Los Angeles is a vast and sprawling city. Writing one definitive guide to give you a taste of all the city offers is impossible. Each neighborhood has different attractions, cuisines, and vibes. This itinerary, Spend A Day in Downtown L.A. guide, gives you a great jumping-off point to explore the city’s historic heart.
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The Vibe of Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA)
DTLA has become more of a Los Angeles local’s downtown in recent years. Working from home is still constant, and you will find downtown catering to residents with local-focused events and happy hours. You won’t see as many tourists here, making it easy to feel like you are experiencing this neighborhood like an Angeleno.
DTLA is in the midst of a renaissance. You will notice some growing pains from the pandemic, but this isn’t unlike most downtown cores across North America.
A Day in Downtown Los Angeles
If I were to spend a day in downtown Los Angeles’ historic district, this would be my itinerary. It includes well-known spots and places only locals know.
- Theme: History and architecture
- The three Bs: This itinerary would fall into the Budget exploring category. It offers many free things to do and great bites for $15 or less. See my recommendations for all budgets below. (If you aren’t sure what the three Bs are, check out this issue.)
- The best day to do this itinerary: Thursday
Stop one: A coffee and pastry
Aquarela [location]
Start your day with a cup of coffee at Aquarela Coffee in the art deco lobby of the Cal Edison Building. Finished in 1931, this was one of the first buildings powered entirely by electricity in the United States. Sit and gaze at the murals and intricate designs hidden in the ceilings and walls while you sip.
The menu features coffee house classics and specialty drink names that pay homage to Brazil, such as Chatinha and Saúde. The staff is very friendly and will help you find your perfect coffee. I think Pao de Quiejo is a great idea any time of day.
If you are exploring on the weekend when Aquarela is closed, I recommend the French bakery Pitchoun! next to stop two on the itinerary.
Stop two: Oscars & Unsolved Murder
Millennium Biltmore [location]
Hint: Enter on Olive Street, where the original lobby welcomed guests.
The Biltmore Hotel, now the Millennium Biltmore, has been the center of Los Angeles’ history for over a century. It is where Oscar was born, was a haven for partiers during prohibition, and has ties to Los Angeles’ most infamous unsolved murder, The Black Dahlia. (Note: The photos on the Wikipedia page aren’t for the faint of heart.)
This is a great place to soak up some history while you sip your coffee.
Schultze & Weaver, who designed a few Biltmore properties and the famous Waldorf Astoria in New York, blended many architectural styles to create its Los Angeles outpost. It brought the feeling of being in Italy, Spain, and the Mediterranean to the West Coast. The original lobby feels like a Southern Spain movie set.
Built in 1923, it was the largest hotel west of Chicago. When it opened, it overlooked Pershing Square, once a beautiful tree-lined park in the center of Downtown Los Angeles. The hotel welcomed movie stars, dignitaries, and socialites.
The Academy of Motion Picture Sciences- the Oscars- was created in the Biltmore Bowl. You can find it by walking through the hotel’s arcade. While there, check out some of the historic photographs of the hotel’s lavish opening and Oscar ceremonies held at the hotel.
Stop 3: Movies & technology
Apple Tower Theater [location]
In the 1920s, opulent movie palaces lined the streets of Broadway. On this street is where the first movie premiere took place, where hundreds of Angelenos would spend their weekends, and Old Hollywood stars made news.
One of my favorite hidden gems in the historic core is the Apple Tower Theater.
When the Tower Theater opened in 1927, it held 900 moviegoers. This theater was the first to be wired for sound movies (or talkies, as they were called then) and the first to have air conditioning. Now, it is an Apple Store.
Feel free to walk around to absorb some Old Hollywood history while you shop. I like sitting on the balcony with a coffee and enjoying the beautiful details.
I am not affiliated with Apple, but I want to credit them for working with the city to restore this piece of Los Angeles history. Many of the original movie palaces sit abandoned or have been dismantled.
If you want a more comprehensive history of Downtown Los Angeles, I recommend a Los Angeles Conservancy walking tour. On the Broadway Historic Theatre and Commercial District walking tour, you can visit some select theaters that are usually closed to the public.
Stop 4: Book lovers’ dream
The Last Bookstore [location]
This place is two stories of delights. The majority of the space is dedicated to new and used books, but it also has a record section where you can often find the album that has been missing from your collection.
The Last Bookstore is filled with little Instagram-able moments. There are tunnels of books, a typewriter that seems to be possessed, and other altars and installations scattered around the store. This is the place to get your Los Angeles trip photo.
