Los Angeles

-La La land of love 

Los Angeles and surrounding California

Ok so there are VERY few places I would wish to visit again and again but there really is something special about LA (imo). It's not about what there is to see and do, it's the way that being there makes you feel. California literally emits a happy, go with the flow, cool vibe that makes you feel SO relaxed (not an easy feeling for a control freak/worry wart like me to get). I literally love this place so much I had been so excited to write about it and thought the words would just fall out of me but to be honest I've spent the last 30 minutes staring at the screen not knowing what to say next.. it seems some places genuinely make you lost for words...

After my first trip to LA I balled my eyes out in the airport - note I was travelling onto Miami, the Bahamas and New York.. you'd think I'd be happy to leave but I genuinely was obsessed with how much I had loved every last little thing we had done. I am unsure if it's the star spotting, mansions for miles, hollywood glamor and luxury buzz of LA city itself that makes it or if it's the relaxed Californian weather, beaches and roller skating/surfing vibe - I assume its the rare combination of the two? But for someone who is obsessed with pop culture, films and celebs like I am LA really is a bit awe provoking.

For a first time trip to LA I personally think there are some things "you have to do" .. which I typically hate to say but really how can you go to Hollywood and not see the sign?? Again it's worth noting there's not a lot (or anything) I wouldn't recommend doing in LA *(you're getting how obsessed I am with it now right?). 

Ok I've persuaded you to go and you've booked your flights, now what.. where to stay?? Accommodation in LA is plentiful! Airbnb is largely used in the US and we have had many amazing experiences using it, it would be my top recommend. The concept of Airbnb is that people who live or have lived in your selected town will rent part or the full of their house for you to stay in. I personally LOVE how this experience allows you to live like a local with access to parts of town you may not otherwise see. On our first trip we stayed in Venice beach and on the second occasion we stayed in Silverlake (both were placed near anything you'd want to do as is almost any part of LA as everything is so spread you can't ever really be in the heart of it all). Many American's renovate part of their home for the purpose of Airbnb which means the owners are nearby should you run into any problems. Our home in Silverlake belonged to a Hollywood real estate architect and an editor for Universal Studios. As you can imagine they had lots of insight into cool places to hang out and were utterly disgusted at all the tourist traps we were spending our time at. 

So where to begin .. I am going to have to break this down into subheadings:

Things to do:

Tours 

Ok so as I've already admitted there is a lot of touristy must-do's in LA but they can definitely be pilled into one day. The Hollywood houses tour is a bit like a sightseeing bus that gives a great overview of all tourist traps you may wish to go back to or alternatively you can say "yeah I saw it!" On our first trip to LA we opted for 'the ultimate Hollywood tour' and I would totally recommend it (the Kardashians did it so it must be good haha). You set off from Hollywood central and drive through the Hollywood hills stopping at varying celebs houses which you all gasp at and take photos of the giant plain black gates without every truly knowing who lives there or being able to recall which photo belongs to which celeb.. comical thinking back on it but in the moment I genuinely was star struck and there were a few pretty cool houses if you're a fan of architecture. As you approach the top of the Hollywood hills you stop for that photo of the Hollywood sign and look at the view - which is absolutely sensational btw! You drive onto Beverly Hills to gawk at more houses and see the superduper Rodeo Drive (if you don't know what that is then LA isn't the place for you) before heading into main Hollywood strip and seeing the walk of fame (stars on the floor given to varying people who have contributed to the entertainment industry in Hollywood). Dismounting the open top van here gives you the chance to see the handprints outside Grauman's Chinese (TLC) Theatre. There is a huge shopping mall amongst the stars on the walk of fame and interestingly the Church of Scientology is based here too(legit don't go in - they expect you to join, learn from my bad experience). Whether you're opting to do a Hollywood tour or not an afternoon can easily be spent on Hollywood Boulevard shopping. This is the main 'tacky' touristy place to go, lot of souvenir shops and random men walking around with Pythons for you to have a photo with (absolutely nooo idea why that is a thing in America?! but I am not ok with it).

