5 Days in Los Angeles (LA) – Itinerary outlined day by day. Split it up into different regions where the attractions were closest to each other. I used TRIPOMATIC.COM which displays the distance between each attraction and suggested time to spend at that location.
I went for a 6 day, 5 night trip with my girlfriends. Booked a 2 bedroom place via airbnb.com
DAY 1 – ARRIVAL AT 1030AM
– from the LAX airport we picked up our rental car at DOLLAR (sign up for the DOLLAR EXPRESS to bypass the extremely long line up)
– then we drove to our AIRBNB to drop off our luggage and freshen up for the day
– 1st stop was the Farmers Market (park here if you can and get free validation if you purchase from a vendor at the FM)
– The Grove was conveniently in same location – you can get validated parking at NORDSTORM but only for 1 hour
– we walked from the grove to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) where we took photos with the URBAN LIGHTS
DAY 2 – DOWNTOWN LA
– We parked at Pershing Square – early bird special before 11AM check their website for updated rates
– From the square we walked to the GRAMMY MUSEUM
– from the GM we walked to GRAND CENTRAL MARKET where we lined up for EGGSLUT (1 hour line up)
– after lunch we took an LAFREETOUR.COM we reserved beforehand. There was around 15 people in our tour and we met right across the GCM at ANGELS FLIGHT RAILWAY. The tourguide took us all around DOWNTOWN LA and we learned the history of many buildings. This tour was 2 HOURS LONG.
Our last stop was at the LA CENTRAL LIBRARY
– from the library we walked back to PERSHING SQUARE where there was a festival occuring
– we drove to KOREATOWN and found FREE street parking (FREE OF WEEKENDS)
– walked to CHOCOLATECHAIR for some NITROGEN CEREAL (super cool!) and visited DAISO JAPAN
– Drove to LA CINEMA (an outdoor cinema/food truck festival) We bought out tickets via GROUPON. The Cinema is located on MCMANUS AVE, once we got there there was no street parking allowed and it directed us to park at the nearby public transit station. on GOOGLEMAPS it does not know the walking trails, it said it took 25 mins to walk so we took LYFT.
On the way home we followed the walking trail everyone else was taking and it only took 10 minutes.
DAY 3 – SANTA MONICA
– use CARPOOL LANES it was a life saver when in traffic hour
– drove to SANTA MONICA PIER – we found $5 parking at the CIVIC CENTER only 5-10 mins walk to the PIER. PLENTY of parking there
– walked to SUSHI NOWIZAWA and got the TRUST ME combo. No lines there but we arrived a bit after 1pm.
– enjoyed the BOARDWALK; lots of vendors, beautiful views there
– went to the BEACH
– 3rd STREET PROMENADE; great shopping and atmosphere
– DROVE to VENICE BEACH found a parking spot at SAN JUAN and ABOTT $8 VALET parking
– walked to VENICE BEACH from there around 15 minutes walk
– found the VENICE CANALS
– walked on ABOTT street to grab ice cream at SALT AND STRAW
– drove to IN N OUT 5 minutes down the street on ABOTT
DAY 4 – HOLLYWOOD
– parked at the DOLBY THEATRE $15 all day parking
– walked down hollywood blvd, there was a premiere happening that day ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS so people were camping out on the street for good views
– we booked a CELEBRITY HOUSE TOUR via GROUPON. We were directed to a sketchy small shop and they directed us to the open top tour bus parked across from the original wax musum. Our driver was Johnny K and he took us to houses of Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Beyonce, PlayBoy, Arnold S, John Stamos, etc. We didnt get to see any celebrities come out of their houses or anything. The Tour was a bit boring. It lasted 2 hours. We also went on top of a hill to take photos of the hollywood sign. The tour also went down RODEO DRIVE where we saw beautiful luxury cars parked on the side.
– After the Tour we went to Lunch at POKINOMETRY in the same plaza as the DOLBY THEATRE
– we went to see the CHINESE THEATRE, HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
– visted some souvenir shops all alongside the street
– Then we drove to GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY – FREE PARKING – closed on MONDAYS tho and we walked the trail to the HOLLYWOOD SIGN
it is a 1 hour hike up to the sign and 45 minutes to come down. pls be advised no shade and no water stations.
DAY 5 – BURBANK
– left the house at 7AM anticipating traffic, got to WARNER BROTHERS STUDIO for 8:15AM
our tour time is at 9AM. We got CONAN tickets that same day and wondered if we could just park at the CONAN Parking lot and walk to the Warner Studio. YES you can park at CONAN Parking lot anytime, BUT it is around 25 min walk to the Warner Studio – GOOGLEMAPS will tell you it is 10 by taking the WARNER BLVD STREET DOWN but guests are not allowed in through there.
– arrived to the WARNER BROTHER STUDIO PARKING LOT – $10 FLAT FEE although there is street parking available free! just need to read the signs. and they are usually all taken by 9am from employees.
– WARNER BROTHER STUDIO TOUR was amazing! got to take photos at the friends set, went to to the live set of Pretty Little Liars where they were transforming the set to rose wood high school. Got to see other movies where to used the same set but just redressed the buildings. walked through those buildings and streets (usually it is closed off to tours) The interactive tour was great too! We bought this through GROUPON for only $49
– DOG HAUS for lunch
– then we went off to the CONAN SHOW
– Drove to CHEESECAKE FACTORY for dinner
DAY 6 – DEPARTURE
– AIRBNB to LAX