In its original incarnation, the Last Bookstore was one of the many banks lining the financial district. You can still find echoes of its past. The second floor still holds the bank vault, and instead of having money, it now holds crime, mystery, and horror books.
I hope you spend some time here enjoying the space. Don’t skip the top floor, home to a few small businesses specializing in art and handmade wares.
Stop 5: A food hall before food halls were cool
Grand Central Market [location]
No guide to spending a day in Downtown Los Angeles would be complete without sampling the great food vendors in the Grand Central Market.
This is my favorite place to get something quick to eat in downtown Los Angeles. You can always find what you’re craving from one of the 40 vendors—from homemade donuts to award-winning tacos.
The Grand Central Market has fed Los Angeles since 1917. It was once the largest public market on the West Coast, selling produce, well-stocked butcher counters, and ready-to-eat restaurants.
It was a food hall before food halls were cool.
Take some time to wander the stalls, take a photo in one of the photo booths around the market, see what events are happening in the basement, or participate in one of the interactive pieces in the market.
My Grand Central Market recommendations
If you are struggling with what to eat, these are my suggestions.
- Carnitas at Villa Moreliana
- Cheeseburger at For the Win
- Seasonal fruit donut at The Donut Man
- Anything dessert-like from Fat +Flour
- Tacos from Villa’s Tacos
- If you are craving something healthy, try Shiku from the chefs of the award-winning Baroo.
Stop 6: The Shortest Railway in the United States
Angels Flight
The Angels Flight station closest to the market is across the street from Maple Block.
Ride the shortest railway in the United States!
Since 1901, the Angels Fight Railway has transported Angelenos up Bunker Hill. Ride the vintage car from Grand Central Market to California Plaza, which provides access to Downtown Los Angeles’ contemporary art museums.
California Plaza has excellent views of Downtown Los Angeles. If you are in L.A. between May and September, California Plaza turns into a concert venue–this will definitely make for a memorable trip.
The ride on Angels Flight costs $1.00 each way, or you can get a souvenir ticket for $2.00. If you have a Tap Card, LA Metro’s stored ride ticket costs .50 cents per trip.
Something to note: The ride up the hill on Angels Flight is pretty bumpy and jerky. If you suffer from back, head, and neck pain, you may want to take the Expo line from the Historic Broadway Station to Grand Avenue Arts Station instead.
Stop 7: Contemporary Art & Infinity
The Broad [location]
Los Angeles’s newest museum houses one of the largest private collections of contemporary art. Once scattered across the city, Eli and Edythe Broad’s collection was reassembled as its own museum in 2015.
Pronounced Bro-D, not broad as in wide.
The museum holds iconic pieces of contemporary art, such as Barbara Kruger’s Your Body is a Battle Ground, multiple infinity pieces from Yayoi Kusama, America by Hank Willis Thomas, and Jeff Koontz’s balloon creations.
There are plenty of opportunities to interact with art in the galleries. Photographing and posting to social media is encouraged.
Getting tickets
Advance purchase is encouraged. You can also scan the QR code at the front of the line to see if same-day tickets are available. Tickets for **Infinity Mirrored Room—**The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away go on sale the last Wednesday of the month.
Thursdays
If you use this itinerary on a Thursday, the Broad participates in a multi-museum after-hours event called Together Thursdays. See The Broad, MoCA on Grand, MoCA Geffen, and the Japanese American National Museum for FREE! There is a free shuttle that circulates between Grand Avenue and Little Tokyo. This is the reason I suggested Thursdays.
Los Angeles recommendations for every traveler
I love mixing low-cost and high-cost things when I travel. If any of the options on this list speak to you or you want me to plan your next trip to Los Angeles, let’s work together.
Budget
- Where to stay: The Freehand (Partner perks)
- What to eat: Build your own Los Angeles local buffet at The Grand Central Market
- What to do: The Broad
- Where to drink: Hit a happy hour at Kippered
Bonus
- Where to Stay: DTLA Proper (Partner perks)
- Where to eat: Shibumi
- What to do: Concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Where to drink: The Wolves
Bougie
- Place to stay: The Maybourn (Partner perks)
- Thing to do: The Weismann Foundation
- Where to eat: Somni (Recently reopened)
- Where to drink: The Bespoke experience at the Maybourn Bar
If you want me to design a custom itinerary for Bonus or Bougie travelers, let’s work together. If you are planning a complete tour of Los Angeles, contact me. I love this city and can give you a great customized itinerary, no matter the theme.
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