Los Angeles

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Pocket Los Angeles

$14.99

Shop Book

Two woman looking out over the Los Angeles skyline.

Overview

Ruggedly good looking, deeply creative, with a sunny disposition to boot...if LA were on Tinder, the app would crash.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Venice Boardwalk
Venice, Marina Del Rey & Playa del Rey
Prepare for a sensory overload on Venice's Boardwalk, a one-of-a-kind experience. Buff bodybuilders brush elbows with street performers and sellers of…
Getty Villa
Malibu & Pacific Palisades
Stunningly perched on an ocean-view hillside, this museum in a replica 1st-century Roman villa is an exquisite, 64-acre showcase for Greek, Roman and…
Watts Towers
Los Angeles
The three 'Gothic' spires of the fabulous Watts Towers rank among the world’s greatest monuments of folk art. In 1921 Italian immigrant Simon Rodia set…
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, Marina Del Rey & Playa del Rey
Abbot Kinney, who founded Venice in the early 1900s, would probably be delighted to find that one of Venice’s best-loved streets bears his name. Sort of a…
Venice Canals
Venice, Marina Del Rey & Playa del Rey
Even many Angelenos have no idea that just a couple of blocks from the Boardwalk madness is an idyllic neighborhood that preserves 3 miles of Abbot Kinney…
El Matador State Beach
Malibu & Pacific Palisades
Arguably Malibu’s most stunning beach, where you park on the bluffs and stroll down a trail to sandstone rock towers that rise from emerald coves. Topless…
California Science Center
Los Angeles
Top billing at the Science Center goes to the Space Shuttle Endeavour, one of only four space shuttles nationwide, but there's plenty else to see at this…
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Dinos to diamonds, bears to beetles, hissing roaches to African elephants – this museum will take you around the world and back, through millions of years…

View more attractions

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

With world-class museums, lovely natural landscapes, and many lively neighborhoods, LA is an amazing playground not just for the rich and famous.

Read article

Best Time to Visit

LA is famously sunny all year long – yet each season brings its own magic. Here’s a full guide.

Read article

Things to Know

Traveling to Los Angeles can be slightly overwhelming for the uninitiated. Here's what you need to know before you come.

Read article

Transportation

LA's sprawling size can be overwhelming and its public transport doesn't cover every district. Here's how to find your way around the City of Angels.

Read article

Free Things to Do

Los Angeles is a playground for the rich and famous, true. But here’s the scoop on the free and fabulous in this famous city.

Read article

Best Neighborhoods

Explore Los Angeles' celebrity history and iconic beach culture, then tuck into its other fascinating neighborhoods for food, clubs, or small town vibes.

Read article

Day Trips

Day trips from Los Angeles offer stunning coastal scenery, wine regions, hiking, wildflowers, culture – and kitsch.

Read article

Money and Costs

In a famously expensive place, these tips will help see the best of the city for less. Here’s how to visit Los Angeles on a budget.

Read article

Traveling with Kids

Los Angeles has amazing beaches and many other family-friendly places to visit. Here are the best things to do in LA with kids.

Read article

LGBTIQ+ Travel

Our LA local shares their best tips for queer travel in LA.