So you’re looking for a great time in Los Angeles? Looking to do a day trip that’ll fill you with many memories?
Well, I’ve done many one day trips in LA, the city of angels, and I’ve since gotten the hang of how to get the most out of my day when I’m visiting this beautiful city!
Things first-time visitors should be aware of when visiting Los Angeles
The city can seem overwhelming because of the rush hour rumors you may have heard. And before I continue, yes, those rumors are true!
Because of rush hour traffic, you will need to do a little bit of planning. If you’ve found yourself in Los Angeles unexpectedly and don’t have time to plan, don’t worry, this article is still for you!
Luckily, LA is so big that it has everything you could possibly want in a one-day trip! Within the range of whatever area you decide to visit, you can probably find an activity you’ll enjoy.
Many people come to Los Angeles and want to do all of the touristy things!
You may want to visit Beverly Hills, walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame and be awed by street performers, get cute for the Venice beach boardwalk, or ride the Ferris wheel in Santa Monica.
While those things are fun to do, they usually take up a large amount of time. If you want to live life on the tourist side then by all means jump right into those touristy things! You’ll still have a blast!
If you want to fill your day with much more than the usual tourist list, check out this ultimate list of things to do!
Start your day off at your nearest cafe
In a huge city like Los Angeles, cafes are on almost every corner. I advise you to visit the nearest cafe or coffee shop, grab a matcha tea latte or your favorite “wake me up” beverage along with a quick breakfast.
Spending an hour or less eating breakfast will allow you to maximize the amount of time you have during the day to explore the next location on the list!
Trust me, you don’t want to spend 30 minutes waiting to get seated at a restaurant and then spend another 30 minutes waiting to order and then ANOTHER 30 MINUTES waiting to receive your food and well, I think you get the reason behind my “cafe” suggestion.
Plan for Brunch
If you’re going to be in LA on a Saturday-Sunday, make a reservation for Brunch at Redbird ( Location: Little Tokyo/3rd location on the list)
Hours (I recommend a 1 pm reservation if doing brunch)
Dinner | Wednesday – Saturday 5 pm – 10 pm, Sunday 5 pm – 9 pm
Happy Hour | Wednesday – Friday 5 pm – 7 pm, at the bar
Brunch | Saturdays & Sundays 10 am – 2 pm
Con: It’s a little on the expensive side. See Menu
Pro: Because this restaurant is reservations only, the wait time for entry, ordering food, and receiving your food is cut down by a 3rd of the time you’d spend at most restaurants.
This place has GREAT food. I recommend the duck confit chilaquiles! 
Next, head on over to the Exposition Park – Includes 2 free museums (15-18$ parking)
The best time to visit the Exposition Park is in the morning. I recommend arriving at least 2 hours before 12 pm noon before the crowds arrive. A good time to arrive would be a little before 10 am. This way you can grab brunch somewhere after spending 2 hours here and then continue on with your day!
You will be able to beat out the crowds who chose to have a long breakfast instead of maximizing their morning or those who chose to visit another area of the city before heading to this park.
This park makes for a great starting point because there are many fun things to do! You can check out the roses in the Rose Garden and/or spend time inside of the two free entry museums.
There are even Imax shows available. Be sure to check the schedule beforehand if you’d like to catch a showing!
“We’re more than an urban park with outdoor recreational activities. Exposition Park is a collection of world-class museums, educational and sport facilities and entertainment venues. Within the 160-acre campus, you can experience the fun of science, math and technology at the California Science Center, learn about the diverse cultural experience at the California African American Museum or explore natural and cultural worlds at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, or simply relax in the splendor of the City of Los Angeles Rose Garden.” – Exposition Park Website
There are usually street vendors located within the park if you get a little hungry before brunch. If you’re willing to wait to snack, Little Tokyo has so many goodies that await you!
After the Exposition Park, visit Little Tokyo (6 mi from the Exposition Park)
Los Angeles has a Japantown! Little Tokyo, the largest of three recognized Japantowns in the United States, is a super fun area! I recommend leaving this location before 4pm if you’re interested in doing some shopping next.
This area in downtown LA has a variety of Japanese restaurants, pop culture clothing and shoe stores, food stores, plushie stores, museums, and more.
If you’re lucky enough, you’ll get a chance to hear one of the best musicians in the world singing a song based on the surroundings. He’s a cheerful man who plays the keyboard while singing.
As people stop to share a few nice words during the performance he sometimes incorporates their names into his improv. How neat is that?
