Things to do · Los Angeles
Best Things to Do in Los Angeles
The best things to do in Los Angeles, what each is actually like, and how to group them into your days without wasting time in transit.
Updated 2026-07-25
What Los Angeles is worth your time for
LA is a string of very different neighbourhoods — beach, hills, downtown — connected by freeways. Pick your base for the vibe, and drive to the rest. World-class museums (Getty, LACMA, Broad), the film industry's beating heart and 80 km of Pacific coast are all inside one metro.
Best things to do in Los Angeles
Griffith Observatory
Free entry with sweeping city and Hollywood-sign views.
Getty Center
Hilltop museum with free admission (paid parking).
Santa Monica Pier & Venice Beach
Walk or bike the boardwalk between the two.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Book Express passes to skip the longest lines.
Booking tours and experiences
Timed-entry sights and small-group tours in Los Angeles sell out first in peak season. Booking the two or three experiences you care most about before arrival usually costs the same and protects the dates you want.
Fitting it into your days
Plan around 4–7 days. Group sights by neighbourhood rather than by ranking — it saves hours of backtracking.
Ready to book your Los Angeles trip?
Everything in this guide is bookable through Marhaba's licensed partners.
