Los Angeles, city of Angels, was a brief stop on our epic USA holiday. Having just driven from San Francisco, down the Pacific Coast Highway, we wanted to see the iconic LA sights but the last thing we wanted to do was any more driving!
We were flying to Las Vegas next, so decided to stay in a hotel close to the airport to try and avoid the craziness of downtown LA. Having said that, a lot of the iconic LA sights are downtown. Never fear, we had a plan!
Before we dropped the car off and checked into our hotel, late in the afternoon, we ticked the first thing off our iconic sights of LA list, The Getty Centre Museum.
Iconic LA sight #1, The Getty Centre Museum
The Getty Centre Museum may not qualify as an iconic LA sight, but for art lovers like us, it was a must-do in LA. Leaving our visit to the late afternoon, helped to avoid the crowds. With plenty of onsite parking, and located on the city outskirts, it made sense to stop here on our way into LA.
The physical buildings and pavilions themselves are impressive, built in Italian travertine. When looking closely at the occasional roughly split blocks, you will find embedded fossils of leaves and shells and other objects. The gardens are also worth walking around too, including a flower maze and a ‘sound sculpture’ garden that is a respite from all the stone. Located on a hilltop, the views out across the city are beautiful.
The Impressionists will always be my favourite, so it was straight to the second floor for me to view Van Gogh’s Irises as well as many other Impressionist paintings.
I could go on about the art, but I won’t.
By the time we got to our hotel after dropping off the car, we were exhausted. It had been a big day, and an even bigger one awaited us in the morning. We were going to see all the iconic LA sights in one day! How were we going to do this without a car I hear you ask? EASY!!
We were booked on what turned out to be a fantastic, Iconic Sights of LA tour. No mucking around with pick up meeting points, pick up was from the hotel, too easy. First stop on our tour was the Santa Monica Pier.
Iconic LA sight #2, Santa Monica Pier
The famous pier that has been featured in many films such as Forrest Gump, Iron Man and Beverly Hills Cop, marks the official end of Route 66. We walked to the end of the pier, which was busy with buskers and vendors, took a few selfies, and contemplated buying a souvenir. The day was young, so plenty of time for souvenirs later!
Iconic LA sight #3, Venice Beach
Venice Beach, stop number 2, was pretty quiet while we were there. A few skaters in the skate park, one or two people working out at Muscle Beach and not too crowded along the esplanade. I loved seeing the little shop that featured in the Barbie movie, where Margot Robbie buys her cowgirl outfit.
Our guide also told us the history of Venice Beach and where it got its name. Originally, the area contained a vast network of canals, developed by a man called Abbot Kinney, to resemble the Italian city he admired. It drew in the tourists, but eventually a lot of the canals were built in, to accommodate cars. A few of the canals still remain today, with little bridges and walkways, they make a lovely quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of the beach.
Iconic LA sight #4, Rodeo Drive & Beverly Hills
Next, I got to live out my Pretty Woman fantasies by strolling down Rodeo Drive. We were there just before Christmas, so the iconic street was festively decorated in Christmas colours. No shopping for me here, no Richard Gere handing me his credit card unfortunately, so just window shopping.
Iconic LA sight #5, Farmers Market
Our next stop was a place I didn’t know much about. The original Farmers Market was great to walk around, so many food options! There is signage explaining the history of the markets that started with a few farmers selling produce off the back of their trucks. Over the years, the who’s who of Hollywood have visited the markets including, Frank Sinatra and James Dean.
Today there are over 100 shops, produce stalls and sit-down restaurants. We chose one of these restaurants to have lunch at – El Granjero Cantina. The biggest bowl of loaded nachos I have ever seen!
Iconic LA sight #6, Griffith Observatory & Hollywood Sign
Fueled up, we were off to our next destination and one I was looking forward to. The Griffith Observatory not only has great views of the Hollywood sign and the LA Basin, it has also featured in legendary Hollywood movies such as La La Land and Rebel Without a Cause (there is even a bronze bust of James Dean as a tribute to him and the movie up there).
Unlike Venice Beach, the Observatory was buzzing! Keen astronomers had telescopes set up on the grassy area in front of the building and kindly let visitors view the skies. There were long lines to have a look through the main large telescope, but the line moved quickly, and it was worth the short wait.
Inside the observatory, there are several educational science displays. It was pretty cool, and I am not really into science.
Iconic LA sight #7, Hollywood Boulevard
Last but not least, was a walk down the iconic Hollywood Boulevard. We saw the Chinese Theatre with many famous handprints decorating the pavement in front. There are more Hollywood stars on the sidewalk than I realized, they are everywhere! We found some of our favourites and then thought it was about time to buy some of those souvenirs. This was my favourite place for people watching, there were certainly some interesting characters to be seen!
As we toured from one location to another, our tour guide pointed out other iconic LA sights.
The tour ends with your hotel drop off or you can opt to leave the tour early if you are staying close to the last stop on the tour.
We never felt rushed on this tour and had enough time at each stop to see what we wanted to see.
As a tourist, unfamiliar with the city, deciding to take the tour was an easy decision to make. Not having to worry about parking or getting lost was a godsend. The added benefit of a guide pointing out interesting facts and landmarks was a bonus. Remember, the USA is a tipping country and tipping as you leave the tour bus at the end of the day is greatly appreciated.
Highly recommend this tour to see the iconic LA sights all in one day!
Deb Morrow is a wife and mum of two in her 50’s, who works in education. She has a passion for travel and through sharing her travel experiences, tips and recommendations, wants to encourage other women her age to start making time for themselves, grab their besties, and go see the world!
