Stop comparing options and building your own itinerary. We have already done it, every pick includes the full plan, insider tips, reservation advice, maps, backups, and the exact order to do it in.
Every one runs start to finish, the spots, the timing, the order to do them in, plus reservations, maps, budgets, and a backup for each.
Santa Monica is the polished beach base: the pier, the wide sand, Third Street's shops and restaurants, and a rare (for LA) walkable core.
The quintessential Santa Monica hotel, a Cape Cod-style retreat right on the sand with a spa, a beloved beachfront restaurant, and rooms that open to the ocean.
You're a real drive from Hollywood, Griffith, and downtown, forty-five minutes or more in traffic. Plan westside-heavy days and accept the odd long haul for the marquee sights.
Chasing a 'central' address just leaves you stuck on the freeway; committing to a region is what makes an LA trip feel easy.
Planning a guide like this yourself can take 4–6 hours. Here, it's already done, yours to download in seconds.
We've done every one of these guides ourselves.
Some are where we celebrate birthdays. Some are where we take friends visiting Los Angeles. Some have just become our favorite “we don't even need to think about it” go-tos.
These are the guides we recommend to the people we care about most.
Now go enjoy it,
The Five On ItPick one, make the reservation, and go - the hard part is already done.
Unlock all five guidesInstant access to your web guide, printable PDF, and map.
Or get it inside the Los Angeles, All Guides Bundle, $15 →