If a Hollywood tour is too typical for you 'Dearly departed tour' might be a good alternative. Since we loved the original tour on our first LA trip we decided to do another on our second with a twist. DDT takes you around Hollywood talking about all things scandalous and scary. Since the US have looser restrictions on publicity you're played emergency phone recording from the 'scandalous events' that have taken place, some are super gruesome (varying deaths) and others a little more Hollywood ridiculousness, eg. where Michael Jackson dangled his baby out of the window. The tour finishes at one of Hollywood's most famous cemeteries. Whilst it was interesting it was definitely a bit weird.

Back to loving mainstream life, Universal Studios was so fab! I don't know about you but in my old age I have started getting a little scared of rollercoasters and the fantastic technology and engineering that goes on at Universal means your able to experience all the thrill of a ride without the same level of "what if this rollercoaster actually falls off the end?!". They have an abundance of film themed rides and parts of the park attributed to some of Universal's most famous accomplishments eg. Harry Potter and Simpson's world. All rides here were totally amazing but one of the best parts was going on the 'film set tour' which takes you on a little tram through Universal Studio's actual live working set. Here you can see the set from old classics like Desperate Housewives and Jaws as well as those being currently filmed. Tickets were a touch more expensive than those offered by Disney down the road but with the added benefit of seeing live film sets it was definitely worth it! Plus queues are a hell of a lot shorter than what is experienced in Orlando so if you like a theme park try to squeeze in time for a visit (full day needed). 

(Brent was clearly a fan of the drinks on offer too)

If seeing a film set is something that tickles your fancy then doing a studio tour is a MUST in LA. There are a variety on offer -- you are in Hollywood after all! I'd advise a little research about the differing options. We settled upon Warner Brothers Studio Tour since they produce the majority of programs and films that we like and are interested in. The tour begins with a little background and information provided in a cinema and then you are taken around the live working studio in a little golf buggy. You're able to see how the set's change and it's crazy to legit feel like you're in New York one minute and then London the next. Your guide gives you all the information about how set's are made and tells you about the different trailers used to support actors and crew during filming - keep your eyes peeled as it really is a working set, I saw my favourite actress from Pretty Little Liars and was 😱. You're able to have pictures throughout, go in internal film sets and go onto museums that showcase the most famous costumes and props. The tour ends with a museum of awards, opportunity to have a go with some greenscreens and saving the best till last you're able to go into the Friends set!! (and no I don't mean the replica set that recently came to Heaton Park - the actual actual Friends set). I know I am fangirling over all the fav tv shows and movies here but legit, it was very interesting and exciting. 

Places to go:

If 'forced fun' tour vibes isn't your thing there are plenty of other cool hangouts in LA. The Grove is an outdoors shopping mall joined with LA's Farmers Market, there's a cinema and plenty of places to eat. It's a typical American outdoors mall with all the glamour of LA, feels a little like a Disney/toy village, cute to visit for an afternoon but if you're looking for hardcore shopping and more of a designer outlet then Citadel Mall is Cheshire oaks x 10!

If you're more of an outdoor lover doing the Runyon Canyon hikes amongst many others is a favourite amongst LAians. I am not the biggest fan of exercise but wouldn't consider myself greatly unfit however it really is worth knowing it's an actual hike not a UK walk in the park. Also there are warnings of rattle snakes upon entry which I didn't fully believe until we saw an imprint

 of one in the sand and quickly ran back to the car! What is it with the snake sitch?!

My all time favourite thing to do in LA is just to drive, all of the roads connect back to each other as you explore the Hollywood hills/Bell air/Beverly Hills/Calabasas etc etc. Mansions adorn the road and you're never without something to discuss as you drive (having a convertible totally makes this experience I must admit).