When you’re people-watching, be on the lookout for cosplayers and celebrities! Every time I am in the area, I manage to spot someone famous. I guess famous people love Little Tokyo as much as I do!
Visiting the Japanese store in the middle of Little Tokyo Galleria is a must if you aren’t able to travel to Japan. Enjoy onigiri, dango, and many more hard-to-find Japanese snacks located in Little Tokyo Market Place.
Onigiri is seasoned rice that is usually partially wrapped with seaweed. Dango is a type of sweet Japanese dumpling. These both make the perfect on-the-go Japanese snacks! But don’t get too carried away.
If you end up eating in Little Tokyo, whether it’s at a Japanese restaurant or RedBird, you may want to save room for tea or dessert!
If you’re craving tea and would like a cute “cuppa time” experience, check out the Chado tea room! Their teas are delicious and the variety of tea smells in the air will put you in an amazing mood.
The tea party aesthetic of this place will definitely get you likes on social media!
Get dessert in Little Tokyo LA!
If you want pie that gives the town of Julian a run for its money, get pie at the Pie Hole after a walk through Little Tokyo. The pecan pie and caramel pie have been the best pies I’ve tasted in my entire pie-eating career.
If you’re not a fan of pie, that saddens me but I am happy to recommend Little Tokyo Taiyaki(sometimes closed), Mitsuru Cafe, or Salt & Straw(BEST ice cream ever) for your dessert cravings!
Again, I recommend leaving this area around 4pm if you’d like to fit in a few more locations into your day.
Take the best photo to show your friends and family here
One of the best places to take a photo in downtown Los Angeles is at Pershing square. Pershing Square is a big open area surrounded by tall buildings and makes a perfect spot for city photography.
It’s a 4 min drive/20-minute walk/short bike ride from Little Tokyo!
VEGAN friendly restaurants in Los Angeles
If you’re vegan, please check out Doomies (6.6 Miles from Little Tokyo)! It’s one of my favorite vegan restaurants! It also has dessert options(yummy vegan cake slices).
Shop in the Fashion District or at The Grove if Little Tokyo wasn’t enough
LA’s Fashion District is less than 2 miles away from Little Tokyo.
The Grove mall(closes around 8 pm) is 7.8 miles away or 15 minutes via car if there isn’t a traffic jam. It’s the perfect place for some name brand shopping but if you’re wanting some fashion that’s more unique, LA’s Fashion District is the best way to go!
If you’ve chosen to skip some of the above activities and you’re headed to the Grove from Little Tokyo downtown area then you may be interested in seeing something you do not see often in this world.
Check out the La Brea tar pit! It’s located outside of a museum so it’s totally free to look at!
When you’re done with all of your exploring, have dinner somewhere in your area before the last activity–views from Griffith Observatory.
The last activity your Los Angeles itinerary needs is a great view!
This is the best way to end your night. Hopefully, you have time to end the night by going to the Griffith observatory!
Parking here is also hectic so rideshare would be best. Check out the beautiful glow of Los Angeles and take the best night photos with the city behind you!
Since this will be your last activity for the day, I recommend having two restaurants in mind for dinner. Choose restaurants closer to your starting location because it will be hard to find a restaurant near the observatory.
Overall, Los Angeles is worth a visit because it’s a great place and also one of the best things about southern California. Amusement park lovers, beautiful beach lovers, foodies, fans of celebrities, and hikers. There’s an activity for everyone!
Full Itinerary + Map
1. Grab breakfast nearby 2. Plan for brunch 3. Exposition park 4. Snack in Little Tokyo 5. Brunch 6. More Little Tokyo fun 7. Take the best photos at Pershing Square 8. Shop in Fashion District or The Grove 9. Dinner before 7 pm 10. Night view from Griffith Observatory
A single day is just not enough for what LA has to offer
But still, you can spend 24 hours in LA visiting museums, eating good food, and sightseeing. Next time, spend 7 days in LA for the best experience!
Sadly, I purposefully left out all of the beautiful beaches. Beaches can tempt you to stay the entire day despite having prior plans, especially if it’s your first time visiting a beach in LA.
I advise going to the beach in the morning as early as possible if you must go. Then you should make a plan for a longer trip to LA next time so that you can spend hours at the beach. The amount of outdoor activities that you can do at the beach is surprising!
Now that you’ve seen the rush hours of LA, if you’d like a more chill side of California, add San Diego to your travel plans!
I’ve lived in San Diego for several years and it’s one of my favorite places in the world! It also has its share of tourist attractions, including some of the most gorgeous beaches you’ll lay your eyes on.
