morning
My itinerary for 1 day in Los Angeles starts at Grand Central Market. Open daily, this massive 30,000-square-foot indoor food market has been a staple of Downtown LA (DTLA) since 1917. It’s the city’s largest and oldest public market, and its stalls offer a range of cuisines from across the world.
Grand Central Market is one of my favorite markets in California, and you can find all kinds of delicious foods and drinks here. Whether you go with a breakfast sandwich from Eggslut or pastries from Bastion Bakery, you can’t go wrong.
You’ll be able to get your caffeine fix at places like G&B Coffee and cold-pressed goodness from The Juice, too. They’ll help fuel you up for your day in LA.
From Grand Central Market, you can continue your itinerary for 1 day in LA by exploring the downtown area on foot. There’s lots to see around here, from museums to bookshops and beloved filming locations. If you want some direction, you can take a guided tour of Downtown LA with a local expert.
One highlight of the area is Angels Flight, a historic funicular right by the market. Often called “the world’s shortest railway”, this bright orange number will transport you up a steep 1-block slope to the top of Bunker Hill. Dating back to 1901, you might recognize it from movies like La La Land and TV shows like Perry Mason.
At the top you’ll find important cultural institutions like The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), The Broad, LA Opera, The Music Center, Ahmanson Theatre, and architect Frank Gehry’s eye-catching Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Back near Grand Central Market you can find places like the Bradbury Building, where movies like Blade Runner were filmed. This landmark five-story structure dates back to 1893, and it’s remarkable for its atrium full of iron walkways, stairs, and elevators.
A couple blocks away you’ll come to The Last Bookstore. Set in a former bank building, it’s an amazing shop with an interior full of white columns, books, boutiques, and installations. It’s worth a trip just to see how they’ve turned works of literature into works of art.
Other places of interest in the area include Los Angeles City Hall with its 27th-floor observation deck, Pershing Square and its contemporary purple bell tower, and the historic Los Angeles Theatre with its flamboyant Baroque-style architecture.
1 Day in Los Angeles: Afternoon
When it’s time for lunch, you can continue your itinerary for 1 day in Los Angeles by driving to The Original Farmers Market. This historic place features a range of shops, restaurants, and stalls selling all kinds of food in a covered outdoor area. It’s one of my favorite places for a quick meal in LA.
After lunch you can make your way to Hollywood Boulevard. Once there, you’ll be able to spend the early afternoon exploring highlights like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Dolby Theatre, the Chinese Theatre, the Capitol Records Building, the Pantages Theatre, and more. You can also take a bus tour to see the highlights in one go.
When you’re finished taking it all in, continue your itinerary for 1 day in Los Angeles by heading up to Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park.
This famous landmark on Mount Hollywood offers spectacular views of the Hollywood Sign, the skyscrapers in DTLA, the Pacific Ocean, and the local hiking trails. It’s been used as a filming location for everything from Jurassic Park to The Terminator, too.
Once you’ve taken in the views or taken a tour of Griffith Observatory, you can continue your itinerary for 1 day in Los Angeles by driving down the iconic Sunset Boulevard to get to Beverly Hills. This famous city in LA County is known for being a favorite of celebrities.
It’s also home to the high-end shopping street of Rodeo Drive, which is in The Golden Triangle area that’s bounded by Santa Monica Boulevard, Canon Drive, and Wilshire Boulevard.
You can spend some time exploring the area, shopping (or window shopping if your budget doesn’t stretch to luxury goods proportions), and taking in famous filming locations from movies like Pretty Woman and Clueless (not to mention TV shows like Beverly Hills 90210).
You’ll also find landmark hotels like the Beverly Wilshire here (again, you’ll recognize it from Pretty Woman). It’s a great place to have a pre-dinner drink after you’ve gotten your retail therapy fix. THE Blvd Lounge is my go-to when I’m in this part of town.
1 Day in Los Angeles: Evening
When it’s time for dinner, my favorite place to eat in Beverly Hills is Avra. This famous seafood restaurant is not only known for its delicious food, but also its excellent people watching. Make sure to keep an eye out for celebs while you’re enjoying your meal in the spacious dining room.
If you have energy after dinner, you can continue your itinerary for 1 day in Los Angeles by heading back to Downtown LA to go out in the Arts District. This cool area by the river is known for its creative enterprises, galleries, restaurants, and nightlife.
My favorite place to go out in the Arts District is Death & Co. This hip New York cocktail bar has a speakeasy vibe with low light and creative drinks. It’s a fun place to end a day in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Map
If you want to follow my itinerary for 1 day in Los Angeles, you can find my interactive Google map of all the places I mentioned here. I hope it helps give you an understanding of the route so you can have a fun time in the city.
1 Day in LA
I hope my travel itinerary for a day in Los Angeles has helped you plan how to spend your time here. This is one of my favorite cities in California, and it’s worth a special trip. There are so many things to do in LA in one day that you’re sure to have a good time.
There are lots more places to see here, too. If you have the chance, it’s worth staying a bit longer. My other Los Angeles itineraries can show you why.
My 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles, my itinerary for 3 days in Los Angeles, my 4-day Los Angeles itinerary, my Los Angeles itinerary for 5 days, and my 6-day LA guide are great guides for longer stays. You’ll be able to see highlights like Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Malibu, and other famous parts of LA.
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