Today I want to share my 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles with you. The City of Angels is one of the most popular places to visit in California, and you can do and see a lot if you have 48 hours here. From the Hollywood Walk of Fame to Downtown LA and Santa Monica, Los Angeles has something for every visitor. Read on for my itinerary. I’ve included a map with all the places I recommend, too.
2-Day Itinerary for Los Angeles
The nice thing about a 2-day Los Angeles itinerary is that it gives you enough time to see the highlights. The city and surrounding county are big, and having a couple days here will allow you to see both the urban highlights and the coastal ones.
Whether you’re interested in seeing the sights, hitting the beach, shopping, going to markets, learning about the city’s history, or visiting famous filming locations, you’ll find plenty to entertain you during your trip.
My 2-day itinerary for LA covers a range of things to do and see. It’s an ideal guide for first-time visitors and those who haven’t been here in a while. Like my itinerary for 1 day in Los Angeles, it will give you an introduction to the highlights of the city and make you want to come back and discover more of this part of Southern California in the future.
Where to Stay
If you’re spending 2 days in LA, there’s no shortage of places to call home-away-from-home. Whether you want to base yourself downtown, by the beach, or in Hollywood, there are plenty of hotels, apartment rentals, and other options to choose from.
My favorite place to stay for 2 nights in Los Angeles is the STILE Hotel. It’s in a convenient location downtown and I love the hip guest rooms, stunning views from the rooftop bar, and historic 1920s theater that’s now a concert venue. I’ve stayed here before and I can personally vouch for how good it is. You can book a room here.
If you want more options, you can see some of the most popular hotels in the city here. There are plenty of great places to stay in LA.
Day 1
My 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles starts at Grand Central Market. Open daily, this 30,000-square-foot indoor food market has been a staple of Downtown LA (DTLA) since 1917. It’s the city’s biggest and oldest public market, and its maze of stalls offers a variety of cuisines from across the world.
Grand Central Market is one of my favorite food markets in the Golden State, and you can get a huge range of foods and drinks here. Whether you’re in the mood for a breakfast sandwich from Eggslut or pastries from Bastion Bakery, you’re bound to find something to tempt your tastebuds.
You can get your caffeine fix at places like G&B Coffee and cold-pressed goodness from The Juice, too. They’ll help energize you for your first day in LA.
Downtown LA
From Grand Central Market, continue your itinerary for 2 days in LA by walking around the downtown area. There’s plenty to do and see here, from museums to performing arts venues, bookshops, and famous filming locations. If you want some direction, you can book a guided tour of Downtown LA with a local expert.
One of my favorite things to do downtown is ride Angels Flight. This historic funicular by the market opened in 1901, and it’s often called “the world’s shortest railway”. Bright orange in color, it transports passengers up a steep 1-block slope to the top of Bunker Hill. You might recognize it from movies like La La Land and TV shows like Perry Mason.
At the top of Angels Flight you’ll find cultural landmarks like The Broad, The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), 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 see places like the Bradbury Building, where movies like Blade Runner were filmed. Dating back to 1893, this landmark five-story feat of architecture is remarkable for its atrium full of ornate iron walkways, stairs, and elevators.
A couple blocks away you’ll come to The Last Bookstore. Housed in a former bank building, it’s a huge shop with an interior full of white columns, books, boutiques, and creative installations. It’s worth going inside just to see how they’ve turned works of literature into works of art.
Other places you’ll want to see in DTLA include Los Angeles City Hall (it has a 27th-floor observation deck), Pershing Square and its contemporary purple bell tower, and the heritage Los Angeles Theatre with its eye-catching Baroque-style architecture.
Hollywood
When you get hungry for lunch, you can continue your 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles by driving to The Original Farmers Market. This historic spot is home to a variety of shops, restaurants, and stalls selling a range of food in a covered outdoor area. It’s one of my favorite places to go for a quick bite in LA.
After lunch, make your way to Hollywood Boulevard. You can spend the early afternoon discovering highlights like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre, the Capitol Records Building, the Pantages Theatre, and more. If you want to, you can take a bus tour to see the highlights in one go.
When you’re finished taking it all in, continue your itinerary for 2 days in Los Angeles by heading over to Griffith Park and up to the iconic Griffith Observatory.
This eye-catching landmark on Mount Hollywood offers spectacular views of the Hollywood Sign, the skyscrapers in Downtown LA, the Pacific Ocean, and local hiking trails. It’s been used as a filming location for everything from The Terminator to Jurassic Park, too.
Arts District
You can soak up the views or take a tour of Griffith Observatory, then continue your 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles by heading back downtown to the Arts District. This cool area by the river is known for its creative enterprises, galleries, restaurants, and nightlife.
My favorite place for a pre-dinner drink 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 start a night out in Los Angeles.
