Los Angeles is famous all over the world for its irresistible attractions. With the glamorous film and television industry located at the center, this southern Californian city attracts tourists on a large scale. If you plan to visit this traffic-studded bustling city, consider this Los Angeles itinerary guide to exploring the most famous, fun-filled, and mesmerizing attractions.
This metropolitan city harbors a broad spectrum of places you can choose as a holiday destination, from white sandy beaches and adventure hot spots to head-turning amusement parks, art museums, and a myriad of things to do in South Bay. So hop onto the two-day itinerary guide with added accommodation recommendations to experience La La Land’s diverse culture, colors, and brilliance.
When Is The Best Time to Visit Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is known to have sunny weather almost throughout the year. When planning a two-day Los Angeles trip, check out weather forecasts and seasons to ensure you do not face any disruption in this magical land. The recommended seasons to visit this bustling city are early summer and winter onsets.
March to May and September to November are the peak seasons to visit Los Angeles, as the temperatures are favorable for certain outings and adventures. Even though you can visit this place at other times of the year, you should not go between July and August when the temperatures are the highest.
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How to Get to Los Angeles?
If you are native to the USA and plan to visit Los Angeles for a two-day Los Angeles tour, you can reach either by airways or roadways. Otherwise, you can opt for trains, buses, cars, or flights depending on the distance.
For instance, you can choose trains from San Diego to Los Angeles, while you need to opt for a flight to reach LA if you live in New York. If you reside outside the USA, you can choose waterways or airways as a mode of travel. Most countries have no direct flights from their domestic airports or ports.
In such cases, you can choose the nearest flight or cruise destination to LA for this Los Angeles itinerary. From there on, you can select local transportation to reach the entertainment industry’s capital.
How to Get Around Los Angeles?
For a comfortable and convenient tour around the city, the best mode of transportation would be using a rental car. Many rental services allow tourists to rent distinct cars on a day-to-day basis at low prices. Although this mode of traveling is convenient, the heavy traffic in LA might deplete too much of your time.
Additionally, you can opt for a public mode of transportation for touring a day in Los Angeles in buses, metro trains, and subways. Make sure to purchase tickets and tap cards for the selected mode of public transportation beforehand at the stations. Most of the buses, trains, and subways pass through prominent landmarks. Other than this, you can also book a private tour to explore LA.
Los Angeles Itinerary
Undoubtedly, the city of stars has many attractions that need to be visited and explored. From museums and theme parks to the all-famous Hollywood sign, this two-day Los Angeles itinerary offers some of the most exciting places.
Day 1 – Get Ready for Adventures
The central and downtown parts of Los Angeles are perhaps the most frequented areas by natives and tourists alike. You can have a varied trip in these places, from hiking and sightseeing to strolling along the white, sunny beaches. On your first day in LA, some of the best things to do would be visit exotic cafes, landmarks, beaches, theme parks, and hiking points.
Runyon Canyon Park Hike
Popular among visitors as a hiking destination, Runyon Canyon Park is about a 12-minute ride from Hollywood. The area features a 4.35 km loop trail for hiking, running, or walking.
If you desire to take a little walk with your furry pet, this dog-friendly hike in Los Angeles is worth the effort. The timing trail runs along the Hollywood hills and takes around 1hr 25 minutes to complete.
You can find parking spots, water fountains, and rest areas along the trail. To avoid the expensive hourly parking rate, look for street parking around the area. This sunny, moderate hiking path runs through Yamashiro Hollywood, a Japanese restaurant, to replenish energy.
Hollywood
When it comes to Los Angeles, you cannot miss stopping by Hollywood. This glamorous, luxurious, and well-known landmark is the mecca of movie lovers. You can either walk or choose local transportation to reach the Hollywood sign. Running through Lake Hollywood Park and Mount Lee Drive, the Hollywood sign is a popular Los Angeles hotspot to visit.
Although you cannot get too close to the sign, it is worth exploring to feel the city’s magnificence from the top.
This area features one of the most extensive attractions – the Hollywood walk of fame. Established to honor over 2600 entertainers of all time, this walkway is filled with picturesque 5-point stars. Additionally, you can watch the most famous movies of all time at Grauman’s Chinese Theater.
Santa Monica Beach
Visiting beaches is among the best things to do in Los Angeles, specifically Santa Monica. The 72-mile seaside in Santa Monica is perfect for biking, walking, and surfing. You can find plenty of hourly parking spots, with several seaside eateries and bike points. Most nearby restaurants and shopping centers also offer parking spots at hourly rates.
The prominent hotspot near Santa Monica beach is probably the Santa Monica Pier, studded with arcades, cafes, restaurants, coaster rides, and pubs. You can experience the thrill of roller coaster rides and giant Ferris wheels at the pacific park on Santa Monica pier.
The Last Bookstore
This Southern California hidden gem is a must-explore destination, especially if you love the good old paperbacks.
This unique and vintage store in downtown Los Angeles houses a collection of old and new books, bookish sculptures, vinyl records, exquisite wall decors, and much more. You can choose any genre among the 500,000 titles and wander through the fictional world.
This bookstore has a labyrinth tunnel, beautiful wall decorations, magnificent wall decorations, strange art collections, and a collection of books that looks good.
In addition, you can grab a quick bite at nearby restaurants and cafes such as Guisados, the wolves, etc. Lastly, you can opt to visit the nearby tattoo shop for an eccentric trip.
