Venice Canals
sightSix miles of palm-lined canals and small footbridges built 1905 — rare quiet corner of Venice, free, always open. Walk the inner loop (south of Venice Blvd) starting from Washington Blvd.
In Venice →Things to do in Los Angeles
15 editorial picks across 3 neighborhoods — named restaurants, sights, bars, cafés, parks, and shops. Every entry lifted from our deep-dives, not an AI list.
— 3 picks
Sights & landmarks in Los Angeles.
The monuments, museums, and photo spots actually worth the queue.
Muscle Beach Venice
sightThe outdoor gym on the boardwalk, used by bodybuilders since Schwarzenegger trained here in the 70s. Free to watch; $10/day pass to use the equipment. Morning sessions are most active.
In Venice →Venice Beach Skate Plaza
sightWorld-famous concrete skate park on the sand, operating since 2009. Free to watch; skill levels range from tourist-level to pro. Best at golden hour when lights come on.
In Venice →— 4 picks
Where to eat in Los Angeles.
Editor-picked restaurants from the neighborhood deep-dives — no tourist traps.
Sqirl
restaurantBreakfast-focused restaurant on Virgil Ave that launched LA's modern brunch scene — 2-hour waits, the ricotta toast and jam flights worth the pilgrimage. Cash + credit, no reservations.
In Silver Lake →Pine & Crane
restaurantTaiwanese comfort food — beef noodle soup, scallion pancakes, dan dan noodles. Order at the counter, eat on the patio. Consistently one of LA's best-value dinners.
In Silver Lake →Gjelina
restaurantAbbot Kinney's anchor restaurant — California-Italian, wood-fired pizzas, leafy patio. Reservations essential (book 3 weeks ahead) or arrive at 5 p.m. for walk-ups. Adjacent GTA bakery is the best in town.
In Venice →Cecconi's
restaurantItalian restaurant + patio on Melrose at Robertson — the neighbourhood's celebrity brunch HQ. Reservations essential for weekends. Monday-Thursday lunch is the most normal version.
In West Hollywood →— 3 picks
Bars & nightlife in Los Angeles.
Where to drink, from aperitivo terraces to locals-only dive bars.
Mohawk Bend
barCorner restaurant + bar in a historic theatre on Sunset — 72 California beers on tap, big patio. The Sunday patio brunch is an LA institution.
In Silver Lake →Sunset Strip
barLegendary 1.5-mile stretch of Sunset Blvd — Viper Room, Whisky a Go Go, Roxy Theatre, House of Blues. Live music every night. Expect paparazzi swarms outside the Chateau Marmont + Sunset Tower.
In West Hollywood →The Abbey
barWest Hollywood's legendary gay bar — 40,000 square feet, open since 1991, multiple bars + dance floor + restaurant. Sunday T-Dance is the LA institution; Thursday is the busiest club night.
In West Hollywood →— 1 picks
Cafés & coffee in Los Angeles.
Morning stops, espresso counters, and bakery classics.
Intelligentsia Coffee Silverlake
cafeThe third-wave coffee benchmark for LA since 2007 — black cube-shaped building on Sunset, tree-shaded patio. Pour-over $5.50. The archetype for hundreds of LA coffee shops that followed.
In Silver Lake →— 2 picks
Parks & green space in Los Angeles.
Where to slow down, picnic, or escape the summer heat.
The Silver Lake Reservoir
park2.2-mile walking path around the reservoir — early mornings are golden-hour LA at its best. Meadow areas on the south side are unofficial dog parks. Not open for swimming.
In Silver Lake →Runyon Canyon Park
park160-acre hilltop park — LA's favourite dog-walking and hiking spot. 3-mile loop with city and ocean views. Trailhead at Fuller Ave is the busiest; enter from Runyon Canyon Rd for quieter approach.
In West Hollywood →— 2 picks
Shops & markets in Los Angeles.
Souvenirs that aren’t embarrassing and the markets worth an hour.
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
shopMile-long main street of boutiques, restaurants, and art galleries — most independent, heavily curated. The First Fridays street market (6-10 p.m. first Friday of each month) is the monthly peak.
In Venice →Melrose Avenue
shopFairfax-to-La Cienega stretch — vintage shops (What Goes Around Comes Around, Paul Smith pink wall), design stores, Pacific Dining Car steakhouse. Peak celebrity-spotting at Alfred Coffee.
In West Hollywood →— FAQ
Planning Los Angeles.
- What are the top things to do in Los Angeles?
- We've listed 15 named places across 3 neighborhoods on this page — every one a real editorial pick, not an AI-generated suggestion. The grouped sections above (sights, food, bars, cafés, parks, shops) let you pick by intent. If you only have one day, work the "Sights & landmarks" list top-to-bottom.
- How many days do you need in Los Angeles?
- Three full days is the honest floor for a first visit to Los Angeles — enough to cover the essential sights without a march, plus two meals per day in different neighborhoods. Five days lets you add day trips. Anything less than three and you're queuing instead of experiencing.
- Are guided tours in Los Angeles worth booking?
- For major sights with skip-the-line value (Vatican, Colosseum, Alhambra-tier queues) yes, almost always. For neighborhood walks — usually no, our free deep-dives cover the same ground in more honest detail. The CTAs on this page go to Expedia's tours inventory if you want to compare.
- What's the best neighborhood to base yourself in Los Angeles?
- Depends on your trip style — our /hotels/los-angeles page ranks the neighborhoods by price and vibe. Generally: central for first-timers, residential-adjacent for return visits, canal/waterfront if the city has one.
- Are these recommendations updated?
- Yes. Every named place on this page is sourced from our neighborhood deep-dives, each of which carries a "last verified" date. We re-check openings, prices, and closures at least twice a year and flag anything that's changed.