Los Feliz 101: Things to do in Los Feliz

Although Los Feliz is close to Hollywood, it couldn’t be more different. Los Feliz is less crowded and more residential, with a main street feel with tons of small and artistic businesses. The concentration of things to do in this neighborhood dot the parallel boulevards of Vermont and Hillhurst. Some people might call this area a “hipster” neighborhood, but with tons of mom-and-pop businesses, art, and easy access to hiking trails, I have to say that I am here for it. These are my recommendations for things to do in Los Feliz.

Shopping

There is tons of shopping in this area. I wish I could list all of the unique businesses in this post, but I’ll have to stick to my favorites.

Books

Skylight Books

Los Feliz’s second most famous resident is Skylight Books.

This was the first Los Angeles bookstore I fell in love with in Los Angeles. I love bookstores that invite you to explore and are well-marked enough for you to browse on your own. I fell in love with Skylight more when it added its annex full of art & design books. The Annex’s graphic novel selection is also on the incredible side, so if you are a fan, hit this place up.

I always spend ten minutes or so in the entrance that is jam-packed with temptations. Cute letterpress cards greet you that are perfect for that birthday, life event, or cheeky message between you and your person. There are desk supplies to help me feel like I might possibly be a more organized person. Then there are staff picks to help me grow my never-ending “want to read” list.

Skylight also has a great section of Los Angeles fiction, auto/biography, and travel guides. It is a great place to learn more about L.A. This section was where I decided to spend a whole year reading books about Los Angeles.

Hours, cost, and other information

• Website: https://www.skylightbooks.com/
• Address: 1818 N. Vermont Blvd.
• Other: If you are new to Los Angeles and looking to join a book club, Skylight can hook you up! In addition to the in-store events, there is also a theater company in the complex if you are looking for a way to see new and established playwrights.

Gift Shops

Soap Plant/Wacko

Spitfire Girl

This is the type of store I get lost in. Stationary, candles, socks with tacos on them, tarot, and potions. It is a little bit of everything. I often come here looking for something for someone’s birthday and come out with a bunch of new things for me.

Hours, costs, and other information

• Website: https://www.spitfiregirl.com/
• Address: 1939-1/2 Hillhurst Ave.

Vintage and Second-Hand Shops

This is where I come for my vintage fix. There are tons of vintage shops in Los Feliz, and I hear that the Goodwill on Hollywood is one of the best in the city. Tons of new clothing with tags on. Here are my favorite vintage shops.

Squaresville

Hours, cost, and other information

• Website: https://www.squaresvillevintage.com/
• Address: 1800 N. Vermont Ave.

The Bearded Beagle

One of my favorite dresses that I can’t stop wearing came from the Bearded Beagle. This small but well-curated vintage shop has a great mixture of recent vintage-aka the 90s–to little 60s shift dresses and 80s prom chic. If you are into vintage rock t-shirts, this is where you should come.

Hours, cost, and other information

• Website: https://thebeardedbeagle.com/
• Address: 4646 Hollywood.

Crossroads Trading Company

This second-hand shop has locations all over Los Angeles. Crossroads has a surprising amount of new and designer items. I think this speaks to how hard it is to return things to stores. So many of the items have original tags on them still. I once found a Kate Spade skirt for $22 on the same day I bought a Phillip Lim tank for $16. The other thing I love about Crossroads is that everything is arranged by color. If you are trying to match a certain purple in a skirt you already have, you can head to that section. If you are like me who is trying to avoid buying yet another black item of clothing, you can skip that section.

Hours, cost, and other information

• Website: https://crossroadstrading.com/
• Address: 4470 Sunset Blvd.
• Other: There are multiple locations across the greater Los Angeles area.

See a movie

When you move to a new city, you find yourself looking for the things you loved from your hometown. For me, it was finding places where I could see foreign and independent films. Living on the Eastside during my first handful of years here, I found that Los Feliz was the perfect place to keep current on films that had nothing to do with superheroes.

Los Feliz Theater (The Los Feliz 3)

This movie theater might feel a bit dated and not filled with the creature comforts of the new ways of seeing a movie. There is no stadium seating or service at your seat here. The decor has one foot in the 1990s and the other in Art Deco. A strange Miami pastel and neon but somehow gloomy at the same time. That I what I love about it. Movies here are independent and foreign films with a slight sprinkling of the mainstream.

Hours, cost, and other information

• Website: https://www.vintagecinemas.com/losfeliz/
• Address: 1822 N. Vermont
• Cost: $12.50 regular price and $11.50 for a matinee
• Note: Watch for events and Q&As on their website.

The Vista Theater

The Vista Theater reopened in November of 2023! This multi-year renovation is now finished, and you now can get inside the 1920s theater with ancient Egyptian details. The theater was recently purchased by director Quentin Tarantino, who owns the New Beverly Cinema. This theater will show movies on film.

Website and showings–COMING SOON

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