In a place as big as Los Angeles, there’s bound to be an infinite number of activities and sites for you to see and experience. As the city draws tons of visitors a year, some of these places are probably going to get a little crowded. If you’re looking to escape the mad swathes of tourists, here are some things you can do that are just as fun, but less packed with tourists! Some of them are even more popular with locals so you can live your life just like one right here.
Will Rogers State Historic Park
Sure, the tour you’re going on might take you to a couple of celebrity homes, but can you actually enter them? We think not. Why not visit a celebrity home you can enter at Will Rogers State Historic Park? This is the former estate of one of the most popular and highest paid actors of the 1930s Will Rogers, who was once labelled as “America’s most beloved citizen.” While he had unfortunately passed during a plane crash in 1935, his estate was donated to the State in 1944 by his widow. On Thursdays to Sundays, free public tours of the ranch are provided. After your tour, you can always picnic on the grounds and take a hike thereafter. If you’re there on the weekends, catch a free polo game to see how this sport is played!
Hiking to anywhere but the Hollywood sign
Perhaps you’ve conquered your hike to Hollywood and you’re looking for a bigger challenge. Perhaps you just want to hike somewhere that’s not the Hollywood sign. We have good news for you! There are endless hiking trails in Los Angeles and its surroundings that you can choose for your next adventure! Some of these trails include the Santa Monica Mountains, Rubio Canyon Trail and Solstice Canyon. For something that’s relatively gentle (but will still work up a sweat), try Corral Canyon Park. It’s a 2.5 mile loop that promises great views of the ocean and canyon. You should wear long pants though, as the grass is tall, and it may itch a little if you’re not well-covered. Seasoned hikers looking for a challenge should consider the Runyon Canyon Park with Mount Baldy, the highest point in LA County. It’s a 6.5 mile hike with an elevation of 2,300 feet, so make sure you’re in your best shoes and that you stay hydrated!
Koreatown
LA is home to the largest Korean population outside Seoul, and you can experience much of their culture in Koreatown, one of LA’s densest and most diverse neighbourhoods. While it’s only 3 square miles, it has plenty to offer you on your visit by way of late night entertainment complexes, amazing restaurants, hipster cafes and malls. It’s a great place to explore on foot as it’s one of the more walkable neighbourhoods in LA. Here you’ll find 24-hour fun in karaoke bars and Korean BBQ restaurants where you and your friends can party all night long! Apart from Korean establishments, you can also lay your eyes on The Wiltern and its fancy Art Deco exterior, or just catch a film or event there. For more on what to do in Koreatown, check out our guide to the neighbourhood here. If you’re looking for more ethnic neighbourhoods to explore in LA - there are so many! - check out our own guide to visiting LA’s diverse ethnic neighbourhoods.
New Beverly Cinema
The New Beverly Cinema is a historic movie theatre owned by renowned director Quentin Tarantino. The grand auteur selects the movies himself, and the films screened here are all 35mm films. It’s a great theatre to check out some art house flicks that you would not otherwise get a chance to see, and as they are hand-picked by Tarantino himself, you can be assured that they’re definitely worth-watching. It’s also the place to go if you still wanna catch some Tarantino films during the Friday midnight shows that screen his movies. Most of the films screened are also from the director’s own collection, making it a very personal experience. Who knows? Maybe you can catch a glimpse of Tarantino during your visit too!
Amoeba Music
While it was forced to close its Sunset Boulevard store during the Covid-19 health crisis, Amoeba Music is opening its doors at a new address in Fall 2020 at Hollywood Boulevard. Even as CDs began a fall in popularity, Amoeba Music has survived as the world’s largest independent record store, and has become a Californian icon. It has two smaller stores in the Bay Area, but its Hollywood branch is the most well-known. Apart from record shopping, the store also hosts some live music and signing events, with famous performers like Ozzy Osbourne, FKA Twigs and Carly Rae Jepsen being just several artists who have made appearances there. The store’s website regularly updates its events, so check out their page here to see who’s popping by during your visit!
The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Nuart Theatre
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 musical horror comedy that has retained an impressive cult following, with its delightful spoofs of old Hollywood horror movies and melodramas. Whether or not you’ve watched the movie, the experience that Nuart Theatre provides will still be fun and refreshing. Every Saturday at around midnight, Nuart Theatre screens the film alongside a live performance of it by Sins O' The Flesh, one of the most venerable performing groups in the region. Don’t know what to bring for the show? Fret not, as there are show kits sold for just US$3. This experience of watching Rocky Horror in both 2D and 3D is sure to engage your senses and blow your minds!
Find your inner self by joining a yoga class
Nothing says Valley Girl more than taking a yoga class to find your inner peace! With countless studios for you to choose from, there’s something for everyone regardless of your preferred styles and class durations. Consider Y7 Yoga studio for their hip hop yoga sessions. All their studios are heated with infrared technology, ensuring that you’ll definitely get the detoxifying sweat session you signed up for. It’s a music-driven class, so you can work out to some catchy beats! For something that’s a bit more high-intensity, you can look to Corepower Yoga. With over 200 branches, you can trust them to know what a solid workout looks like. Their Corepower Yoga 1 and Hot Power Fusion classes are beginner-friendly, so don’t worry if it’s your first time! If those don’t seem to pique your fancy, there’s tons of other studios to choose from, each with something different to offer you.
