Welcome to Los Angeles! If you are here, you are coming to explore Los Angeles soon. Whether this is your first time or you have been here a few times, this page will help with some of the headaches of travel. Los Angeles tourists should start here!
This is a lot of information. Feel free to use the table of contents to jump around to the information you need.
Table of Contents
What is this Ugly Beautiful City?
This Ugly Beautiful City is an itinerary-focused travel site that features travel tips and guides for anyone exploring Los Angeles, from a local Angeleno to a first-time tourist who is passionate about food, art, and culture.
Tips for Tourists
If you are coming to Los Angeles for the first time or the first time in a while, I recommend that tourists start here. These tourist-focused pages are filled with all of the information you need on the best airports to fly into, how to avoid traffic and navigate public transit, and more.
Before you leave home–Tips for Planning your trip
This post has all of the information about traveling to Los Angeles. It covers all of the transportation options to Los Angeles, tips for saving money on hotels, and the best apps and websites to check out before you get here,
This is a great post for first-time tourists and the post to forward to people who are visiting you in Los Angeles. It can also be translated by clicking the translate button in the lower left-hand corner of your screen.
Need help planning your trip to Los Angeles?
I am a travel advisor who books travel for people around the world. If you want planning your vacation to feel less like a part-time job, reach out to me. I’d love to work with you. Set up a free consultation.
Your first moments in Los Angeles
This is the best page to read when you land in Los Angeles. It helps navigate LAXit’s confusing rideshare policy and what LAXit is. There is a great guide on how to take the Los Angeles Metro. I also recommend a place to exchange currency if you need it.
Welcome Los Angeles Conferencegoers
If you are coming to Los Angeles for a conference, this is the page for you. This series gives all of my tips for what to do, see, and eat around popular Los Angeles conference venues.
Frequently Asked Los Angeles Questions
These are my most frequently asked questions about Los Angeles. I thought I would share in case you have these questions too.
When is the best time to visit Los Angeles?
I talk about my favorite times to be in Los Angeles and what are the times you should avoid Los Angeles. You may be surprised that weather plays only a small part in these recommendations. My tips focus on when to experience Los Angeles without as many crowds. Yes, that is possible.
Local tip: It is called May Gray and June Gloom for a reason.
Do you have any trip-planning tips?
So many that I have an entire website focused on it. Los Angeles has something to do for everyone. I give recommendations for how to get the most out of your trip.
This is also for the Angelenos who get the question, “If I stay at Disney, can we meet for a Hollywood Happy Hour?” I give you permission to laugh now and send them this post.
This Ugly Beautiful City Tip: My number one piece of advice for tourists
Don’t try to pack too much into a day! Los Angeles is a sprawling traffic-filled city. If you have Hollywood and Santa Monica on the itinerary for the same day, do yourself a favor and break them up into two days!
Who wants to enjoy Los Angeles from a car window on the 405?
The answer is no one.
Is traffic really that bad?
This is my absolute favorite frequently asked Los Angeles question. Is traffic really that bad? In my post on Los Angeles traffic, I give you my tricks for dealing with all of the different types of Los Angeles traffic. Whether it be weekend traffic, beach traffic, or people traffic.
Local tip: Cars are prioritized here. If you don’t push the walk light, it will not change, and you will stand at an intersection waiting in vain.
Should I rent a car?
THIS ANSWER IS COMING SOON. This post is currently being written. Subscribe to my newsletter for new posts and post updates.
Where should I eat?
Los Angeles is one of my favorite food cities in the world. It is also one of the few cities where you can eat world-class food cheaply. In this post, I reveal the sources that point me toward fantastic meals in this city.
All of my L.A. neighborhood guides include places to eat. Check those out if you are wandering around Hollywood, Culver City, Sawtelle, and whatever neighborhood you find yourself hungry in.
Neighborhood guides
These are curated Los Angeles neighborhood guides that are great for research or on-the-go exploring. Each guide has information about tourist sites and the spots only locals know. There are suggestions for things to do, my favorite places to eat, and more.
Something you should know: I encourage you to explore Los Angeles like a local. Nothing in my posts is off-limits to you. Even the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall places. If it sounds good to you, go.
Authentic reviews
I am a self-sponsored writer who is not paid to promote anything, giving you authentic reviews of Los Angeles and its businesses. Ninety percent of the businesses I feature are the small businesses that make Los Angeles unique. From punny names like Mother Plucker to the strangest little museum in the City.
You will also not see distracting ads popping up and interrupting content. I think it would be weird to tell you my favorite burrito in Los Angeles and then have an ad for Chipotle pop-up. (Awkward)
The only advertising will be for my products, which is how I make money.
Recommended itineraries
Grab-and-go curated itineraries for tourists!
Los Angeles Tourist Bingo
A spin on the classic bingo travel game, Los Angeles Tourist Bingo is a fun way to gamify your next trip to Los Angeles. Follow a path down, across, or diagonally to create a day-long itinerary, a weekend getaway, or fill the entire card for a week of things to do. There are twelve possible itineraries where you can visit Los Angeles tourist attractions like the Walk of Fame, Santa Monica Pier, and the Griffith Observatory. Visit celebrity chefs and social media famous sites.
Want even more guidance?
Los Angeles Trip Planning Services
If you are too busy to plan your trip or you are overwhelmed by the possibilities of what to do in Los Angeles, I would love to help. From recommended flights to take and finding hotels in your budget to creating a curated weekend for you, I have services that can make your trip to Los Angeles memorable.
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.