Day 2 – Trip to Los Angeles’ Popular Hotspots
On day two of the Los Angeles itinerary, you can visit the outlandish sites and encounter some hidden points in the city of angels. Some of the best things to do in Los Angeles on your second day would be doing adventure sports, visiting vintage stores, theme parks, and art museums.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios
A one-minute car ride from Yamashiro restaurant will take you to Universal Studio’s magical, enthralling Harry Potter-themed amusement rides. From the vintage Hogwarts castle to thrilling rides, you can experience the magical beauty of traveling at this amusement ride.
Ollivanders’ wand shop show, frog choir, Triwizard spirit rally, Harry Potter and the forbidden journey, and flight of the hippogriff are the most prominent attractions of this area.
You can shop for your favorite magical items and dine in a filmy way in this area with themed stores and eateries such as Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, Gladrags Wizardwear, Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, and Zonko’s Joke shop. Additionally, visitors can experience the magic with the help of magic wands encompassing sensors that can open cabinets.
Disneyland Park
Visiting Los Angeles in two days would remain incomplete without including Disneyland Park. A 35-minute ride from the last bookstore, this amusement park has several attractions in different themes such as Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Critter Country, Mickey’s Toontown, StarWars: Galaxy’s Edge, and Holidayland.
Suitable for adults and children alike, this theme park is a great way to experience fun. Some of the coaster rides, log flumes, and shows you can experience in Disneyland Park are The Haunted Mansion, Fantasmic, splash mountains, Peter pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, Tarzan’s treehouse, Pirates of the Caribbean, Autopia, and more.
Spend the afternoon and evening at Disneyland to avoid the traffic going back to your hotel if you are staying in Los Angeles. There are great restaurants and always lots of fun events going on in the evenings when most of the crowds have returned to their accommodations.
The Broad Museum
To make the most out of your two-day trip to Los Angeles, you must visit one of the prominent art museums. The Broad is a contemporary art museum located 29 minutes from Disneyland Park.
The general sightseeing tickets are free at this museum, but you must pay parking charges hourly. So, your best bet would be street parking to avoid spending extra money on parking alone.
Home to the collections of exemplary artists such as Ed Ruscha, Jeff Koon, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Roy Lichtenstein, etc. You will likely admire the famous art collections, including Infinity Mirrored Room by Yayoi Kusama, The Visitors by Ragnar Kjartansson, Death of Marxism by Goshka Macuga, and Single Elvis by Andy Warhol.
Malibu
If you wonder what to do in Los Angeles in two days to experience the most adventurous sightseeing, stopping by Malibu would be your best bet. Located 33 miles from The Broad, Malibu is home to scenic, sandy beaches, and popular adventure hotspots. In addition, you can visit the Malibu Lagoon State Beach and Zuma Beach to surf in Malibu.
Some beaches in Malibu have alcohol stores, such as Paradise Cove so that you can enjoy a cozy breeze with a glass of alcohol. Other attractions in Malibu include Mountain caves, Leo Carrillo State Park, Point Mugu State Park, and Pacific Coast Highway.
Additionally, you can experience thrilling activities in Malibu, including parasailing, paragliding, kayaking, bike riding, and skydiving. Moreover, Malibu Creek State Park features bike riding, rock climbing, birdwatching, and horseback riding.
Westward Beach in Malibu has plenty of parking lining the beach with restroom facilities and lifeguards on duty during the summer months. It is a perfect beach for families when visiting Los Angeles.
Where to Stay in Los Angeles?
The Beverly Hills Hotel is located in Beverly Hills, Southern California. This magnificent five-star hotel is listed among the renowned hotels globally. So, you can easily book suites, bungalows, or rooms in this hotel. The private parking, in-house restaurant, free wifi, pool, television, lush gardens, and aesthetically pleasing interiors make this hotel your top priority for accommodations.
If you desire to book accommodation away from the buzzing traffic and central area, Venice Breeze Suites are your best bet, especially when traveling to LA with family. Located five minutes from Venice Beach, these cozy suites are perfect for short trips. Beachfront rooms, wifi, private kitchens, and other amenities are included in these suites. In addition, there are many eateries nearby Venice Beach that you can explore while staying here.
Related: Most Popular Museums in America
Where to Eat in Los Angeles?
Home to exquisite taste and culture, Los Angeles has many eateries, including restaurants, cafes, and dine-ins. If you are looking to taste peculiar yet delicious dishes, make sure to eat in Koreatown.
It features a wide variety of dishes like spicy rice cakes, marinated ribs, Korean BBQ, fruit bars, tofu dishes, and late-night bars. One of the famous restaurants in this area is Ahgassi Gopchang.
Additionally, The Republique Cafe Bakery and Restaurant can be one of the best places to eat in LA. The menu features everything from pastries, desserts, cakes, cookies, and croissants to kimchi fried rice, roasted chicken, and seafood. This dark academia-themed eatery is suitable for both breakfast and dinner and is located 14 minutes away from Beverly Hills Hotel.
Final Words
This guide is perfect for getting the most out of the Los Angeles itinerary in two days. While visiting certain places, make sure to book reservations in advance to avoid any hassle at the last minute.
Confirm your accommodations before traveling to ensure no disruptions to plans occur. Also, keep an eye out for street parking spaces to avoid paying excessive parking fees. Additionally, avoid visiting various attractions during busy hours as there is a high chance of getting stuck in traffic.
