Los Angeles isn’t the easiest city to get to know. No one gets a handbook when they move here with all of the tips and tricks to navigate the city. No Handbook for the Recently Relocated to Los Angeles a la Beetlejuice. Although there isn’t one, I thought it would be good to create a list of helpful websites and apps for Angelenos. These are things I have learned along the way, wish I had when I moved here, and am passing on to you.
All locals should have these at their fingertips. These range from the best public transportation apps to secret foodie collaborations. It will help you when you need to move or help decipher our super confusing garbage/recycling/composting programs.
For faster finding, use the table of contents.
Table of Contents
Public Transit
I want to start this public transit on a positive note and say that it is becoming more connected with new and improved routes. It is night and day from when I first moved here. We are closing in on a train that serves LAX, and the new regional connector will be a game changer. I feel like the complaints that New Yorkers have about the train are the ones we have–crazy shit happens, and it can be pretty sad. Unfortunately, I have never seen Keanu on the LA Metro.
Riding the Metro is an inexpensive way to get around the city. Here is the helpful app I recommend for navigating the system. (So does Metro –over their own app.)
Transit
This is my favorite app for public transportation worldwide!
I use this app whenever I use LA Metro. It covers all of my needs.
- Realtime GPS located route information–wherever I am, I open the app, and it tells me which routes are closest to me, where they are going, and when it is coming. If you want to travel later, you can open the route to see the schedule.
- Not just the Los Angeles Metro schedule! Get information for Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, Culver City Transit, and more.
- You can buy fare directly through the app and save it to your phone’s wallet. No more searching for Tap cards!
I have used this app in Chicago and New Orleans. It is also available in Berlin, London, and Toronto.
Note: I do not pay for the premium account; I find that the lines closest to me at any given time are free. It is when I am outside of the range for the line that I run into the paywall. (i.e., I can’t check the Red Line routes while I am in Santa Monica.)
Parking
Parking in Los Angeles is so confusing! For a city that is built on cars, they certainly do not want you to park them anywhere. So many memes and jokes have been made about our parking signs. (See photo below)
Street parking
Yes, you can find street parking in Los Angeles, but at your own risk. You should read the lengthy parking signs before leaving your car.
There used to be a formula to it, and it was so much easier.
Three or more signs= do not park here!
The city switched it up so that you really need to read everything. It all feels like a word problem.
“If your car has four wheels and you came to a rolling stop back in 2019, and it is a Tuesday, but not the second Tuesday of the month, and your permit ends in an odd number, and you ate a sandwich for lunch, you can park here.”
Photo by Glowdirt, sourced from Reddit
Parking Meters
If you aren’t able to find parking in the residential neighborhoods, you can find metered parking along the main streets. Most, if not all, of the meters, take credit cards.
Did you know that you can plug your meter via app? No more running to pay your meter in the middle of dinner or your hair appointment. This app will send you notifications when your meter is about to expire. Read more about it here.
$&@“ I think my car was towed
If you think your car was towed, you can check this site. If you can’t remember your license plate number, take a picture of it now. Getting parking tickets or having your car towed is part of the Los Angeles initiation process.
Rideshare
Avoid all of the parking, train schedules, and DUIs by downloading the rideshare apps. Lyft, Uber, and Alto serve Los Angeles.
Alto picks up curbside at LAX–unlike Lyft or Uber. What a game-changer.
Overheard LA
Follow Overheard LA to laugh about Los Angeles and laugh about how you have become one of the people featured in their posts.
I felt this post about parking in Los Angeles was very fitting to this list.
Overheard LA, sourced from Instagram. Does not play.
311 three digits that unlock the city
What is it?
311–not just a 90s rock band–is a directory of city services. This is a great resource for all of your Los Angeles questions.
- What day is street cleaning in your neighborhood? 311
- Want to start a business in Los Angeles? 311
- Thinking about adding an ADU in your backyard? 311
- Have a non-emergency police call? 311
Click here for the website and how to download the app.
If you are Moving
Angelenos move a lot! You have to follow the cheap rent. Here is how 311 is a helpful website and app for Angelenos on the move.
If you are moving to Los Angeles or just moving across town, these are great resources to have on hand. These are all available through 311.
No Parking Signs
Did you know that you can order no parking signs for your move? These official signs allow you to park that U-Haul close to your apartment or get those movers easier access to the curb in front of your building. Make a request here.
You also have the right to call a tow truck for people parked between the signs between the hours of your move. Which they will. You will need to decide if the truck can fit before calling. Again, look at the $&@^ I think my car has been towed section.
Bulky Pick-up
What the heck is bulky pick-up? It is a service for the city to come and pick up your destroyed couch or Ikea cabinet that has fallen apart. These are items that shouldn’t go into the trash and are actually illegal to leave at the curb. This is hard to find because bulky is a random word to describe these items.
To schedule a pick-up, go to this page. It also has electronic waste and other helpful services.
Why is recycling so confusing??!!
I get you. When I moved here from Minnesota, I thought California was like-minded about recycling. I thought there would be recycling bins everywhere. There aren’t. They leave it up to you–maybe because of the deposit? I used to take a lot of my recyclables home with me because there wasn’t anywhere to put them while I was out and about.