Piñata District
Reconnect with your inner child in LA’s Piñata District, situated at East Olympic Boulevard. You can find every piñata imaginable here as an entire row of piñata display their best and most colourful party piñatas. The street is especially vibrant on the weekends, when vendors sell everything from piñatas to homemade queso and fresh fruit juice for shoppers. Make sure you dress up colourfully to match the bright and cheerful atmosphere of the place. While piñatas may not be a huge part of Asian culture, we’re sure you’ll be filled with joy just by being in this happy place - it’s really hard not to!
Hidden staircases of LA
These hidden public staircases were built in a time when LA was not yet a city of cars. City planners had installed them as direct routes for LA residents to go about their daily lives, and these staircases were especially prevalent in hillside communities as part of a larger staircase-to-trolley system. The trolleys are no longer around, but the staircases are still waiting to be discovered by travellers like you! Some of these include the Micheltorena Silver Lake Stairs, which are brightly painted - it almost looks like a rainbow! Saroyan Stairs, pictured above, is also one photogenic site. Climbing up these stairs will offer you a good workout, so make sure you make your way up in appropriate footwear!
Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
The Hollywood Forever Cemetery isn’t just your average cemetery - it’s a world famous landmark in the heart of Hollywood that’s also regularly involved in hosting cultural events. Cinespia has been hosting its outdoor movie screenings at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery since 2002 at the Fairbanks Lawn, a spacious open field in the cemetery grounds. Thousands gather on their mats after sunset to catch classic Hollywood movies, such as Blade Runner, When Harry Met Sally, Psycho and Moulin Rouge! Don’t miss on this opportunity to watch your favourite films out on the open, while getting cosy with your mats and blankets under the stars.
Malibu Wine Safaris
At first glance, an animal safari and vineyard don’t usually go together, but here at the Saddlerock Ranch and vineyard in Malibu, this odd pairing of activities promises fun for the whole gang! The whole area is about 1,000 acres, and you’ll get to see animals you’d never imagine finding in LA, like zebras, alpacas, bison and even a giraffe! After your safari adventure, you’ll be able to go wine-tasting. Malibu Wine Safari sources from the best local vineyards that will give you a good idea of the vast range of wines produced in Southern California. There’s a whole selection of tours to choose from - Explorer Tour, Giraffe Tour, Vintner Tour, Mimosa Brunch Tour and more! - each differently priced. If you’re willing to top up a bit more for this unusual experience, we say go right ahead!
Echo Park
Echo Park is really a one-of-a-kind community hub where you can meet locals from all walks of life mingling around and enjoying the space. It’s a family-friendly destination, so you’ll see many young children and their parents around whenever you’re there. Explore the lake on a paddle boat that resembles a swan, and just go about it leisurely at your own pace if you’re looking to enjoy a lazy afternoon! Whether or not you’re strolling or paddle boating, make sure you check out the park’s landmarks: the Lady of the Lake statue and the revived boathouse.
Comedy clubs
Los Angeles has been the centre of the comedy universe for a while now, and is where you can catch the most hilarious stand-up shows from comedians from all around the comedy world. The Comedy Store and The Laugh Factory are two big name comedy clubs that have been the starting ground for many mainstream professional comedians. The Laugh Factory has even boasted appearances from many big-name comedians like Bill Maher and Tim Allen. It’s not unusual for famous comedians to drop by unannounced at any of the nicest clubs, so if you’re lucky enough you might just be watching a set from someone you love! If you’re more into improv, The Groundlings is an improv school that counts Melissa McCarthy, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph among its alumni. There’s really no lack of comedy and improv clubs here for you to choose from - if you can’t pick one, you can always go for all of them!
Visit a speakeasy
While alcohol is clearly no longer illegal, speakeasy bars can be found all around LA, all of which have some interesting features that distinguish them from your regular bars. A good start would be at Employees Only, one of America’s first contemporary speakeasies. Located in West Hollywood, you can enter the bar through its faux psychic business storefront. The bar’s known for its cocktails made with home-made syrups, freshly squeezed juice and rare liquors, with an equally fancy dinner menu to match. In Sheep’s Clothing is another great choice for a hidden bar. Situated in the Downtown Arts District, just enter Lupetti Pizzeria and turn right to walk through the unmarked door. Cocktails made of mezcals and sake await while you sip on them and enjoy the all-vinyl playlist.
Check out a grocery store
Finally, we have the most essential local experience there is: grocery shopping. Trader Joe’s is a name you might have heard of before. Its first outlet in Pasadena is still there, and it has been a household name since the 1970s, when it began its signature “Trader Joe’s” label on all its products. Because it purchases directly from suppliers and doesn’t charge them any extra fees, Trader Joe’s is able to keep their prices low. The folks at Trader Joe’s curate their products carefully, and stock a wide variety of high-quality items that you’ll enjoy. Trust us, it’s pretty much grocery shopping heaven in any Trader Joe’s outlet! Another grocery outlet worth visiting is Whole Foods. Like Trader Joe’s you can find them almost anywhere in the States, though Whole Foods targets a more health- and environmentally- conscious demographic. It’s wide array of healthy foods and sustainable items will surely open your eyes to a new way of consumption!