 One of the best places to drive to as you explore is Griffith Observatory. Found right at the top of the hillside is one of the most magnificent astronomy observatories that can be found. Going right before sunset is (a busy time) a fab time to go, seeing the sunset over the LA skyline and adjacent Hollywood sign is beautiful before finally seeing the sky light up with stars you would never expect to be seen from such a big city. Telescopes are available for observing and inside the observatory is an array of information if astronomy is your thing. The surrounding grounds are gorgeous for a picnic and it's definitely up there as an all time cute date night. 

If you love the intellectual aspects of the observatory rather than the cushy romance then the California Science Centre is great thing to timetable into the itinerary. They have a section dedicated to Space and the Endeavour Space Shuttle which resides there. They also house amazing touring museum artefacts such as Tutankhamun (absolutely just had to google how to spell that). 

As in I have totally described LA as all glitz and glam but there's also a wealth of history and (clever stuff) that can be done there too. 

So LA itself is not only a cool place to be but its the middle of a lot of other very fab places that are great to go hang out at for the day. To the south of LA you can do a drive by of some of the most famous Californian beaches on offer: Laguna, Huntington, Long beach and Newport. If you're a girl who grew up addicted to reality tv then you'll assume Laguna or Newport are the place to head and whilst they didn't disappoint Huntington had more on offer. The other beaches are beautiful and clearly a hangout area for locals, many families and friends settling on the beach for picnics, bbqs and a game of volley ball. We had a great chilled day there and then went onto Huntington for a bit of shopping, walk along the pier and some gorgeous food. If you enjoy a night out Huntington definitely had an edge to it with live music and cocktails on every corner - not in a Magaluf tacky way though, again I am unsure how but everything in LA just seems to be super cool. 

 

To the north of LA you can drive to Santa Monica and Malibu. Santa Monica can actually be walked to along Venice beach. This is the typical spot for photos of roller bladders, palm readers and of course the famous muscle beach. Now I must admit Venice beach gives off a fun vibe and isn't the beach you'd go to for a relaxing day but there's certainly lots of people watching that can be done. (Note whilst it was 'just like on the tv', and the sunset is phenomenal it felt to get a little sketchy as the night creeps in). Santa Monica by comparison is much more of a fun family hang out. On Santa Monica pier you'll find a Ferris wheel overlooking all the coast and the famous 'end of route 55 sign'. You can walk through Santa Monica town with tonnes of shops and typical American eateries such as 'cheesecake factory' there's certainly enough to fill the day. 

 

Malibu meanwhile is more of an area than a town. There are lots of stretches of beaches with beautiful houses that line the shore. Zuma beach is a very chilled beach perfect for a day of sunbathing which is nicely finished off with a wonder around Malibu Country Mart (small outside shopping centre with one of shops and a very necessary Sephora). To finish the day YOU MUST go to Nobu - more on that later. 

If you're really up for a drive or you're on your way in or out of LA try to call into Santa Barbara, here you're getting out of the celeb hustle and bustle and you get to see the surrounding beauty. Roads are typically lined with palm trees and prices haven't deflated massively but you'll certainly notice the lack of crowds that engulf everywhere in LA.

And finally not to mention that if you really are up for a drive then LA is slap bang in the middle of some other veryyy fab destinations (Yosemite National Park, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Mexico, oh and it's also a main port for Alaskan/Hawaiian cruises etc). The first time we did LA we loved going there alone and flew onto other places however the second time we made a road trip out of it and loveddd being able to see many more places near by. America is so vast it's crazy how much variation there can be in one country. I'd definitely recommend trying to see as much as you can!