The introduction of compost bins in 2023 made it even more confusing. Here is a cheat sheet in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. Other languages are available.
Random services
I just learned this week that the county will spray for mosquitos! I hope this service helps all of you in the SFV.
Community-led initiatives
Free exchange of goods and services
I know Facebook as social media is dying, but it is good for connecting you to the free exchange and buy-nothing groups in your neighborhood. Buy Nothing is huge in Los Angeles! You can find anything from furniture to clothes for your new office job to someone who ordered too much take-out. This is also a great place to meet neighbors.
Neighborhood Councils
These are groups that communicate with the city about residents’ concerns. Yes, I know it can seem pretty Parks and Recs at times, but there are block parties, get-out-the-vote campaigns, and they are good at connecting residents to resources–like renters’ rights and government assistance. Find your neighborhood council here.
Speaking of meeting neighbors and fellow Angelenos….
New to Los Angeles
Finding friends in a new city can be hard; here are some ideas to quicken the process.
Join the This Ugly Beautiful City community on Substack
My newsletter is full of ideas for experiencing Los Angeles. Paid subscribers get extra perks like tours and hangouts. Subscribe!
Los Angeles Fun Events
Los Angeles Fun Event started during the pandemic to connect people. This small group has grown to hundreds of people exploring the city together. They host hikes, bar takeovers, and events for singles. Follow them on Instagram to join.
Food
Farmer’s Markets
Farmer’s Markets are my favorite thing about Los Angeles. We are perfectly situated to get produce from all over southern California—pixie tangerines from Ojai and pork from Peads and Barnetts in the San Diego area.
There is an amazing variety of vegetables and fruit available every day. This makes it easier to eat healthier and makes this a great place to be vegetarian or vegan. Also, I feel like Farmer’s Markets are singles pick-up places.
Here is the schedule of all of the farmer’s markets in Los Angeles
Posts with my favorite Farmers’ Markets
For the foodies
Los Angeles is my favorite food city in the world. Great meals are everywhere, from fancy restaurants to someone’s backyard. I recommend These apps and websites for finding the best of what Los Angeles has to offer.
I also talk about food a lot in This Ugly Beautiful City. Paid subscribers have a list of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles.
Biite
Biite is great for those looking for one-of-a-kind food experiences. They host collaborations, pop-ups, and competition chef events-runners up to Top Chef, BBQ Showdown, and the like. You will get an occasional text when they have an event. Explore Biite & sign up for their drop alerts.
Mama Los Angeles
I love this story! During the pandemic, this group bridged the distance between Asian restaurants in the valleys and connected them to audiences across the city. They had a drop-off close to me, and I got the chance to try Be U, Northern Thai Food Club, and Hui Tou–all favorites now.
They have branched out with a twice-yearly night market. This evening of food, film, and performance is one of my favorite events in Los Angeles.
Eater LA
The media company Eater, offers the best recommendations for places to eat across the world. Eater LA has a larger staff that can go and eat, photograph, and report back quickly on the newest restaurants–sometimes before they are open to the public.
I use Eater all the time to find new restaurants, hot gossip about chefs, and sadly learn about restaurant closures.
Not to throw shade at a website that I love, but the only downside is that posts aren’t updated once they are posted–with the exception of The Essential 38. If you are interested in a restaurant, visit the website or go to Yelp to see if it is still open.
I try very hard to update all of my food posts. The Where to Eat in Downtown Culver City gets updated at least once a month.
Eat the World Los Angeles
This website/blog is a deep dive into the cuisines representing the diversity of Los Angeles. This is a fantastic site to get the comforts of home and try food from around the world. Read it!
In case of emergency
I know it is a scary thing to think about, but there are little tremors in Los Angeles just about every day. Most aren’t noticeable. Some feel like your jerky downstairs neighbor slamming his front door again. Rarely they will feel worse. When they do, you will wish that you had subscribed to NotifyLA.
Not only does NotifyLA let you know what to do in case of an earthquake, but it also gives you a heads-up to local cooling centers if it gets too hot or fires that are blazing through the canyons.
Let’s hope you will never be impacted, but if in case.
For the Art Lovers
There is a good mix of free and ticketed museums in Los Angeles. The Hammer and Wende are always free, The Broad is free except for their special exhibitions, and The Getty and Villa are free with steep parking costs. Some museums are free on some days and not others. It gets confusing.
Here is a list of the free museum days in the Los Angeles area.
Exh.Cat
Exh.Cat is the website I use to see all of the exhibits happening in Los Angeles in one easy-to-use site. No more checking each and every museum site for what is on display. I also use it when I travel to other cities.
Here it is, the most helpful websites and apps for Angelenos. Are there any that I have forgotten? Let me know in the comments.
NEWS–I will be linking my top 100 things to do in Los Angeles for $15 or less on this page. These posts will be published in June and July.
If I saved you some headaches…
This Ugly Beautiful City is a 100% self-funded publication. If you have used any of the advice on these pages and would like to send a thank you, consider buying me a coffee.