Afterwards it’s a short drive to dinner at award-winning chef Enrique Olvera’s Damian. This cool restaurant blends Mexican cuisine with California’s seasonal produce. The result is delicious food in a hip warehouse atmosphere.
If you want to go out after dinner, it’s worth heading up to a rooftop bar in DTLA. They’re great for cocktails with views, and fun spots to end your first day in the City of Angels. Whether you go to Perch LA, The Rooftop at Mama Shelter, or Broken Shaker at the Freehand hotel, you can’t go wrong.
Day 2
The next morning, continue your 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles with a quick coffee and breakfast from one of the many great cafes in Downtown LA. Whether you go with Verve Coffee Roasters or Basil & Cheese Cafe, you can’t go wrong here.
Venice
Appetite sated, make your way to Venice Beach. If you’re driving, park in or near the lot bounded by Pacific Ave and North and South Venice Blvd. I always park here, and it’s a convenient place for what’s coming next on the itinerary.
Venice Beach is famous for its bohemian boardwalk, which is lined with everything from souvenir shops to restaurants. It’s also home to Muscle Beach, an outdoor gym where Arnold Schwarzenegger once pumped iron, and basketball courts that featured in the 1992 movie White Men Can’t Jump.
You can stroll up and down the boardwalk to take in the scene, then walk over to the Venice Canals. These manmade waterways were carved out in 1905 by developer Abbot Kinney in an effort to bring a bit of Italy to Southern California. Today they’re beautiful places to walk, take in the views, and admire the waterfront houses.
When you’ve finished meandering along the canals, walk or drive over to Abbot Kinney Boulevard. This street is famous for its stylish boutiques, restaurants, and cafes. You can shop here if you want to, or head straight to lunch at one of the many places to eat. My favorite for a casual meal is Greenleaf Kitchen and Cocktails.
Santa Monica
When you’ve finished lunch, continue your 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles by hopping in your car and driving up Main Street to Santa Monica. This part of LA is famous for its beach, which is graced with a long pier that juts out into the Pacific Ocean.
You can walk out onto the pier to take in the views, then walk or drive over to the 3rd Street Promenade. There’s lots of shopping on and around this pedestrianized stretch, and you can spend as much or as little time indulging in retail therapy as you want to.
The Getty
Once you’ve gotten your shopping fix, it’s time for some culture. Continue your 2-day LA itinerary by driving up to the Getty in Brentwood. This hilltop museum was designed by award-winning architect Richard Meier. It houses an impressive collection of European art that spans centuries. There’s free entry, too.
Once inside the Getty Center, you’ll find everything from Rembrandts to Turners and Van Goghs. You can book a guided tour if you want to see the highlights with an expert.
You’ll also want to check out the gardens, which are famous for their views. The panoramas from them are spectacular.
Beverly Hills
Once you’ve finished exploring the Getty, continue your 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles by driving down Sunset Boulevard to get to Beverly Hills. This glamorous city in LA County is known for being a haunt of A-list celebrities.
It’s also home to The Golden Triangle, an area that’s bounded by Santa Monica Boulevard, Canon Drive, and Wilshire Boulevard. The high-end shopping street of Rodeo Drive is here, too.
You can spend some time exploring the area, shopping (or window shopping if your budget doesn’t stretch to luxury goods proportions), and locating famous filming locations from movies like Clueless and Pretty Woman (not to mention TV shows like Beverly Hills 90210).
You can also go to landmark hotels like the Beverly Wilshire (again, you’ll recognize it from Pretty Woman). It’s the perfect 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 LA.
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 delicious food, but also amazing people watching. Make sure to keep an eye out for celebs while enjoying your meal in the spacious dining room.
If you have energy after dinner, it’s worth stopping by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) on your way back to Downtown LA. Why? Because Urban Light is here. This free outdoor installation by artist Chris Burden features a forest of restored vintage street lamps that lights up the night sky on Wilshire Blvd.
Originally created in 2008, Urban Light has become a Los Angeles landmark and attraction. It’s amazing to see the lamps up close and walk through the installation at night. It’s a great way to cap off a 2-day trip to Los Angeles, too.
Los Angeles Map
If you want to follow my itinerary for 2 days in LA, 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.
Itinerary for 2 Days in LA
I hope my 2-day itinerary for Los Angeles has helped you plan how to spend your time here. This is one of the best cities in California, and it’s worth a special trip. There are so many things to do in LA in 48 hours that you’re bound to have a good time.
There are lots more places to see here, too. If you have the chance, it’s worth staying in town a bit longer. My Los Angeles itinerary for 3 days, my 4-day itinerary for Los Angeles, my LA itinerary for 5 days, and my guide to spending 6 days in LA can show you why. You’ll be able to see highlights like Manhattan Beach, theme parks, and other famous parts of LA.
Find this helpful? Buy me a coffee!
Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I earn a small commission when you click on them and make a purchase. It doesn’t affect the way you shop, and it’s a great way to support the California Wayfaring blog.
Pin it!