Foodie fabness:

Nobu - fav restaurant in the world. So a Nobu restaurant can be found in many a city across the globe so I am sure you're not unfamiliar however Nobu in Malibu is something special. Part owned by Nobu (famous Sushi chef) and Robert De Niro (please don't make me tell you who he is) this restaurant sits right on the shore of the most magnificent Malibu coast line. The restaurant is buzzing day and night, it's definitely a luxury hangout adorned by many a celebrity and millionaire it is HARD to get a table. Bookings are taken over the phone a month in advance only. The first time we went we just strolled on in and essentially got laughed at by the front of house manager. Kindly though she found us a stool in the bar area and after only a few nibbles of Sushi we knew we needed to book properly next time in LA. The second time we were due to visit I phoned (from the UK to Malibu- not easy with the time difference) exactly a month to the day that we needed the table and they could only offer 2 time slots 🤣. Now let's be straight I am hardly the cliental they want there butt we've always had a lovely experience and been treated with as much respect as the oil tycoon across the way who needed 1 table for his family and 2 tables for his body guards and also for Scott Disick and kids who we saw on our most recent trip!! Note do not try to take photos of any celebs you may see otherwise you will be threatened with being kicked out just like me 😇

carneys hotdog train - ok so super random but just off Sunset Boulevard (main ((verylong)) strip of bars are restaurants) is a bright yellow train carriage that serves the fabbest hotdogs. Since many restaurants in LA can be expensive it's nice to break up the routine with a casual hotdog after a full on day.

in n out burger - anyone who watches the Kardashians.. or any American reality TV show will have heard of in 'n' out burger, it's similar to burger king in my opinion, nothing ott but we found out when there that if you go in to ask for your food to be served animal style. Obvvviously when you walk up to the counter and see no mention of animal style on the menu you think people are having you on but lo and behold our fries and burgers got served with a heap of onionysaucy goodness that I can't even describe and was definitely the 'best kept secret for locals' that we found out!

Bubba Gump -ok so this is a chain restaurant to a degree but Bubba Gump on Santa Monica pier gives all the family fun someone like myself without kids shouldn't enjoy. The drinks are served in flashing glasses and there is lotsss of Forest Gump memorabilia around the restaurant. They mainly serve shrimp based food which I don't even eat but still it was lots of a fun and so relaxing to watch the world go by on Santa Monica Pier. 

Catch/Pink Taco/STK /Craigs/Chataeu Marmont - all restaurants provide gorg food, luxury dining,  a chance to dress up and celeb spot. There are a tonne of restaurants like this accross LA so research your favourite and book well in advance!

 

Haven't yet done but it's on the hit list..

-brunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel

-lunch at Beverly Wilshire

- day trip to Joshua tree 

- get tickets to see the live recording of a tv show (tickets are constantly available for eg. The late late show with James Corden but once you get the email you have to queue up all day to get in.. waste of time if you aren't in LA for long but one day it would make a cool experience!)

-somehow wangle myself an invite into the Magic Castle 

- get tickets for Coachella 

-drive through death valley 

date of visit- Summer: nothing beats that Californian sun

necessary time - 3/4 days - 2 weeks

recommend time - 7 days

overkill - not possible imo 😇

approximate budget (based on 2 adults for a week all in) - £3000

pros- such a unique mix of things to see and do, lots of other places to go near by

cons- erm trying hard to use my unbiased opinion to think of some things here. I suppose its on the furthest coast of America so its abit of a mooch away and there's so much to see and do that the $ can very quickly add up

Random info:

- probs the biggest disclaimer that should have been mentioned right at the start is that a visit to LA is only really feasible if you're driving. Hiring a car is easy but you have to be a confident driver. After our 9 hour flight we jumped in our rental and threw the top down like the coolest mofos to walk the planet, within minutes we were on a 7 lane freeway (motorway) freaking the hell out that we couldn't hear the satnav and without a clue which lane to be in. After that we spent some time learning the rules of the road and always took a deep breath before joining the motorway. Driving is absolutely fine once you get used to it but without it you'd struggle to explore the city. LA is so vast and you're always around an hour from where you want to be (even if its around the corner traffic is a nightmare and there's not underground or public transport like you know of in other cities). #celebsjustjumpintheirheli