Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier is something in our 3 days in Los Angeles itinerary that really makes you feel like you’re in California! On our first night in LA, we visited the Santa Monica pier and soaked in the views of the water! We ate dinner at Blue Plate Taco and sat outside on their lovely patio. While we didn’t make it down to the beach, this could also be a great spot for a sunset stroll!
- Cost: Free
- Estimated Time Needed: 1-2 hours
The Getty
The Getty Center was something that really surprised us! There is endless art exhibits to explore and the gardens are stunning. It’s free to visit but you will have to pay $25 for parking. To learn more about our day at the Getty, check out our previous post: The Getty Center.
- Cost: Free (+$25 for parking)
- More Information: The Getty
- Estimated Time Needed: 3-4 hours
The Getty Villa
Many people visit the Getty Center and miss out on the Getty Villa. While the two are 20 minutes driving apart, it’s worth visiting both (in the same day if possible). The Getty Villa is home to Roman & Greek antiquities and is designed to look like an Ancient Roman villa. It truly feels as though you’ve stepped back in time! This is also free to visit and if you go on the same day as the Getty Center, you can get your parking validated so you don’t have to pay $25 again!
- Cost: Free (+$25 for parking)
- More Information: The Getty Villa
- Estimated Time Needed: 1-2 hours
Malibu Beaches
Malibu is the perfect day trip from Los Angeles and we recommend adding it into your 3 days in Los Angeles itinerary. While we stopped at multiple beaches along the Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1), El Matador beach was our favorite! It’s the perfect spot for a picnic lunch or even a dip in the Ocean. Be aware that there are many stairs & uneven ground to walk down to get to the beach, so we recommend traveling light!
- Cost: $8 (Parking)
- More information: A Day in Malibu, California
- Estimated Time Needed: 2-3 hours
Malibu Wine Hike
An unexpected highlight of our time in LA was our Malibu Wine Hike*! Located about an hour drive from LA, Saddlerock Ranch is home to stunning views of the Santa Monica Mountains & produces some delicious wines. The hike takes you around the property where you learn from your guide about wine production and the history of the land. You’ll even get to see Chumash Native American cave paintings! The tour lasts 2 hours and includes 2 cans of wine to try. It’s the perfect adventure for anyone spending some time in Malibu or looking to get away from the city for a bit! To learn more, check out our previous post: Malibu Winery Tour.
- Cost: $49 per person
- Tickets: Malibu Wine Hike*
- Estimated Time Needed: 2 hours
Griffith Observatory
While we didn’t personally make it to the Griffith Observatory due to a freak tropical storm hitting LA on our last day, it had been on our list to visit so wanted to make sure to include it here. It is free to visit the observatory buildings, grounds and public telescopes but it does cost money to park. Many choose to hike up to Griffith Observatory as well! The views of the city are supposed to be incredible from there.
- Cost: $10 per hour (Parking)
- More information: Griffith Observatory
- Estimated Time Needed: 2 hours
In N Out
Since In-N-Out is not available on the East Coast, we had to make a stop during our visit. We typically don’t include food in our city guides but since this is an iconic staple of the West coast, we thought it deserved a spot in our guide. We actually visited the In-N-Out that’s right next to LAX. Since we had an early morning flight, we landed around lunch time. After grabbing our rental car, it made sense to get a quick bite. A stop at In-N-Out is a right of passage on this 3 days in Los Angeles itinerary!
Pro Tip: Order your burger animal style, you won’t regret it!
- Cost: $10-$20
- More information: In-N-Out
- Estimated Time Needed: 30 minutes
Venice Beach
We were weary to visit Venice Beach after some friends told us it can get a bit sketchy, but we went first thing in the morning with a friend who lives in LA. We spent the morning enjoying breakfast burritos on the beach (very Cali of us) and even saw a pod of dolphins swim by! After that, we walked along the Venice Beach Boardwalk. There is truly so much to see, from the roller bladers, to the skateboarders to the body builders – the people watching is a lot of fun! We didn’t last long on the boardwalk since there was a lot of stimuli and the crowds can get tiring but it was fascinating to visit for a bit.
- Cost: Free (+ street parking)
- Estimated Time Needed: 1-2 hours
Beverly Hills
Our Airbnb was located near Beverly Hills so one of our first mornings in LA we did breakfast there. Unless you’re planning on dropping a lot of cash on some high end goods, we recommend a drive down Rodeo Drive to see the stores!
- Cost: Free
- Estimated Time Needed: 30 minutes
Los Angeles is different than many other cities we’ve visited. It’s not super accessible by public transportation and a lot of the places you want to visit will be quite spread out (requiring you to have a rental car or ride-share everywhere). Our highlights included the Getty, a day in Malibu and of course, visiting our good friend who is a comedian there. LA felt like just a taste of California and we are eager to return and visit more of the state. We hope this city guide gives you the best 3 days in Los Angeles itinerary for your trip!
